All PH airlines may now fly to Europe; ban lifted

Philippine Airlines FILE PHOTO

The European Union has lifted the ban on Philippine commercial flights and allowed all of the country’s air carriers to fly over Europe’s skies.

Assured that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) can capably monitor Philippine airline companies’ compliance with international air safety regulations, the European Union on Thursday removed all of the country’s carriers from the European Air Safety List.

“All airlines certified in the Philippines have been removed today from the European Air Safety List and are therefore allowed to operate in the European airspace,” EU Chargé d’ Affaires Lubomir Frebort announced at a press conference yesterday organized by the Caap and the European Union.

According to Frebort, it is the first time for the entire aviation sector of one country to be removed from the air safety list or the list of banned airlines in Europe.

The lifting of the ban will allow AirAsia, AirAsia Zest, Air Philippines, Island Aviation, Magnum Air or SkyJet, Southeast Asian Airlines International and Tiger Airways to operate direct flights to European destinations.

Previously, only flag carrier Philippine Airlines and budget airline Cebu Pacific were allowed to fly to Europe.

The EU decision resulted from the positive review that an EU safety assessment team gave after it conducted an evaluation last April of the aviation safety measures of the country’s airlines as well as the Caap’s oversight functions.

Earlier this month, the Caap and the airline companies presented evidence of their ability to comply with international safety regulations at a hearing at the EU air safety committee in Brussels. With Christine Rhea Lectura