Business | Aviation
Airline was banned from servicing EU-based jets
The Yemeni carrier whose plane crashed off the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros on Tuesday had been banned for now from servicing European Union-based jets after failing audit inspections, a European Union agency said.
- Reuters
- Published: 22:52 July 1, 2009
Paris: The Yemeni carrier whose plane crashed off the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros on Tuesday had been banned for now from servicing European Union-based jets after failing audit inspections, a European Union agency said.
The move would not have affected the Airbus A310 involved in the Yemenia crash since that plane was registered in Yemen, over which European safety authorities have no jurisdiction.
But it adds to a growing picture of European concerns in advance of the disaster after France said it had barred the same aircraft from its airports and the EU Commission said the plane which crashed had also sparked an EU inquiry two years ago.
The European Aviation Safety Agency, which is responsible for certifying operations outside the EU bloc, granted Yemenia approval to carry out maintenance on EU-registered aircraft in 2006 but suspended this in February, a spokeswoman said.
"These approvals are for maintenance organisations located outside the EU, allowing them to maintain aircraft registered in the EU," the spokeswoman for the Cologne-based agency said.
"[Yemenia] was suspended at the end of February due to the result of recent audits. Suspended does not mean revoked; it can be reinstated if corrective action is in place," she added.
Yemen on Tuesday denied any safety problems with its flag carrier and said its aircraft were always thoroughly maintained.
"Every aircraft before takeoff must undergo safety measures and full engineering inspections to guarantee the safety of passengers," undersecretary for the civil aviation authority Abdul Rahman Abdul Qader told Reuters by telephone from Sana'a.
Share this article
Related Articles
-
Bodies recovered from plane crash
Yemeni official says bodies recovered from crash
-
Victims of plane crash to get money
Victims of Yemenia plane crash to get compensation
-
Interactive: Comoros air disaster
Gulf News interactive: Yemenia plane crash in Comoros
-
Pilot may have survived Yemenia plane crash
Experts, officials say Yemenia plane's condition did not lead to tragedy
-
'France had banned Yemenia plane'
Minister: France had banned crash plane in 2007
-
Sea rescue saved teen after Yemenia crash
Daring sea rescue saved teenage girl after Yemenia plane crash
-
Yemenia plane crashes into sea
Yemenia plane crashes in stormy weather; 153 dead
-
A310 largely used as freight carrier across the world
A310 largely used as freight carrier across the world
-
Link between two crashes ruled out
Link between two crashes ruled out
-
Talk of airliner's age can be misleading
Talk of airliner's age can be misleading
More from Aviation
More from Business
Popular in Business
Business Editor's choice
-
Sweet life in the Middle East
A sweet look at the confectionary industry in the UAE and Middle East
-
Passion for pets can be expensive
Responsibility and time spent add to costs for furry friends
-
Facebook farm game under cloud
Mobile phone contracts can be used to buy virtual money
-
General
Precious jump
Gold prices at new high as India's central bank buys $6.7b worth of gold
