Brussels, 19/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - Some airlines, including four all-cargo air carriers from Indonesia and one air carrier from Ukraine, have been removed from the list of airlines banned in the European Union as the European Commission adopted the 17th update of the list on Tuesday 19 April. The Commission formed the view that these companies had satisfactorily addressed the safety concerns identified. However, all air carriers certified in Mozambique have been banned from flying into the EU, as have two specific aircraft belonging to Air Madagascar because of “significant safety deficiencies”. All decisions were taken with the unanimous support of the Air Safety Committee, which consists of experts from the member states.
The Air Safety Committee, which met from 5 to 7 April, also examined the cases of a number of European air carriers. The Commission is urging the authorities in several member states to further enhance their oversight of these air carriers to ensure that all airlines established in Europe operate at the highest safety levels.
This update removes the previous ban on the operations of four Indonesian all cargo air carriers - Cardig Air, Republic Express, Asia Link and Air Maleo. Restrictions on Ukrainian airline UMAir have also been removed. Furthermore, as the Commission believes that the authorities of Angola, Cambodia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have intensified their efforts to enforce the international safety standards, some companies that are no longer engaged in commercial air transport have been taken off the list.
However, in order to ensure that there were no risks to safety from the operations of certain air carriers, the Commission has decided: - to impose an operating ban on all air carriers certified in Mozambique given the “significant deficiencies” in safety identified; - to impose restrictions on the two aircraft of type Boeing 767 operated by Air Madagascar given the persisting deficiencies in their operation and oversight; - to add to the list the names of new airlines were established in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Commission points out that the authorities of this country have hitherto been unable to discharge their safety oversight responsibilities. All air carriers from DRC are, then, subject to operating restrictions.
The updated European list includes all carriers certified in 21 states, accounting for 269 known air carriers, whose operations are fully banned in the European Union. The list also includes three individual carriers and ten air carriers which are allowed to operate into the EU under strict restrictions and subject to conditions. It can be found at: http: //ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm
The Commission also says in a press release that, after a lengthy discussion, the Air Safety Committee has urged the Commission to intensify its dialogue on aviation safety matters with the Russian Federation to ensure that all aircraft flying into the EU comply with international standards. (O.L./transl.rt)