NCAA to meet EU Air Safety Committee on Medview ban
NAN-H-16
NCAA
By Adekunle Williams and Solomon Asowata
Lagos, May 23, 2017 (NAN) The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is set to hold high level talks with the European Union Air Safety Committee (ASC) over the ban on Medview Airlines.
This development was announced in a statement signed by Mr Sam Adurogboye, General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, in Lagos on Tuesday.
Adurogboye explained that this was part of a series of engagements with the European Commission (EC) in the aftermath of a failed application by the airline for a Third Country Operator Authorisation to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
He said the application failed during the verification of documents submitted by the airline, which were found to be non-compliant with Regulation of EC No. 2111/2005, as a result of which the airline could not qualify for approval.
According to him, the NCAA thereafter received the notification of non-compliance through the office of the Nigerian Mission to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“Upon receipt of notification, the Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, met with senior officials of European Commission in Gaborone, Botswana, during the Regional Safety Oversight Organisation Conference in February, this year.
“During this meeting, extensive discussions were held with a view to resolving the matter.
“Similarly, the regulatory authority engaged Medview Airlines to straighten out issues arising from the failed application to the EASA.
“However, the EU Air Safety Committee invited NCAA and Medview Airlines for a tripartite meeting in Brussels on the 25th to 26th of April, 2017,’’ he said.
Adurogboye noted that after the deliberations, the EC, with the full support of the EU Air Safety Committee unanimously decided to ban Medview Airlines.
He explained that the recent ban was in accordance with the common criteria set out in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No. 2111/2005.
According to him, the EU’s list of air carriers which are subject to an operating ban within the union was amended to include Medview Airlines in Annex A to Regulation (EC) No. 474/2006.
Adurogboye said the ban took effect a day after it was published in an official journal.
He said the commission, however, expressed its readiness to reconsider the inclusion of the airline on the EU Air Safety List, as soon as all issues of non-compliance were resolved with the EASA.
“In addition, as part of the efforts to arrive at a resolution and lifting of the ban, the NCAA will conduct a full scale audit of Medview Airlines’ operations.
“The result will therefore determine further actions and engagements by the regulatory authority,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EASA which issued the ban is saddled with the responsibility of determining the airworthiness of aircraft and airlines allowed to operate in the European airspace.
It also gives certification to airlines from other parts of the world to operate into the region. (NAN)
WAC/ASO/AOS/PIO
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(Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Idonije Obakhedo)