EDITORIAL - No backsliding

After three years, the European Union yesterday announced it had taken the Philippines out of its air safety blacklist. The EU ban on flag carrier Philippine Airlines was also lifted, allowing PAL to fly directly to Europe.

Among the biggest beneficiaries of this positive development are overseas Filipino workers, whose travel time became much longer and air fare higher to and from their host countries in Europe because of the absence of direct flights. The air safety blacklist as well as other problems unique to foreign carriers operating in the Philippines prompted the last European carrier, KLM-Royal Dutch, to end direct flights between Manila and Europe in March last year.

The lack of direct flights between Manila and Europe, mostly due to carrier taxes and other operating fees imposed by the government, contributed to the low tourist arrivals in the Philippines compared to other countries in Southeast Asia. Philippine carriers are also banned from flying to certain cities in the US and other countries because of its aviation safety classification by US federal authorities. The Philippines still has to get out of this Category 2 status, but the lifting of the EU aviation ban is a promising step forward.

If the country gets out of Category 2, the challenge is to stay out of any aviation safety blacklist. The EU move followed an on-site visit in Manila by a team from the European Commission last month. The International Civil Aviation Organization had issued a “significant safety concern” on the country following an audit in 2009. This was followed by an EU ban on Philippine carriers in March 2010.

Aviation authorities and PAL deserve commendation for passing the recent safety audit. The challenge is to sustain the positive assessment and stay out of any aviation blacklist. The nation has suffered the consequences of neglecting aviation safety. Backsliding is not an option.