FRANCE: Paris has said it hopes its new blacklist of airlines banned from landing in France will speed up European moves to "name and shame" airlines who fail to meet international safety standards.
France and neighbour Belgium have listed on the internet 14 companies banned from using their airports or airspace due to concerns over their safety or aircraft maintenance record.
International airline safety has become a particularly sensitive issue following four fatal crashes in August alone in which more than 330 people died.
"This list also has the merit, we hope, of leading the way at a European level, so that we get a European blacklist as soon as possible," said Maxime Coffin, director of France's DGAC civil aviation authority.
"We believe publication is a deterrent, a warning to other companies that have not been sufficiently rigorous, that shows them that if they don't take the necessary steps, one day they too could be banned," he said.
On the website www.dgac.fr, France also published "whitelists" of approved charter airlines used by French tour operators which met international safety standards.
French transport minister Dominique Perben had vowed to publish the lists in response to the deaths of 152 French nationals on August 16th, when a jet from Colombia's West Caribbean airline crashed in Venezuela.
A Colombian audit found a lack of crew training, incorrect use of flight logs and maintenance problems. The French ban affects: Air Koryo (North Korea); Air Saint Thomas (US); International Air Services (Liberia); Lineas Aer de Mozambique (Mozambique); Transairways chartered by LAM; and Phuket Airlines (Thailand).
Belgium's transport ministry said on its website it had suspended landing permits for: Africa Lines (Central African Republic); Air Memphis (Egypt); Air Van Airlines (Armenia); Central Air Express (Democratic Republic of Congo); ICTTPW (Libya); International Air Tours Ltd (Nigeria); Johnsons Air Ltd (Ghana); Silverback Cargo Freighters (Rwanda); and South Airlines (Ukraine).