The European Union (EU) updated its blacklist chart on November 30 this year in which Nepali Aviation is once again enlisted. Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) had sent some reports on progress made by the Nepali aviation to the European Commission however, EC has not lifted ban on Nepali Airline operators pointing out the issues in air operating certificate, training and licensing and CAAN’s institutional capacity.
European Commission (EC) reassessed the aviation safety issues of Nepal during their meet at Brussels, Beligium on November 13-15 but the progress made by the aviation industry of Nepal was not enough to meet the standards of EU regulations. According to the information from CAAN, the EC will be requiring some more clarifications in order to make the further decisions for lifting ban on Nepali Airline operators.
The latest EU Blacklisting for Nepali Airline Operators is as follows:
Aviation industry of Nepal was delighted to get rid of red flag from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as the Significant Safety Concern (SSC) issued to Nepal during ICAO Coordinate Validation Mission (ICVM) in July 2013 was resolved. And now more commitment is required from the authority and airline operators to escape the blacklist.
The two-member experts from ICAO along with officials from Flight Safety Department of Nepal executed the aviation safety audit in Nepal from 4th to 11th July, 2017 and the preliminary report dispatched by ICAO was received by CAAN. The audit was carried out mainly on four areas namely legislation, organization, flight operation and airworthiness. The ICVM team visited the facility of Nepal Airlines Corporation and Himalaya Airlines for the detail reporting of significant safety concerns.
EU says, “Where an airline which is currently included in the Community list deems itself to be in conformity with the necessary technical elements and requirements prescribed by the applicable international safety standards, it may request the Commission to commence the procedure for its removal from the list.”
Nepali Aviation must go through various challenges such as sustainability, implementation of state safety program and institutional reform of civil aviation system to request EU for the removal from the list.
