Israeli airlines race to prevent European flight ban

[Rockville]

Could Israeli airlines soon be barred from flying to Europe and the United States? Channel 2 reported Thursday night that the European Aviation Safety Agency has sent the Israel Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) a warning via e-mail that if its flight safety did not improve, the European agency would blacklist El Al, Arkia and Israir.
This would prohibit them from landing at European airports, and perhaps even from flying over the continent. Flights to the US could also be cut as a result of such a decision. The European agency is set to take a decision on the issue in a month's time, according to the TV report.
Industry sources said the European warning was triggered by the US Federal Aviation Administration's downgrading of Israel's air-safety system to a third-world "category two" level last December. The FAA cited "severe security shortcomings in Israel's Civil Aviation Authority" and a range of security defects at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Giora Rom, the head of the ICAA, played down the European e-mail. "We are in close contact with the Europeans," Rom said. "I don't know what the fuss is about. The Europeans' e-mail is strange. We are doing everything we can to improve security."
An airline source, speaking on behalf of El Al, Arkia and Israir, said, "The airlines are safe, and if the ICAA takes action, everything will be alright."
Aviation experts had warned that the FAA's lowering of Israel's security ranking would adversely affect the image of Israel-based airlines in the US and Europe, as well as their profitability.
The Transportation Ministry said in a statement: "The Transportation Ministry has taken the report to heart, and [the] ICAA will be using the report to set guidelines for improvement. Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz has been working to repair the cumulative damage of dozens of years with investments in flight security, and people in central position have been replaced. We plan to study the report intensively and restore everything found lacking so that Israel can return to the category one."

THE JERUSALEM POST, Feb. 27, 2009

[flying_kiwi]

Is it just me, or both the head of the ICAA and the Transport Ministry seem to think that the problem is with security (and not safety), or has it just been lost in translation?
If they actual believe that, then they are missing the point rather badly.

Regards,
Yorden

[JS50557]

It's a strange story.
Israel and Israeli airlines are known for their extensive security measures due to their intensive war against terror.
To me it seems to be more a political issue and an attempt to put Israel in a a bad daylight then any other issue.

[flying_kiwi]

It's a strange story.
Israel and Israeli airlines are known for their extensive security measures due to their intensive war against terror.
To me it seems to be more a political issue and an attempt to put Israel in a a bad daylight then any other issue.

Thats my point, the Israeli's seem to think that the problems are in reference to security, when it's actually a safety related issue.
The FAA downgrade mentioned is part of their IASA (International Aviation Safety Assessments) programme.
The categories are:

Category 1, Does Comply with ICAO Standards: A country's civil aviation authority has been assessed by FAA inspectors and has been found to license and oversee air carriers in accordance with ICAO aviation safety standards.

Category 2, Does Not Comply with ICAO Standards: The Federal Aviation Administration assessed this country's civil aviation authority (CAA) and determined that it does not provide safety oversight of its air carrier operators in accordance with the minimum safety oversight standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Regards,
Yorden