The News Tribune: Safety questions raised about Yemen jet - by Jeffrey Fleishman
Safety questions raised about Yemen jet - by Jeffrey Fleishman
Flight 626 originated in Paris and stopped in Marseille before traveling on to San`a, where passengers switched to the Airbus 310-300. That jet, which was 19 years old and operated by Yemen’s national carrier, Yemenia, had raised suspicions earlier among European safety inspectors.In 2007, French transportation authorities barred the plane from French airports following a safety review that found problems with technical equipment. Inspectors “noticed a certain number of defects. Since then the plane had not returned to France,” Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau was quoted as telling French TV. “The company (Yemenia) was not on the blacklist but was subject to stricter checks on our part and was due to be interviewed shortly by the European Union’s safety committee.” In 2008, the European Union asked Yemenia to take “corrective actions” to improve safety performance. It was unclear what those actions were, but at a news conference Tuesday, EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani said Yemenia had been reviewed by safety authorities and the company was not banned from operating in Europe.
Comorans and French nationals who had flown on Yemenia flights had complained to the French government about what they regarded as questionable safety practices, such as passengers forced to sit among luggage strewn about the aisles and unhygienic conditions. An association known as SOS Voyages to Comoro was formed to push for improved standards on Yemenia, owned by the poorest Arab nation.
Labels: Airbus, Aircraft Industry, Safety
