Talks on Onur Air ban to open

17 May 2005

AMSTERDAM — Technical experts with Dutch and Turkish transport authorities will meet on Wednesday in Istanbul to discuss the safety of Onur Air’s planes.

If the Dutch Traffic and Public Works Inspectorate (IVW) is convinced the Turkish airline is taking adequate measures to guarantee safety, the flight ban imposed on Onur Air might be rescinded.

The agreement was reached during a 12-hour meeting between the IVW and Turkish aviation authorities at the IVW headquarters in Hoofddorp on Monday night.

Despite the planned talks, Onur Air said on Tuesday it will lodge legal proceedings against the IVW. The airline claims it has not received adequate reasoning for the flight ban.

After several recent safety incidents, the IVW last week banned Onur Air from using Dutch airports for a month. The ban ends on 12 June.

Stranded passengers on Friday were flown home to the Netherlands and Germany from Antalya.

The Germans flew home with chartered flights, while Dutch nationals were flown to Brussels on Onur Air flights. They were then taken by bus to the Netherlands.

The IVW said on Monday it has confidence Turkish aviation authorities are doing everything possible to transport stranded Dutch passengers back home.

However, the Dutch and Turkish delegations are still in disagreement about the safety of the planes.

Turkey’s Deputy Transport State Secretary B. Tozer said the Onur Air fleet is safe, criticising a ban on all flight after incidents on a few planes. He was also disappointed the delegations could not reach a final agreement.

Tozer and the chief civilian aviation inspector with the IVW, Helma Nepperus, openly argued during a press conference as to whether the IVW had informed Turkish authorities about its concerns over Onur Air planes.

Nepperus said the IVW had been in regular contact with Turkish authorities and Onur Air since September 2003, but the Turkish traffic authority disputed that claim. Nevertheless, both authorities agreed to intensify communication.

Nepperus said Onur Air safety had become an “emergency”, stressing that in the past two weeks particularly there have been “incident after incident”.

Safety problems primarily occur in the high season and often involve poor maintenance and complications with airline balance.

The IVW inspector is demanding absolute guarantees that the maintenance of Onur Air planes will in future meet international guidelines.

“I make no compromises on safety. If the necessary steps are taken, I have faith that the problems can be quickly resolved,” Nepperus said.

Subject: Dutch news