Brussels, 05/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 5 March, the European Commission adopted the third quarterly update of its blacklist of airlines banned in the European Union. Since 12 October 2006, when the list was last updated, two companies, Phuket Air of Thailand and DAS AIR Cargo/Dairo Air Services of Kenya/Uganda, have been removed after introducing adequate measures to meet European standards. The two companies “have proved to the Commission that they have now rectified the serious safety deficiencies which had originally led to their banning from Europe,” says the Commission in a press release.
Four Kirghiz companies, one from Equatorial Guinea and five from the Democratic Republic of Congo (a total of ten carriers) have been added to the list.
In addition, a total of 49 carriers previously included in the list have been withdrawn since they have ceased operating. This was either because their countries have revoked (or refused to renew) their certificates or because the airlines themselves have decided to wind down their activities. These include two from Kazakhstan, six from Congo DRC, one from the Republic of Liberia, thirty-three from Equatorial Guinea and seven from the Kyrgyz Republic.
Two companies (Air West of Sudan and PIA of Pakistan) have been made subject to operational restrictions. For Air West, this means a complete ban from operating in the EU, since further deficiencies have now been identified even on the sole aircraft which was previously still allowed to operate into the EU. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is only allowed to operate into the Community with its Boeing 777 aircraft.
The Commission also noted the decision by Bulgaria to prohibit five Bulgarian carriers (Air Sofia, Bright Aviation Services, Heli Air Services, Skorpion Air and Vega Airlines) from operating into the other EU Member States as well as into Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. This decision, the Commission says, is of temporary nature pending the implementation of adequate remedial measures which will be jointly reviewed in a few weeks by the Commission and the Bulgarian authorities.
Russia also decided on 12 February 2007 to prohibit nine national carriers - Aero Rent, Tatarstan, Atlant Soyuz, Aviakon Zitotrans, Centre Avia, Gazpromavia, Lukoil, Russian Sky (Russkoe Nebo) and Utair - from operating single flights and charter flights into the Community.
The Commission has taken note of the decision by Bulgaria to prohibit five Bulgarian carriers (Air Sofia, Bright Aviation Services, Heli Air Services, Skorpion Air and Vega Airlines) from operating into the other EU Member States as well as into Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. This decision is a temporary one pending the implementation of adequate remedial measures which will be jointly reviewed in a few weeks by the Commission and the Bulgarian authorities.
Russia decided on 12 February 2007 to prohibit nine national carriers - Aero Rent, Tatarstan, Atlant Soyuz, Aviakon Zitotrans, Centre Avia, Gazpromavia, Lukoil, Russian Sky (Russkoe Nebo) and Utair - from operating single flights and charter flights into the Community.
The full blacklist can be consulted on http: //air-ban.europa.eu (aby)