New EU blacklisted countries/airlines now published

[Pieter C. 5]

Did PIA return the 9M-MRE already to MAS ?

 

If they did, they might be in big trouble with their flights to the EU :

 

EU To Ban Most Pakistan Airlines Planes

 

February 23, 2007

The European Union is set to ban most of Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) fleet from flying to the 27 country bloc because of safety concerns, an EU source said on Friday.

 

The source said a committee of experts had decided to block all but seven planes of the airline's roughly 40 aircraft fleet from flying to Europe for failing to meet international safety standards.

 

"Only those seven will be allowed to make flights to European Union countries," the source said. "The rest of the fleet will be blacklisted."

 

State-run PIA declined to comment.

 

"We cannot comment on this until we receive an official communication from the EU," a PIA spokesman said in Karachi.

 

The decision is likely to come into force in about 10 days, the EU source said, once it is made official by the executive European Commission.

 

The source said the decision could cause disruptions to passengers because the airline had flight connections to Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands.

 

A Pakistani diplomat in Brussels said the airline was working to address the EU's concerns, which focused on maintenance problems and old aircraft.

 

"It is for the airline to take steps to alleviate the situation and they are already doing that," the diplomat said.

 

"I think there is a great effort by PIA and also by the European officials that passengers should not suffer too much from this," he said.

 

Last year the Commission banned nearly 100 airlines from operating in the bloc, targeting mostly African carriers after a spate of fatal crashes involving European passengers.

 

In addition, Bulgaria, which joined the EU in January, has suspended five carriers from flying to the rest of the bloc as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland until the companies achieve necessary safety standards.

 

Those carriers are Air Sofia, Bright Aviation Services, Heli Air Services, Skorpion Air and Vega Airlines.

 

The carriers are not being placed on the EU blacklist.

 

"The Aviation Safety Committee has expressed its satisfaction from Bulgaria's measures, due to which there are no Bulgarian airline companies included in the blacklist," the Bulgarian transport ministry said in a statement.

 

(Reuters)

 

I guess, it's bye-bye to PIA's Airbus 310's at AMS, as well as the AN-12's of Bright and Vega

 

[Pieter C. 5]

More PIA news is surfacing here:

 

Pakistan Air Mulls Leasing Planes As EU Ban Looms

 

February 26, 2007

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is considering leasing passenger planes and crew due to a looming European Union ban on more than three-quarters of its ageing fleet over safety concerns, PIA officials said.

 

The state-run airline was warned last year that most of its planes failed to meet international standards, and on Friday an EU source revealed that all but seven of PIA's 42 planes would be barred from landing in the EU.

 

The EU source in Brussels said the European Commission's decision was likely to take effect in about nine days.

 

A PIA statement said the airline was unaware of any expected ban, though officials, who requested anonymity, said Pakistan's embassy in Brussels had informed the airline of the impending ban.

 

Technical fitness of aircraft, airworthiness and other cabin specific issues were discussed in three days of talks between PIA and EU air safety officials that ended on Friday, PIA said.

 

"They appreciated PIA's efforts towards maximization of its aircraft, excellent maintenance standards and airworthiness," the statement said.

 

"Necessary refurbishment of PIA's old aircraft is in the pipeline as per EU standards," it added.

 

On Saturday a senior PIA official described the EU decision as "a surprise", but said steps would be taken to keep services to Europe running.

 

PIA's seven new Boeing 777s have not been banned and will be used to the maximum on the European sector, and the airline is also considering leasing.

 

"We can acquire new aircraft on wet lease similar to what we do every year for our haj (pilgrimage) operations," said the official, who requested anonymity.

 

PIA faces a flood of demand every year from Muslims making the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

 

Wet leasing is the term given to leasing the plane plus cockpit and cabin crew.

 

PIA operates 16 flights a week to eight countries out of 27 in the EU bloc. Its most profitable routes were to the Middle East and Britain.

 

Another PIA official, who participated in meetings with EU experts, said the airline had expected its Airbus A310 and Boeing 747-300 aircraft to have escaped the ban, and the decisions had come as a shock.

 

A PIA aircraft safety official said that, after Brussels put PIA on a watchlist in 2006, the airline had hired a British-based company to refurbish the interior and exterior of planes after consultations with EU officials.

