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AllFlying |
Banned
list lengthens (Nov 2005)
The list of airline
operators banned from flying in Europe is steadily growing, with Cameroon Airlines
the latest to earn this dubious distinction. French
Blacklist
 The
French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) conducted checks on Cameroon Airlines'
aircraft in May, July and August. Unfortunately, every time serious faults were
found such as worn tires, hydraulic fluid leaks and other violations of international
flight safety standards.
DGAC spokeswoman Edith Tartry confirmed “each
time there were anomalies”.
DGAC also released a statement said: “The
suspension follows tests carried out in the spring on company aircraft which revealed
several failures to meet international norms notably in the fields of loading,
transport of dangerous materials, navigation documentation and tyre maintenance”
“The
DGAC asked for an audit of operating conditions with satisfactory conclusions
by September 15, but this did not happen. The suspension may be lifted as soon
as satisfactory audit results are transmitted to the DGAC”
Air Koryo of
North Korea was the first airline to be placed on the banned list in 2001. It
was joined by Thailand's Phuket Airlinesin the same year. Other banned air carriers
are US Air Saint-Thomas, International Air Services of Liberia, and the Mozambican
Linhas Aereas de Mocambique. An
EU agreement?
In the wake of the four bloody air disasters since August this
year, the European Union Commission has raised a suggestion that urges its 25
members to issue a country-by-country ban list of unsafe airlines. Currently,
each nation within EU applies different safety standards.
European Union air
safety specialists have authorized the Executive Commission to conduct an EU-wide
ban list. "There is consensus toward establishing a list of companies which
are restricted or suspended from operating their aircraft to, from or over Europe,"
said Roberto Salvarani, head of the European Commission air safety unit.
France's
neighbours have had their own lists and are still concerned over the common criteria
for air safety. Belgium has shared the same list with France. Swiss civil aviation
officials also said they are going to release a similar list. Switzerland has
already forbidden Egypt's Flash and Armenia's Air Van Airlines to land in its
territory. Across the Channel, the UK has taken action as well. According to Department
for Transport, aircraft registered with the following states are refused or would
be refused to enter the UK: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea,
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland and Tajikistan. In addition, three other airlines
have suspended permits for entrance: Air Mauritanie, Phoenix Aviation in Kyrgyzstan
and Thai Phuket Airlines.
The other French neighbouers, Spain and Italy, have
not created such a list. Italy only suspended authorization for a Tunisian airline
following a crash which occurred on August 6, near Capo Gallo, killing 16 people.
Spain has not officially banned any air carrier and said it did not intend to
follow other countries in doing so. The government only planed to increase inspection
numbers on foreign aircrafts from 55 to 3,350.
Another good news for the airlines
banned by Belgium is they can still fly into the Netherlands without restrictions.
Transport Ministry spokesman Willard Elisson said: “We did not find any reason
to ban these carriers.” But the Dutch Government is in favour of a EU-wide
blacklist. Air
disasters timeline
There have been four deadly air crashes since August this
year.
5 September: A Mandala Airlines plane with 112 passengers and five crew
on board crashes after take-off in the Indonesian city of Medan, killing almost
all on board and dozens on the ground.
23 August: A Tans airline Boeing 737-200
crashes on an internal flight in Peru, near the city of Pucallpa, with at least
40 people reported dead.
16 August: A Colombian plane operated by West Caribbean
Airways crashes in a remote region of Venezuela, killing all 160 people on board.
The airliner, heading from Panama to Martinique, was packed with residents of
the Caribbean island.
14 August: A Helios Airways flight from Cyprus to Prague
with 121 people on board crashes north of the Greek capital Athens, apparently
after a drop in cabin pressure. French
list
Air Koryo, North Korea
Air Saint-Thomas, US Virgin Islands
International
Air Service, Liberia
Air Mozambique (LAM), including its subsidiary Transairways
Phuket
Airlines, Thailand Belgian
list
Africa Lines, Central African Republic
Air Van Airlines, Armenia
Central
Air Express, Democratic Republic of Congo
ICTTPW, Libya
International Air
Tours Ltd., Nigeria
Johnsons Air Ltd., Ghana
Silverback Cargo Freighters,
Rwanda
South Airlines, Ukraine
By
Lei Su
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