Brussels, 30/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 30 March, the European Commission adopted the 13th update of the list of airlines banned in the European Union. Given the poor safety record of their countries' civil aviation authorities, all air carriers from Sudan and the Philippines have been included on the list. The Commission decided, too, to partially lift restrictions placed on TAAG from Angola and Air Koryo from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The operations of Iran Air will be restricted. It will only be allowed to use certain aircraft for flights to Europe.
“Safety comes first. We are ready to support countries that need to build up technical and administrative capacity to guarantee the necessary standards in civil aviation. But we cannot accept that airlines fly into the EU if they do not fully comply with international safety standards,” said Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas in a press release. With this update, Air Koryo, which has been subject to an operating ban since March 2006, is allowed partially to resume its activities. Only two of its aircraft, fitted with the necessary equipment to comply with compulsory international standards, will be allowed to fly within the EU. The rest of its fleet remains barred from operating in the Community. The Commission also recognised the improvements in the operations of TAAG Angola Airlines, which was included on the list in June 2007 (see EUROPE 9457), but which will now be allowed to fly to all destinations in the EU, not only to Lisbon. Flights will, however, be under certain strict conditions set by the Commission and with specific aircraft. The civil aviation authority of Angola must intensify its oversight of all carriers and continue the recertification of the other Angolan air carriers which remain banned from operating into the EU.
The Commission has imposed an operating ban on all operations of Sudanese air carriers (affecting around a dozen airlines), due to a poor safety performance of the civil aviation authority of Sudan resulting from persistent non-compliance with international standards in the area of oversight. The same is true for the competent Philippines authorities, despite recent efforts to reform the civil aviation system in the Philippines and steps taken to address safety deficiencies reported by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). In view of the significant safety concerns identified by ICAO, the Commission with the unanimous support of the Air Safety Committee, was forced to follow the precautionary principle and impose an operating ban on all air carriers licensed in the Philippines. In a press release published on Tuesday, the Commission says it is ready to support the Philippine authorities and that the decision was taken as a precaution. A Commission delegation is expected to visit the country in the coming months. The Commission also acknowledges measures taken by two carriers, Philippines Airlines and Cebu Airlines, to ensure safety of operations. The Commission will also visit Iran in the course of the next few months to verify the oversight of the Iranian civil aviation organisation and the safety situation of Iran Air. In the mean time, the carrier will only be allowed to use certain aircraft for flights to Europe. The Commission will also keep a close eye on the situation in Albania. The results of a recent visit by the European Aviation Safety Agency indicate that the competent authority needs to strengthen its capabilities to ensure the oversight of the air carriers it licences. The Commission has urged the competent authorities to take prompt action to address these issues.
As it now stands, the Community list has three carriers whose operations are totally banned in the European Union - Ariana Afghan Airlines from Afghanistan, Siem reap Airways International from Cambodia and Silverback Cargo Freighters from Rwanda. All carriers from 17 countries - 278 companies in total - are banned: Angola, Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, (with the exception of three carriers which operate under restrictions and conditions), Indonesia, Kazakhstan (with the exception of one carrier which operates under restrictions and conditions), the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Swaziland and Zambia. In addition to the air carriers previously mentioned, Air Bangladesh, Air Service Comores and Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines from Ukraine will only be allowed to operate under restrictions and conditions. (A.By./transl.rt)