 

The PIA fleet that would be affected if a ban is imposed includes six Boeing 747-300s, two Boeing 747-200s, seven Boeing 737-300s, one Boeing 727-200, 12 Airbus A310-300s, two Airbus A321s, one Airbus A310 and three ATR-42-500s. It also has one cargo aircraft.

 

Last year, the Commission banned nearly 100 airlines from operating in the bloc, targeting mostly African carriers after a spate of fatal crashes involving European passengers.

 

(Reuters)

 

More chances for MH ???

 

 

[Seth K 3]

Not their new lease 321 Wow, EU taking things seriously! I know PIA hv good widebody maintainence

Yeah they gonna refurbish interior and exterior, wait, so how u refurbish the exterior?

[Andrew Ong 1]

I feel so bad that PIA can't send the majority of its fleet to Europe

 

Will this ban upset the spotters in Europe?

Edited February 27, 2007 by Andrew Ong

[Pieter C. 5]

Will this ban upset the spotters in Europe?

 

Definitely not the ones at AMS; we always get the same old boring 310's and are looking forward to the 777's and/or leased-in aircraft

 

[Pieter C. 5]

Today, a new "blacklisted airline'' list was published by the EU. see link below:

 

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/pdf/list_nl.pdf

 

Indeed, all the PIA aircraft, except the 777's are banned from EU airspace

However, DAS Air Cargo, is allowed again to operate flights into the EU. We, AMS spotters, surely welcome those beautiful three-holers back at Schiphol

[H Azmal 0]

EU bans all Indonesian airlines

 

All Indonesian airlines including national carrier Garuda are to be banned from the European Union.

 

An updated blacklist of unsafe airlines also includes two new operators from Angola and Ukraine.

 

Indonesian carriers do not currently fly to Europe, but the ban serves as a warning to consumers not to use these airlines elsewhere in the world.

 

"European citizens should avoid flying with these carriers," an EU official said. "They are really unsafe."

 

The last version of the blacklist, published in March, featured 91 airlines, 74 of them from Africa, and most of the rest from Kyrgyzstan.

 

The new list includes all 51 carriers from Indonesia, Angolan carrier TAAG Angola Airlines, and Volare Aviation from Ukraine.

 

Russian restrictions

 

The EU also notes that Russia is currently blocking all flights to the EU by four passenger airlines and has placed restrictions on six other companies.

An existing ban on Pakistan International Airlines will also be relaxed to allow specific Boeing 747 and Airbus 310 aircraft to fly to Europe, in addition to its Boeing 777 fleet, which is already regarded as safe.

 

The new list, decided upon following advice from an EU air safety committee, is expected to be formalised within a week.

 

Garuda flew to Rome and Amsterdam until 2005, and is planning to resume services to Amsterdam in 2008.

 

Indonesia's ambassador to the EU, Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, said Indonesian airlines were safe and he hoped the EU would review its decision at a meeting of air safety experts in October.

 

Series of accidents

 

"It is our commitment and our determination to have safety in our civil aviation," he told the Reuters news agency.

 

"We hope that the European Union can also give us the opportunity to improve."

 

Indonesian airlines have suffered a series of accidents this year.

 

On New Year's Day an Indonesian jet fell into the sea, killing all 102 people on board.

 

Some weeks later, another plane broke in half as it landed.

 

And in March, a Boeing 737 veered off a runway and burst into flames, leaving 21 dead.

[Sandeep G 1]

Bad for GA, good for MAS on the codesharing basis!!!!

time for extra flights to KUL from Jakarta with widebody aircraft GA!!

 

looks like those A380s that PMB is ordering for MAS are looking more viable?? *ducks for cover

[Keno Omar 0]

Is Indonesia Air Asia largely controlled from KL, specifically in terms of Malaysian safety practices and standards; or merely hiding behind Tune Air brand while still maintaining their "local" way of doing business, which causes all Indonesian airlines to be all judged equally unsafe by EU?

[Seth K 3]

Dun worry, Indo AirAsia won't make it far to EU anyway

Indonesia AirAsia is definately an Indonesian carrier, so it ban in EU. Majority own by the Indonesian and it's only use AirAsia name for operation.

The most concern is TAAG!

Edited June 28, 2007 by Seth K

[Jessnor Arif 1]

Bad for GA, good for MAS on the codesharing basis!!!!

time for extra flights to KUL from Jakarta with widebody aircraft GA!!

 

looks like those A380s that PMB is ordering for MAS are looking more viable?? *ducks for cover

 

 

Not Quite!.. Since GA dont fly its own metal to europe. I know they codeshare with MH to FRA. Dont know about other city. It doesnt really affect them on their current route.

