The European Union (EU) has lifted its ban on all Philippine carriers, allowing them to operate once again in European airspace.
“All airlines certified in the Philippines have been removed today from the European Air Safety List, and therefore allowed to operate in the European airspace,” EU Chargé d’affaires Lubomir Frebort said in a joint press conference with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on June 25.
“This is truly breaking news, since it is the first time that the entire aviation sector of one country is removed from the European Air Safety List,” Frebort added.
Covered by the lifting of the prohibition are SEAIR International, Magnum Air, Air Asia Inc., Air Asia Zest, Air Philippines Corporation, Island Aviation Inc., and Cebgo (formerly Southeast Asian Airlines, then Tigerair Philippines). The ban on Philippine Airlines and budget carrier Cebu Pacific Air had been lifted much earlier.
Frebort said the EU Commission’s decision is far reaching, as it will encourage European citizens to use Philippine carriers when traveling within the Philippines or to foreign destinations where local carriers operate.
On the sidelines of the media conference, Frebort said European tourists had been dissuaded from using Philippine carriers because of safety concerns. “This is no more an issue,” the EU official said, adding he expects “many more European tourists will be now flying with more domestic airlines.”
As for the impact on trade, Frebort said the development will boost cargo exchange between European member states and the Philippines.
Asked what suggestions EU can give CAAP to sustain the status, Frebort said, “I think the CAAP has convinced my colleagues that they have the vision on how to keep this positive development sustainable.”
CAAP director general William Hotchkiss III for his part said, “This is good news, not just for the airlines, not just for CAAP, but for the whole for the Philippines.”
Hotchkiss said CAAP will continue its “fidelity to our mandate and our pillars of regulatory framework namely aviation safety and good corporate governance” to sustain the status granted by the EU.
CAAP will also continue to foster international technical assistance and partnership with global civil aviation organizations as well as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The removal of the Philippines from the ban list was based on findings of the EU Air Safety Assessment Team that visited the Philippines on April 16 to April 24, and on the conclusions reached by the EU Air Safety Committee during its meeting in Brussels on June 9 and June 10.
European aviation safety experts had assessed the continuing progress made by CAAP on enhancing its safety oversight of the Philippine aviation industry and improving the safety standards of Philippine carriers.
Frebort said the European Air Safety Committee, which includes representatives of all 28 EU member states, then made a unanimous positive recommendation based on evidence heard from the Philippine team that made a case presentation in Brussels.
EU had banned all Philippine carriers from flying directly to Europe in 2010 after CAAP failed to reform the country’s civil aviation system as mandated by the ICAO. – Roumina Pablo
Image courtesy of dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
