IATA is dismissing claims that Cameroon Airlines has been suspended from either the organisation's membership or its settlement system.

African media reports say that IATA suspended Cameroon Airlines, which is under administration, because of shortcomings in accounting and operations.

Cameroon Airlines could not immediately be reached to clarify the situation. But an IATA spokesman insists: "They are still members and they are still part of our settlement system. Clearly there are problems at Cameroon Airlines, but at this point we haven't suspended them."

He suggests that IATA's suspension of National Airways Cameroon, a small-scale operation which ceased operations in February, could have triggered the media reports.

It is normal for IATA's billing and settlement plan (BSP) to hold a security deposit when a carrier is under administration. The spokesman says IATA is withholding some of Cameroon Airlines' funds as a financial guarantee.

"We do not have a security deposit, but we are withholding funds that we have in our BSP system which allows us to cover our risk. That is a bit of an abnormal situation, but it allows them to use the facilities of the BSP," he says.