Edited June 28, 2007 by Jessnor Arif

[S V Choong 4]

Indonesia is really not at its best of luck these years. Just hope this will change in the near future and someone has to do something about it.

[Rozhan 0]

Wonder if any further investigation is being done to determine the cause of the Adam Air crash. At least the authorities, and also Boeing could remedy whatever issues that led to the crash. I feel the victims died and nobody 'cared' about them.

[Desmond Loo 0]

Not Quite!.. Since GA dont fly its own metal to europe. I know they codeshare with MH to FRA. Dont know about other city. It doesnt really affect them on their current route.

 

 

I get the feeling they codeshare to London too. Well this was the case before the termination of the Manchester to KUL vv flights.

 

[Mohd Idham 0]

Indonesia should learn something.....aviation is a serious industry...

[T Azahan 1]

i guess lion b739er cannot fly on charter flight to europe lohhh.......

[Mohd Idham 0]

There is no problem with the aircraft, but the people that maintain the aircraft, so the aircraft is not safe...at indonesia, money cames first, safety goes number 32... <_>

Edited June 29, 2007 by Mohd Idham

[S V Choong 4]

so the aircraft is not safe...at indonesia, money cames first, safety goes number 32... mad.gif dry.gif

 

This kind of mentality is not new to developing countries. Saw a lot of this in China and Malaysia as well although not aviation.

[Mohd Idham 0]

Saw a lot of this in China and Malaysia as well although not aviation.

 

Yes, I agree.....but Indons, aviation also goes third class mentality...

What I really upset is, they didn't learn....almost every year, there is a crash there, and it keeps crash and crash...they didn't learn at all....

Edited June 29, 2007 by Mohd Idham

[Pieter C. 5]

Not Quite!.. Since GA dont fly its own metal to europe. I know they codeshare with MH to FRA. Dont know about other city. It doesnt really affect them on their current route.

 

GA codeshares on KL's CGK-AMS as well

 

(so GA codeshare CGK-AMS v.v. and MH codeshare KUL-AMS v.v.)

 

[Pieter C. 5]

Indonesia Pledges To Improve Air Safety

 

July 2, 2007

Indonesia has signed an agreement with the global aviation body to improve air safety in the wake of a string of accidents and after the European Union banned the country's airlines from its airspace last week.

 

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) co-signed the pact at a conference in Bali on Monday.

 

Under the agreement, Indonesia pledged to enact laws to support effective safety oversight, to ensure the required level of financial and human resources, and to correct shortcomings identified during internal and external audits.

 

Jakarta has also committed to implementing safety management based on ICAO standards.

 

"Indonesia must act quickly and decisively to regain the confidence of the world aviation community and the traveling public," ICAO president Roberto Kobeh Gonzales told the conference on the resort island.

 

Gonzales said part of the problem stemmed from recent exponential growth of airlines and passengers in Indonesia.

 

"This has exerted tremendous financial, technical, legal and political pressure on your ability to keep pace with the demands of a rapidly expanding market," he said.

 

Indonesia has been under pressure to improve transport safety after a series of air and ferry accidents since late last year.

 

In March, a Garuda Indonesia plane with 140 people on board overshot the runway in Yogyakarta and burst into flames, killing 21 people, five of them Australians.

 

In January, a plane belonging to budget carrier Adam Air crashed into the sea off Sulawesi. All 102 on board are presumed dead.

 

Indonesian Transport Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal told reporters after the meeting that improvements in aviation safety had been made but accepted more needed to be done.

 

But the minister expressed disappointment with the EU ban, saying it violated ICAO'S principles of fairness and reciprocity, and said Indonesia planned to send a delegation to Brussels.

 

"We don't want the process of improving our aviation safety to be done by isolating our airlines," he said.

 

No Indonesian carriers fly to the European Union, but the ban will damage the sprawling archipelago's tourist industry, as Europeans will be warned not to use Indonesian airlines on transit routes, such as between Jakarta and the island of Bali.

 

The director-general of civil aviation at the transport ministry, Budhi Mulyawan Suyitno, said on Thursday that Indonesia had made many improvements in air safety, but failed to submit data to the European Union in time.

 

Indonesia announced in June after an audit that only national carrier Garuda Indonesia made the top ranking of three levels.

