International body threatens to blacklist RP aviation sector

The country’s travel aviation industry may be in danger of losing important routes if it ends up on the blacklist of the European Community Air Safety Commission (EC-ASC), according to the head of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

CAAP Director General Alfonso Cusi said it would be detrimental to the Philippine economy if the country would be disconnected from important trade and commercial routes because of a blacklist.

“We are actually on a mission here. We hope that we can convince them that the Philippine aviation system is safe and that it is not necessary for them to blacklist us,” Cusi said before leaving for Brussels for a meeting with the European Union Air Safety Committee.

Cusi added he would invite the committee to conduct safety inspection on Philippine aviation to demonstrate the country’s commitment to improve air safety.

In 2007, the Philippines was downgraded from Category 1 to Category 2 by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) after the Air Transportation Office (ATO) received unfavorable review under FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment.

Despite the passage of a new law that created the CAAP and replaced the former ATO in 2007, the Philippines still received a significant safety concern warning from the International Civil Aviation Organization.

This led to the invitation by EC-ASC to a conference in Brussels this week to discuss safety measures of Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

To address the situation, Cusi ordered immediate hiring of 47 technical safety inspectors to address air safety concerns of the country on Wednesday.

These are qualified technical personnel to man the Flight Standards Inspectorate Service. He also issued an order that will ground all air operators who are not certificated by December 1, 2010.

“There is urgency in our current position to demonstrate that we have strong oversight of the air carriers active in the Philippines and that our regulations and practices are aligned with international civil aviation standards,” Cusi said.

Cusi also sought the assistance of the Civil Service Commission for the immediate approval of the Minimum Quality Standards for the needed technical staff.

“All these efforts are aimed at improving the quality of our technical personnel for a consistent and effective safety oversight of our airports and air carriers,” he said.

Cusi also instructed heightened surveillance inspection of air operators conducting international flights. –Johanna M. Sampan, Manila Times