The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that Israel complies with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), based on the results of an October FAA review of Israel’s civil aviation authority.
Israel is now upgraded to Category 1 from the Category 2 safety rating the country received from the FAA in December 2008. Israel’s civil aviation authority worked with the FAA on an action plan so that its safety oversight system fully complies with ICAO’s standards and practices.
A Category 1 rating means the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority equivalent to the FAA for aviation safety matters is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record keeping or inspection procedures.
With the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 rating, Israeli air carriers can add flights and service to the US and carry the code of US carriers. With the Category 2 rating, Israeli air carriers were allowed to maintain existing service to the United States, but could not establish new services.
Welcoming the announcement, Israeli airline El Al said that the downgrading of Israel's safety rating in 2008 had prevented it from putting its code share agreement with American Airlines into full operation, developing its service to the US through more frequent flights, and expanding its range of destinations.
"Israeli airlines in any case suffer from severe disadvantages in relation to their competitors, and the additional restrictions imposed on El Al in the past four years because of years of neglect by the State of Israel worsened the difficulty faced by El Al versus international airlines and aviation alliances," El Al's statement said.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 1, 2012
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