EU bans most Pakistan International Airlines planes

BRUSSELS, Mar 5 (Reuters) The European Union banned most of Pakistan International Airlines' (PAI) fleet from flying to the 27-nation bloc and lifted restrictions on two other carriers that had previously been on the EU's blacklist.

The executive European Commission said only PIA's seven Boeing 777s would be allowed to fly to the EU, confirming a Reuters report in February. The rest of the airline's fleet of 42 planes would be blocked for safety reasons.

The EU concerns focused on maintenance problems and the age of the aircraft, specifically its Boeing 747s and Airbus 310s.

The state-run airline was warned last year that most of its planes failed to meet international safety standards, though the airline has said the EU's decision was a surprise.

PIA officials declined to comment today. But the airline's chairman, Tariq Kirmani, was scheduled to hold a news conference in Karachi at around 1000 GMT tomorrow.

The Commission said Thailand's Phuket Air had been dropped from the list of banned airlines after it addressed the EU's safety concerns. The African cargo carrier DAS Air Cargo was also removed from the blacklist.

''For the first time, two carriers have been withdrawn from the blacklist after taking decisive action to remedy their failings,'' Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said.

''This shows that our list acts not only as essential protection against unsafe operations but also as a strong and effective incentive for companies who deviate from international safety norms to address their shortcomings,'' he said in a statement.

The EU extended a ban on Sudan's Air West to cover its entire fleet.

It said 49 carriers that were previously on the list had been taken off it because they were no longer operating.

Those included two carriers from Kazakhstan, six from Congo DRC, one from the Republic of Liberia, 33 from Equatorial Guinea, and seven from the Kyrgyz Republic.

The airlines had stopped operating of their own accord or because national authorities had revoked or not renewed their operating certificates, the Commission said.

Four companies from the Kyrgyz Republic, one from Equatorial Guinea and five from Congo DRC had been added to the EU list of banned airlines, it said.

REUTERS SP KP2246