EU Blacklist Shrinks

The European Union (EU) has removed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Surinam's Blue Wing airlines from its safety blacklist, allowing the two air carriers to resume full flight operations to destinations in the 27-nation members of the EU. Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said the airlines had taken "rapid and sound corrective action to comply with safety standards” and now meets European safety and maintenance standards. The EU-wide blacklist was created in 2006 as part of a broader effort to improve passenger safety. Most of the airlines on the list are from Africa's poorest nations, a vast majority of them from Congo. They can be removed only after meeting international airline safety standards and passing inspection from European experts. PIA was added to the list in March after the EU barred most of its planes due to safety concerns. Blue Wing was added in June 2006 for the same reasons. Under the restrictions, the EU allowed PIA to use only its seven Boeing 777s on flights to EU countries. There are blanket bans on all airlines from Indonesia, Equatorial Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland and Congo. Indonesia may soon be removed from the blacklist. The EU in July banned 51 Indonesian airlines, including flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, from flying to Europe. Indonesian airline crashes this year killed 123 people. Indonesia revoked the licenses of four airlines and suspended a further five from operating. Indonesia committed to prompt and wide-ranging action for improving the safety of its civil aviation system.