MANILA, Philippines – A 5-man safety assessment team from the European Union (EU) is in the country until April 24 to conduct a safety audit on other Philippine carriers.
EU lifted the ban on Philippine Airlines (PAL) in 2013 and Cebu Pacific in 2014.
The EU blacklisted Philippine carriers in 2010 after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) classified the Philippine aviation industry as “a significant safety concern.” CAAP then failed to comply with safety standards that ICAO required.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director-General William Hotchkiss III said Air Asia Incorporated; Air Asia Zest; PAL Express (formerly Air Philippines Corporation); Island Aviation Incorporated; Magnum Air; South East Asian Airlines; and South East Asian Airlines International Incorporated will be examined for their safety oversight system.
“The EU safety assessment visit to the Philippines will seek to confirm that the CAAP has addressed the root causes of previous areas of concerns and is able to conduct effective oversight of air carriers certified in the Philippines,” the CAAP said in a statement Thursday, April 16.
The EU team is headed by team leader Captain Richard Miller and include Per-Erik Oberg, Vincent Lambotte, Sebastian Zacharias, and, Mureil Belzunce.
Hotchkiss met with Ambassador Guy Ledoux of the EU Delegation to the Philippines who accompanied the 5-man team Thursday.
The meeting was also attended by Marianne Hontiveros of Air Asia Incorporated; Joy Caneba of AirAsia Zest; Bonifacio U. Sam of PAL Express; Captain Benhur Gomez of Island Aviation Incorporated; Captain Teodoro Fojas of Magnum Air (Skyjet Incorporated); Michael Shau of Tiger Airways Philippines; and Avelino Zapanta of SEAIR International Incorporated. – Rappler.com
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