GENEVA – IATA has issued a stinging attack on governments for a lack of leadership in handling airspace restrictions due to the Icelandic volcano eruption.
IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said, “We are far enough into this crisis to express our dissatisfaction on how governments have managed it – with no risk assessment, no consultation, no coordination, and no leadership.
“This crisis is costing airlines at least $200 million a day in lost revenues and the European economy is suffering billions of dollars in lost business.
“In the face of such dire economic consequences, it is incredible that Europe’s transport ministers have taken five days to organise a teleconference.
“Governments must place greater urgency and focus on how and when we can safely re-open Europe’s skies. This means decisions based on risk-management, facts and utilising operational procedures that maintain safety,†said Bisignani.
The European Union has admitted there were shortcomings in the way the decision to close parts of Europe’s airspace was reached.
An official with the EU Transport Commission, Helen Kearns, said there was loose coordination in the decision-making process and that, working with the same scientific information, different countries had reached different conclusions.
IATA criticised Europe’s “unique†methodology of closing airspace based on theoretical modelling of the ash cloud.
“This means that governments have not taken their responsibility to make clear decisions based on facts. Instead, it has been the air navigation service providers who announced that they would not provide service.
“And these decisions have been taken without adequately consulting the airlines. This is not an acceptable system particularly when the consequences for safety and the economy are so large,†said Bisignani.
“Safety is our top priority. Airlines will not fly if it is not safe. I have consulted our member airlines that normally operate in the affected airspace. They report missed opportunities to fly safely.â€
Bisignani called for an urgent meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to define government responsibility for the decisions to open or close airspace in a coordinated and effective way based on real data and special operating procedures.
by Phil Davies
