Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Air Iran hit by new EU aviation blacklist


Air Iran has seen the European Union expand operating restrictions against its activities in the latest aviation blacklist.

With the airline already making headlines this week following reports European airports were refusing to refuel Air Iran aircraft, the EU was quick to deny recent UN sanctions were the motivation behind the latest move.

“We deal purely with safety requirements,” explained a transport commission spokesperson, “our controls focus entirely on safety, nothing else”.

India Travel

Under the terms of the latest EU advice Air Iran’s fleet of Airbus A-320 and Boeing B-727 and B-747 aircraft have been banned from operations in European airspace.

In total 23 of the carrier’s 62 aircraft are now prohibited from operations in the EU.

EU vice-president Siim Kallas explained: “We cannot afford to compromise on air safety.

“Where we have evidence that air carriers are not performing safe operations or where regulators fail in their obligation to enforce safety standards, we must act to guarantee safe skies for our citizens when they travel.”

With this – the fourteenth update to the list - the carrier Blue Wing Airlines from Surinam has been included on the list of airlines totally banned from operations in European airspace.

The decision is the consequence of a series of accidents suffered by the airline and serious deficiencies revealed during ramp inspections of its aircraft, officials explained.

However, the commission recognised the improvements in oversight exercised by the competent authorities of Indonesia, with Metro Batavia and Indonesia Air Asia removed from the EU list as a result.

The latest developments mean a total of four airlines - Ariana Afghan Airlines from Afghanistan, Blue Wing, Siem reap Airways International from Cambodia and Silverback Cargo Freighters from Rwanda – are now banned from European airspace.

In addition, all carriers from 17 countries – 278 companies in total – are also banned.

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