TORTOLA - The United Kingdom Department for Transport announced Friday that it has suspended permission for Puerto Rico-based Air Carolina to fly commercial flights to, from or within the British Virgin Islands.

"The permit has been suspended as the DfT believes that the airline no longer meets the safety requirements laid down by its regulator, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration," said Tony Roome, chief operating officer of Air Safety Support International.

ASSI, a wholly owned subsidiary of the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority, is responsible for regulating civil aviation in the BVI. It was established on April 1, 2003, and is funded through the Department for Transport.

This in not the first time that the airline has been suspended.

On June 17, the Department for Transport withdrew permission from the airline following a decision by the FAA. Air Carolina is headquartered in Puerto Rico but has offices at Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island, doing business as Island Helicopters.

Nicolette Smith, head of the Governor's Office, told The Daily News in June that the FAA said Air Carolina was unable to demonstrate operational control of Island Helicopters.

At issue was a request by the UK government for Island Helicopters to switch its operating permit over to Air Carolina Inc.

Island Helicopters received its operating certificate in Puerto Rico under the name Air Carolina.

Island Helicopters has operated in the BVI since 1999 and makes up to six flights a day doing charters, tours, medical transfers and aerial photography.

When contacted on Friday, owner Brad Hanger was out of the territory, but his office manager, Jan Dart, confirmed that she had received an e-mail in the morning notifying them that they had been shut down.

"They shut us down in June for two weeks, we were supposed to change our name, which we did, but I don't know what we did this time," Dart said.

She said she has forwarded the letter to Hanger, who will take action.

- Contact Angela Burns Piper at 284-494-1291 or e-mail angelaburnspiper@yahoo.com.