EU bans 92 airlines from flying into member-countries

EU bans 92 airlines from flying into member-countries

	Published : Thu, 23 Mar 2006 10:45 By : James Rowe Print this Story

BRUSSELS: The European Union banned 92 airlines from landing at European airports as these airlines have been found to have failed in meeting international safety standards.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, approved the list, which contains mostly African carriers -- at least 50 airlines from the Democratic Republic of Congo, 13 from Sierra Leone, 11 from Equatorial Guinea, six from Swaziland and three from Liberia. Also included in the list are Thailand's Phuket Airlines and operators from Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and North Korea. Both cargo and passenger carriers are part of the list.

Announcing the decision, the Commission said these airlines have been judged to have "inadequate system for regulatory oversight".

EU's transport commissioner Jacques Barrot described these airlines as operating "flying coffins" and said the blacklist will keep such dubious airlines out of Europe. The action will also ensure that all airlines operating in Europe's sky meet the highest safety standards.

Transport ministers from EU countries had urged the Commission to draw up the list after a series of accidents mostly caused by charter flights.

Barrot pointed out that many airlines in the list do not at present operate in Europe, but it is a preemptive step, which will also help improve the safety standards in African countries.

The Commission had given ample opportunity to the airlines figuring in the list to defend themselves. They can also appeal to the Commission to remove them from the list once all the safety guidelines are met.

The Commission had fixed several criteria, including poor maintenance standards, failure to solve problems identified during inspections and bad oversight by regulatory authorities.

Global airlines body IATA said blacklisting does not solve the real problem, which is bringing less safe airlines up to standard. It said the issue is of varying standards worldwide.

Barrot said the presence of high number of Congolese airlines in the list is attributed to the practice of converting old military planes into either cargo or passenger carriers.

The Commission has placed milder restrictions on Air Bangladesh and Buraq Air from Libya.

A similar ban already exists in Britain, which has published a list of airlines banned from landing in the country on safety grounds. Such bans exist in Switzerland, France and some other EU countries too.

The commission will have quarterly reviews with the EU's aviation safety agency, European Aviation Safety Agency, either adding new airlines or taking off carriers that meet the zone's safety standards.

Barrot said the EU can offer assistance to African nations to upgrade airline safety standards.

The European Aviation Safety Agency will be given powers to issue certificates to airlines wanting to fly in European skies.