EU urged to review ban on Philippines’ carriers
MANILA – European Union (EU) officials have been invited to visit the Philippines next month to reevaluate the country’s aviation industry, officials said.
The announcement came after the EU on Tuesday said it was banning Philippine-registered airlines due to safety concerns.
The European Commission acknowledged efforts made by Philippine authorities and airlines to improve standards, but said it would ban them from the EU as a precaution.
No Manila-based airlines will actually be affected, however, as none currently fly to Europe.
Philippine Airlines launched twice-weekly flights from Brisbane to Manila in March to complement the recent introduction of a new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft serving Sydney and Melbourne.
Philippine Airlines flies to Manila five times a week from Sydney and Melbourne and twice a week from Brisbane.
Alfonso G. Cusi, director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), said officials from the EU’s Safety Aviation Commission would be asked to conduct an inspection sometime in May. 


He said the EU decision was not unexpected, and that Philippine authorities had in fact made representations that local standards had been upgraded
The EU, he said, had acknowledged that the Philippines complied with some standards such as that on the hiring of flight safety inspectors. 


The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) had highlighted the Philippines as a serious safety concern last year over an inability to hire enough safety auditors.
PAL said in a statement that it was “gravely concerned” over the EU move. 


“Despite the unfortunate inclusion of PAL and all other local carriers in the blacklist – which is a direct consequence of the downgrade of the Philippine government’s aviation safety rating – PAL would like to assure the flying public that safety remains the bedrock of PAL’s operations.”
Budget carrier Cebu Pacific also issued assurances regarding the safety of its aircraft.
The EU has also blocked carriers from Sudan from flying to Europe.
Ian Jarrett
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