NEWS: France and Belgium Ban Airlines

Concerned over the recent series of civil aviation disasters in recent weeks and months, both France and Belgium are now publishing the lists of airlines that are banned from flying in their countries to reassure their citizens that bad maintenance practices will not be tolerated in their countries. In addition, Jacques Barrot, Brussels' transport commissioner, is pushing for EU legislation to promote the exchange of information on unsafe airlines within the European Union.



France is showing they really mean business; they also have made a Fly Air's Airbus A300-B4 wait at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport since the day before yesterday because of fuel leaks and tire problems with the aircraft and refuse to let the aircraft fly until the problems are fixed. Source

This is the first I have ever heard of airlines being banned; although related stories say this has been going on for sometime. It should be noted that the actions by both France and Belgium have backing by the EU and it is expected they will have a consolidated European Union list by the end of the year that will ban all of the airlines on the list from flying within the EU.

I am sure this will reassure some flyers that countries are doing what they can to prevent substandard air lines from flying in their country, although I doubt many of them would be flying the airlines currently on the lists, since they are virtually all unknown airlines. For those of you who may be planning on flying and plan a side trip while in another country, you might want to avoid the airlines on the lists.

The airlines banned in Belgium are: Silverback Cargo Freighters (Rwanda); Air Memphis (Egypt); Air Van Airlines (Armenia); Johnsons Air Limited (Ghana); Central Air Express (Democratic Republic of the Congo); ICTTPW (Libya); International Air Tours Limited (Nigeria); and South Airlines (Ukraine).

Airlines banned by France are: Air Koryo from North Korea; Air Saint-Thomas from the United States; International Air Service from Liberia; Phuket Airways of Thailand and Air Mozambique (LAM) and affiliated carrier Transairways.









[edit on 8/29/2005 by shots]

Wonder if the ban on Air St Thomas was meant as a slap at the US?

It does not fly to Europe and there are no recorded crashes that I could find.

www.airstthomas.com...

Unless I missed one, something sure smells rotten in Paris.

Search Results of Air Safety.com



[edit on 8/29/2005 by shots]

Wonder if the ban on Air St Thomas was meant as a slap at the US?

NO it is not.... altho i get the feeling you feel attacked by it.

All airlines banned are banned for the same reason.

SAFETY ! nothing more nothing less...

authorities have either identified banned airlines or named countries where civil aviation regulations are deemed to be inadequate.

That's as simple as it is realy , please don't turn this into another France vs. America bashing thing.






[edit on 30-8-2005 by XyZeR]

Originally posted by XyZeR

Wonder if the ban on Air St Thomas was meant as a slap at the US?

NO it is not.... altho i get the feeling you feel attacked by it.

All airlines banned are banned for the same reason.

SAFETY ! nothing more nothing less...

authorities have either identified banned airlines or named countries where civil aviation regulations are deemed to be inadequate.

That's as simple as it is realy , please don't turn this into another France vs. America bashing thing.

[edit on 30-8-2005 by XyZeR]

Indeed, please don't do that. The UK will prbably be following suit with the same list so it has nothing to do with "Anti-Americanism".

It is about Airline safety, not everything that happens in the world is about the US you know.

Originally posted by shots
Wonder if the ban on Air St Thomas was meant as a slap at the US?

Thats a hell of a persecution complex you have there!

Air St. Thomas (which I've never heard of before) probably flies to Guadeloupe, St. Martin, and/or Martinique, French islands in the Carribean...so this is probably why it was included.

[edit on 8/30/2005 by djohnsto77]

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Air St. Thomas (which I've never heard of before) probably flies to Guadeloupe, St. Martin, and/or Martinique, French islands in the Carribean...so this is probably why it was included.

It would have to be a chartered plane their schedule shows flights to the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (sp?) and they only have two small aircraft a Cessna 402 and a Piper Aztec, no history of reported accidents either that is why I questioned their motives.

One would think if they are known for bad maintenance and safety is a true issue the FAA would have a record of it.

I had hoped one of the ATS airbuffs would have jumped with a possible explaination, but so far that is not the case.

i got to say they are right to ban certain airlines they kill alot of people.with older planes in the skys.the worst plane company is boeing.here is a website of airline disasters it amazes me why we ever bother flying.

airdisaster.com...

Originally posted by flukemol
i got to say they are right to ban certain airlines they kill alot of people.with older planes in the skys.the worst plane company is boeing.here is a website of airline disasters it amazes me why we ever bother flying.

airdisaster.com...

It only stands to reason that boeing would be number one, since up until a few years ago they made more planes then other aircraft mfg. For all anyone knows 20 years down the road Airbus might be the worst mfg.

As for why we fly, because statistically air travel has proven to be far safer then any other transportation thats why.