The creation of a list of risky airlines with suspect safety records, promised by the European Commission by the end of the year, has won over many politicians but its effectiveness has been questioned by certain aviation industry professionals.
An accident in Peru was the latest in a string of disasters to blight the industry, fueling worries about air travel security. It was the fifth crash this month, following crashes in Venezuela, near Athens in Greece, off the coast of Sicily, Italy, and at Toronto airport in Canada.
In an environment of increasing anxiety, Jacques Barrot, European transport commissioner, has sought to reassure travellers, saying that "in September or October" the European parliament is to vote on legislation that would enable publication of a list of airlines that have been been subject to flying bans or restrictions in European airspace.
The list, which would be available at the end of the year or beginning of 2006 according to the timetable proposed by Barrot, would serve to reassure flyers by enabling them to check the safety credentials of an airline "in real time".
But despite support in political circles, some industry and tourism experts have doubts about the plan, saying the problem cannot be resolved by Europe alone. A stiffening of global safety requirements is needed, they say.
"For us, everything that goes in the direction of information on security is positive because we are unable to assess the reliability of an aircraft or a company on our own," said Jean-Pierre Mas, chairman of France's National Trade Union for Travel Agents (SNAV).
"But, above all, the problem is knowing what is the local level of control in other supposedly lax countries," he said.
France's National Trade Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL) sees difficulties agreeing on the criteria to identify hazardous airlines.
"The principle is good, but we have doubts. We need to know what will be the modalities for the list," said Eric Derivry of SNPL.
"If it is (just) to register the name of a company that has failed a test from the DGAC (the French civil aviation regulator) then it's insufficient.
The SNPL is lobbying for a ban in European airspace on all airlines that do not meet minimum EU community safety requirements. It also suggests that EU member states should copy the United States and audit foreign airlines in their home country and assess national civil aviation authorities.
Compiling the list might also become political, with national governments likely to protect national interests and favour the airlines of foreign allies.
"The English, which have banned Camaroon Airlines, are going to want to put the compay on the blacklist, but not the French, who give it technical support," said a source in the French tourist industry who asked to remain anonymous.
The head of the BEA, the investigating body for civil aviation accidents in France, believes safety proposals should be more aggressive in the demands made of airlines at a global level.
"It's at the world level that each state must take on its responsibilities in terms of security. It's at the global level that we need to protect ourselves," said Paul-Louis Arslanian, adding that the strengthening of the International Civil Aviation Organisation rules would be a start.
In French political circles, the EU list has garnered enthusiastic support.
French foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has put his name behind the proposal, which has already been endorsed by Transport Minister Dominique Perben.
"Let's make these blacklists as quickly as possible," he told radio station France Inter.
By: N. Peter Kramer
