EU lifts ban on Philippine Airlines

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Airlines (PAL) is now allowed to fly back to countries of the European Union (EU) after the 28-nation bloc officially lifted its ban on the Philippines' flag carrier.

"Following improvements in the safety situation in the Philippines, Philippine Airlines is the first airline from this country allowed back into European skies since 2010," a statement posted on the EU website said on Wednesday.

The EU cited the "improved safety oversight provided by the competent authorities" and the ability of PAL to ensure "effective compliance with relevant aviation safety regulations."

The statement added that the lifting of the ban on PAL followed an on-site safety assessment visit last June.

The EU said the ban remains for all other carriers registered in the Philippines. These include:

• Aeroequipment Aviation
• Air Asia Philippines
• Air Philippines Corp.
• Air Juan Aviation
• Asia Aircraft Overseas Philippines Inc.
• Asian Aerospace Corp.
• Astro Air International
• Ayala Aviation Corp.
• Canadian Helicopters Philippines Inc.
• Cebu Pacific Air
• CM Aero Services
• Cyclone Airways
• Far East Aviation Services
• INAEL Aviation Corp.
• Interisland Airlines
• Island Aviation
• Island Transvoyager
• Lion Air
• Marco Asia Air Taxi Services
• Magnum Air
• Misibis Aviation and Development Corp.
• Northsky Air Inc.
• OMNI Aviation Corp.
• Royal Air Charter Services Inc.
• Royal Star Aviation, Inc.
• South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) International
• Southern Air Flight Services
• Subic Seaplane, Inc.
• WCC Aviation Company
• Zest Airways Inc.

Aside from the Philippines, the European Commission also recognized the efforts of the safety oversight authorities of eight other countries to reform their civil aviation system and to improve safety, in order to eventually become able to guarantee the effective application of international safety standards.

These countries include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Libya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Russia and Sudan.

In 2010, the EU prohibited all airlines based in the Philippines from flying in the bloc due to “serious safety deficiencies” in the country’s regulation of carriers.

For the update list of banned carriers in the European Union click here: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/safety/air-ban/doc/list_en.pdf