 

In April, the United States advised its citizens to avoid flying Indonesian airlines, saying there were serious concerns about their safety standards.

 

(Reuters)

 

[Kader 0]

But the minister expressed disappointment with the EU ban, saying it violated ICAO'S principles of fairness and reciprocity, and said Indonesia planned to send a delegation to Brussels.

 

"We don't want the process of improving our aviation safety to be done by isolating our airlines," he said.

 

Politicians view of safety Delegation to Brussels? IMHO if they can maintain 6-12 mths of safe flights plus without incident, monitored by ICAO officers, maybe they can be reconsidered. The watchdog will be there with some fees,billed to whichever airlines which wanted to be manitored

[Pieter C. 5]

EC unveils blacklist as Indonesia, Angola consider reprisals

 

Friday July 6, 2007

The European Commission on Wednesday published the fourth update of its "blacklist" of airlines banned from operating in the EU.

 

The list, which takes effect today, now includes all 51 carriers certified in Indonesia, Angolan flag carrier TAAG Angola Airlines and Ukrainian cargo operator Volare Aviation Enterprise.

 

In addition, 10 airlines from Russia, six from Bulgaria and eight from Moldova must cease or limit operations in the EU because of preventive safety measures adopted by their respective national civil aviation authorities in consultation with the EC. Four Russian passenger carriers--Kuban Airlines, Yakutia Airlines, Red Wings and Kavminvodyavia--have been denied all EU access.

 

Restrictions previously imposed on Pakistan International Airlines have been modified and it now is allowed to fly to the EU with specific 747 and A310 aircraft in addition to the already-authorized 777 fleet .

 

Both Indonesia and Angola were angered by the ban. The Indonesian government yesterday announced it is considering possible retaliation. "We regret their decision as the EU never gave us a chance for a dialogue. The President [susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] has asked me to look for ways to fairly retaliate against them," Transportation Minister Jusman Syafei Djamal said in a statement cited by Reuters. At present, no Indonesian carriers fly to the EU although Garuda Indonesia planned to reintroduce Amsterdam service next year. The US FAA downgraded Indonesia's safety rating in the spring.

 

Meanwhile, Angola rescinded British Airways' traffic rights after UK authorities informed TAAG that it would not be allowed to fly there. TAAG was scheduled to begin passenger service to London Gatwick this month. According to press reports, Angola is considering prohibiting other European carriers--both Air France and TAP Portugal fly to Luanda--from operating into Angola.

 

[Jessnor Arif 1]

As response to this...

 

Indonesian minister tells airlines not to buy European planes: AFP

 

JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesia's transport minister has urged Indonesian airlines not to purchase European aircraft in response to a European Union ban on flights by the country's carriers, a report said Thursday.

 

"We do not need to buy aircraft from Europe as long as the flying ban stays unrevoked," Jusman Syafii Djamal was quoted as saying by news website Detikcom.

 

All 51 Indonesian airlines were banned in July from flying over the EU amid safety concerns following a series of deadly crashes in the Southeast Asian archipelago.

 

Djamal said the ban could force airlines to fly newly purchased European aircraft back to Indonesia before registering them, resulting in higher costs.

 

"If aircraft are purchased and registered as Indonesian (in Europe), we are worried the planes won't be able to fly to Indonesia because Indonesian airlines' aircraft are banned from flying over Europe," the minister said.

 

Indonesia has been incensed by the ban, which was imposed in July and extended last month. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last week decided to postpone a planned visit to Europe early in 2008, with a spokesman citing the ban as the cause.

 

Yudhoyono normally flies on a plane from national carrier Garuda's fleet.

 

Several private Indonesian carriers have announced plans to expand their fleet, with some mulling over the purchase of European-made airbus jets.

 

Indonesia has seen a series of recent air accidents, including an Adam Air jet that plunged into the sea off Indonesia's Sulawesi island on New Year's Day, killing all 102 people on board, and the crash of a Garuda jet in Central Java in March that killed 21.

 

Good news for Boeing.... but Its Ironic... since almost all air crash in Indonesia involves a Boeing..

 

 

[Eric C 0]

"If aircraft are purchased and registered as Indonesian (in Europe), we are worried the planes won't be able to fly to Indonesia because Indonesian airlines' aircraft are banned from flying over Europe," the minister said.

 

Sarcasm anyone?

 

Obviously a/c bought from the EU will be EU made and maintained right up to the arrival at Indonesia