Safety Concerns, Confidentiality Are Factors

At the intersection of politics and aviation safety, the British government says it will name names of airlines banned from landing in or overflying the UK and other European countries. Sort of.

British Transportation Secretary Alistair Darling made that promise to an opposition party member in Parliament after MP David Wilshire asked for the revelation. "If a government bans an airline from its airspace it has to have a good reason. And we have a right to know whether it is sensible to get on an aircraft," Wilshire told the BBC.

But the ministry said it would not reveal the names of five air transport operations which have been banned because there's apparently some confusion on confidentiality rules.

The BBC reports two of the companies banned in 2002 from at least one European country were still flying from the UK last year.

After being banned, one of the two underwent further inspections, according to a Transport Ministry spokeswoman. She said no problems were found. The other carrier was not subsequently inspected in Britain, but in six other countries. Again, officials say there were no apparent safety issues. "As no major problems were revealed concerning these airlines in subsequent inspections we do not feel it's appropriate to name them," the spokeswoman added.

In Switzerland, where the particular Flash Air 737 had been banned for safety reasons 23 other aircraft have also been forbidden to land or overfly. But the Swiss won't name the aircraft or the companies which own them, citing a "gentlemen's agreement."

But members of the EU Parliament are campaigning for full disclosure and tighter rules on aviation safety. "We must ban from our airspace planes that are not in perfect condition," said Paolo Costa, the Italian chairman of the European Parliament's transport committee.

FMI: www.easa.eu.int/eulegis_en.html