Yellow card for ajet

THE EUROPEAN Commission yesterday placed ajet, formerly known as Helios, under heavy scrutiny and said it was limiting its flights within the EU.

It was the first time a European airline had faced such restrictions. The Commission said if the airline did not improve its safety standards, it could yet find itself blacklisted, according to reports from Brussels.

The Commission put two African airlines on its blacklist during its latest review, and gave ‘yellow cards’ to ajet, Russia’s Pulkovo Aviation and Pakistan International Airways.

Although the Commission did not consider that the three airlines required an immediate ban due to safety concerns, more intense scrutiny and restrictions were called for.

There were no immediate details as to the extent of the restrictions on ajet flights.

Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot, who announced the move at a news conference in Brussels, said the yellow card meant that EU authorities would place the airlines under much heavier scrutiny and would limit the number of flights they may land in the EU.

“We have announced measures to restrict the number of flights [from these airlines],” said Barrot. “We will keep a close eye on the carriers and there will be checks on the spot” to ensure safety measures are being adhered to.

Barrot’s spokesman Michele Cercone confirmed that if the airlines given a “yellow card” yestrday did not improve their safety measures according to Commissions standards, they could find themselves blacklisted from landing anywhere within the EU

Last month, ajet was barred from landing in fog, after authorities deemed it could not guarantee safety in such conditions.

Reports at the time suggested that EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, had arrived at the same conclusion during an inspection last May. According to the reports, the airline lacked the adequate equipment, pilot training and experience to prove it could operate its jets in fog.