FRANCE: The European Parliament is expected to agree today to a public blacklist of airlines that do not meet safety standards. The new regulation, which is described as vital by Irish MEPs, would mean that any aircraft or air carrier blacklisted by one member state would be blacklisted across the EU, unless there is an objection by another state.
While the regulation would not see such airlines or carriers legally banned from EU airspace, it would mean anyone buying an air ticket from an EU seller would be told of the blacklisted airlines. This would apply whether the intended journey was to take place within the EU or outside it.
According to a parliament briefing document, if an airline is blacklisted after a ticket is sold the passenger will be compensated, "involving the offer of equivalent transport or cancellation at no cost to the passenger".
Currently, while a country may ban an individual airline, it is not obliged to tell the public.
Britain is the only EU member state so far to have published a list of banned airlines. These are Star Air, Air Universal (both Sierra Leone), Cameroon Airlines, Albanian Airways and Central Air Express (DR Congo).
The move by the parliament comes following a number of high-profile air accidents, including that of Sharm el-Sheikh on January 3rd, 2004, involving a Boeing 737 operated by Egyptian charter company Flash Airlines.
A flight ban was imposed by the Netherlands on charter company Onur Air, which was followed with a ban by Germany, France and Switzerland, though the company continued to use Belgian airports.
To protect against airlines being wrongly targeted, the blacklist would be overseen by the European Commission, which would be advised by a panel of technical experts.
Dublin MEP Eoin Ryan, who has been campaigning on the issue since July, welcomed moves to name any airline identified as suspect.
"They must be suspended until a decision on the airworthiness of the aircraft is reached," he said.
MEP Gay Mitchell also welcomed the move.