|
Anna Mallia takes the Civil Aviation Department to task on the safety of low costs airlines operating from Malta
No this is not an analysis of the book by Erika Yong but a wake-up call for the Department of Civil Aviation to ensure us that these so-called low cost or ‘no frills’ airlines are safe and travellers can have their mind at rest that these airlines operate in accordance with international safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
How safe are low cost airlines?
We all remember the tragedy on the Red Sea on 3 January which killed 148 people on board Flash Airlines. However, little did we know that this airline was already banned in Switzerland when the incident happened. Pressures mounted in the countries within the European Union to create a EU-wide ‘blacklist’ of unsafe airlines. This deal was reached on 31 January of this year and will allow the EU to name and ban airlines causing concern. In fact, an initial report is expected to be compiled by the end of this year, using information from member states.
Other countries do not wait for the EU
Other countries did not wait for the EU to publish a blacklist, but have taken it upon themselves to issue a list from time to time for the safety of their citizens. In fact, Italy and France have already added other airlines along with Flash Airlines. The Department of Civil Aviation in the United Kingdom has had a number of applications for permits to low cost airlines turned down. The permits were refused for failure to meet the International Civil Aviation Organisation standards or other concerns, even though some of them came from countries which will join the European Union with us in May. This includes the low cost airline RAF-Avia from Latvia and the Enimex from Estonia.
In the list published by the Department of Civil Aviation in the UK, we also find national airlines from outside the EU that are not considered safe for passengers in the UK.
Duty of the Department of Civil Aviation
As far as I know, the Department of Civil Aviation in Malta has not carried out a similar exercise and it has never provided us with such a list. I assume that it is now relying totally on the fact that once a low-cost airline is allowed to operate in the EU skies, it should also be allowed to fly to and from Malta. The news that Snowflake, a low-cost airline from Sweden, started operating to and from Malta on 1 April, made good news to the consumers. But consumers need to be treated with respect and it is the responsibility of the Department of Civil Aviation, to certify that this airline meets the international safety standards. The fact that it hails from an EU country is not enough, it is the duty of the Maltese authorities to make the necessary checks and inform the public that this and other low-cost airlines have passed the tests. At least until the EU starts issuing the blacklists of unsafe airlines.
Flowers to foreigners, but not to Maltese
Snowflake airlines should be grateful to the Minister of Tourism for greeting them with flowers. When the Maltese company Bargain Holidays Limited started operating low cost airlines from the United Kingdom to Malta and vice-versa, all hell broke lose. Its Maltese competitors did all they could within their power to stop them from operating in Malta. If in the case of Snowflake Airlines, the Malta Tourism Authority was reported as saying that its office in Stockholm embarked on a strong marketing campaign, which was bearing fruit, in the case of Bargain Holidays Limited, the MTA did nothing of the sort. So much so that now they are depicting Snowflake Airlines as the first no frills airline in Malta. No frills yes, but first, no. But that is the way that we treat and encourage Maltese entrepreneurship.
Conflict of interest at MTA
And speaking of MTA I cannot help notice that if its former chairman had any conflict of interest, so have other members of the MTA board. I cannot and will not accept that only an elite of hoteliers or restaurant owners or only Air Malta is represented in the Board. They are put on a better competitive edge over their rivals as they are the first to know from inside what promotional campaign the MTA is planning abroad and can organise their own advertising accordingly. The members of the Board of MTA should be either all the people involved in the industry or else retired people who are not in the business anymore.
I have always criticised John C. Grech on his chairmanship, but what is fair is fair, and if he had a conflict of interest, the same should apply to the members of the Board. I cannot accept, for instance, that Air Malta should remain the only airline represented on the MTA board and I am sure that come May, both Bargain and Snowflake will make sure that they are given the same voice as Air Malta.
Safety First
After 1 May, we will see a profusion of low-cost airlines operating to and from Malta. Air Malta will have a very hard task trying to keep its competitiveness and it is well aware that Maltese skies will become EU skies. Travellers, on the other hand, will have a field day shopping around for the best bargains the low-cost airlines will offer.
However, the Department of Civil Aviation should start from now, by informing the public about the safety of these low-cost airlines. If the airlines operated by Bargain holidays are safe we know that because they have the certificate of the Department of Civil Aviation in the UK and not thanks to the authorities in Malta. If Snowflake Airlines is safe we know because they are not banned anywhere within the EU and not thanks to the authorities in Malta.
So what is the Department of Civil Aviation waiting for?
A Happy Easter to you all!
|
