THE long wait for an upgrade in the Philippines’ aviation safety rating may take a little longer, following the US Federal Aviation Administration’s move to reschedule the Philippines’ air safety audit to January 2014.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) declined to give further details on the matter, including why the audit was postponed.
The upgrade from Category 2 to Category 1 would allow local carriers to start new flights to the United States.
In July this year, the European Union removed the Philippine Airlines from its blacklist, citing improved safety standards.
CAAP deputy director general John Andrews earlier expressed confidence that the Philippines would get a safety rating upgrade from the FAA, after a series of visits to the country by FAA audit teams over the past several months to discuss and evaluate aviation safety standards.
The US Embassy also earlier said FAA officials would visit the country to “discuss the Philippines’ return to Category 1 under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessments Program.”
The Philippines is classified as a Category 2 country, which means the FAA assessed CAAP as having failed to comply with international safety standards.
Image courtesy of njaj / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
