Phuket Air taken off EU blacklist

The European Union (EU) on Monday took Thailand's Puket Air off its blacklist but banned airlines from Pakistan and Sudan from landing at European airports because of a failure to meet EU safety standards.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be allowed to fly into the 27-member EU only with its Boeing 777 aircraft, the European Commission said.

A blanket ban was imposed on Sudan's Air West whose operations into the EU were already restricted to one single aircraft.

The commission also backed Bulgaria's decision temporarily to prohibit five Bulgarian carriers from operating into the other EU member states as well as into Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

The banned airlines include Air Sofia, Bright Aviation Services, Heli Air Services, Skorpion Air and Vega Airlines.

Russia also won the commission's support in banning national carriers Aero Rent, Tatarstan, Atlant Soyuz, Aviakon Zitotrans, Centre Avia, Gazpromavia, Lukoil, Russian Sky (Russkoe Nebo) and Utair from flying into the EU.

However, the commission said that "under exceptional circumstances and on the basis of tight checks, some flights might be allowed."

For the first time, two carriers - Thailand's Phuket Air and DAS Air Cargo/Dairo Air Services from Uganda/Kenya - were taken off the EU blacklist as they brought their safety measures in line with EU standards.

The EU list of unsafe carriers was drawn up in March 2006 following a string of deadly plane crashes in the previous two years had killed hundreds of European travellers.

Most of the 102 airlines banned are African. The few companies not from Africa are based in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea and Thailand.

EU companies, however, are not on the list.

To be updated at least every three months, the blacklist is based on deficiencies found during checks at European airports, the use of antiquated aircraft by companies and shortcomings by non-EU airline regulators.

-- DPA 2007-03-05

"No longer banned from European skies" is not a good enough slogan to get me on one of their clapped out museum pieces.

"...... their clapped out museum pieces" describes their aircraft well.

And the sky is no place for them.

I used to be into Historic Commercial Vehicles and Classic Cars (particularly Jowetts). That was justifiable as I could get a tow in case of its old age catching up on one of my vehicles. But aircraft aren't fitted with towing points.

(And, incidentally, my Historic Commercial Vehicles weren't allowed to trundle along Motorways, where they would endanger other users. Clapped-out aircraft are not only a danger to themselves---they are a danger to others, too).

Not exactly awe inspiring are they?

Ugh, Boeing 747-200...I'd maybe take one down to Phuket for historical curiosity purposes, but 10-12 hours?? No way!

Yes we have all seen those dilapitated humble giants bearing the Phuket Air logo, rust away under slow reconditioning at Don Muang. The fact is that no matter how bad they look, EU restrictions on the conditions of international aircraft are quite stringent. I would not judge a book by it's cover here. A little paint and a new interior, and you wouldn't know the difference. I also feel much better about the quality control and sincerity of control officers now that Thaksin has been removed.

I also feel much better about the quality control and sincerity of control officers now that Thaksin has been removed.

I sincerely hope the poster is being ironic.

A little paint and a new interior, and you wouldn't know the difference.

Those who know anything about aircraft aren't so easily fooled.

I flew to the UK with Poo airways before they got grounded. Never again. The plane sounded like it was falling apart, very old and awful seats.