EU bans all airlines from Sudan over safety concerns

March 30, 2010 (PARIS) — The European Union on Tuesday completely banned all Sudan based airlines from flying into the member states citing ” on the basis of safety assessments by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)”.

The European Commission which manages the airline “blacklist,” said in a press release that it imposed “an operating ban on all operations of Sudanese air carriers, due to a poor safety performance of the civil aviation authority of Sudan resulting from persistent non-compliance with international standards in the area of oversight”

The new measures go into effect Thursday, said Helen Kearns, a spokeswoman for the transport commission.

A 2008 report by the U.S. Department of State advised American citizens against flying on Sudanese airlines, saying that enforcement of safety standards in the country was “uneven.”

Sudan does not has any airlines serving destinations in the EU but under the terms of the ban, all European travel agencies will be obliged to inform customers if they plan to travel on a blacklisted carrier. Travelers who have booked a seat on a blacklisted carrier have the right to have their reservation changed to another airline or to have their airfare reimbursed.

The East African nation has a poor reputation for air safety, especially on domestic flights. Last October a Sudanese cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Sharjah airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), killing all six crew members on board.

In June 2008, another cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Khartoum airport, killing all four Russian crew. It was the fourth fatal air accident in Sudan in two months. In 2003, a Sudan Airways Boeing 737 crashed in the east of the country, killing 104 passengers and 11 crew members.

Sudan Airways says because of U.S. sanctions imposed on Sudan it has been unable to receive spare parts and training for its planes. However, the US says it is prepared to make exceptions for humanitarian reasons upon request.

EU LIST OF SUDAN AIR CARRIERS SUBJECT TO BAN

Sudan airways
Sun air company
Marsland company
Attico airlines
Fourty eight aviation
Sudanese states aviation company
Almajara aviation
Bader airlines
Alfa airlines
Azza transport company
Green flag aviation
Almajal aviation service

(ST)