HC Deb 01 July 1996 vol 280 cc348-9W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to his answer of 17 June,Official Report, column 340, if he will list the aircraft type, registration number, flight destination and flight number of the Air Operation flight where the certificate of airworthiness was withdrawn; [34803]

(2) if he will place in the Library copies of air operation certificates issued to Air Operations Europe. [34808]

Mr. Norris

[further to his answer, 17 June 1996, Official Report, c. 340]: The certificate of airworthiness for this aircraft was withdrawn after problems were found during routine maintenance and the aircraft was therefore not allocated to any particular flight at the time. Details concerning aircraft and the air operator certificates of airlines are held by the relevant regulatory organisations—in this case the Swedish civil aviation authority.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what inspections the Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken on the DC10 operated by Excalibur Airways. [34807]

Mr. Norris

The Civil Aviation Authority carried out 12 inspections on the operation of the DC10 by Excalibur Airways in order to be satisfied that the operator was competent to operate the type for public transport in accordance with the company's air operator certificate. Since approval was given for such operations, a further two inspections have been carried out. The CAA advises me that this is a representative inspection profile.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many complaints were received by the Air Transport Users Council in each of the last five years; and how many of them in each year related to airline or aircraft safety; [34805]

(2) if he will list the number and nature of complaints received by the Air Transport Users Council relating to services operated by Air Operations Europe for each of the last three years. [34806]

Mr. Norris

The hon. Member should seek this information from the Air Transport Users Council at 103 Kingsway, London WC2B 6QX.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the permits issued to Ghana Airways to fly into and out of the United Kingdom. [34804]

Mr. Norris

Ghana Airways operates scheduled passenger services between Ghana and the United Kingdom and applies for winter and summer seasonal permits to operate services. The current permit for summer 1996 allows the airline to operate four services per week between London and Accra and vice versa, in accordance with the air services arrangements agreed between our two countries.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 21 June,Official Report, column 645, how many complaints had been received regarding the safety of aircraft registered in Bulgaria; and if he will list the airlines involved. [34810]

Mr. Norris

Since 1991, the Department has received 36 passenger complaints alleging various problems or deficiencies with flights using aircraft registered in Bulgaria. The Department asked the UK Civil Aviation Authority to conduct an independent assessment in Bulgaria to ensure that International Civil Aviation Organisation standards were being applied. This assessment was carried out in February 1996.

Two Bulgarian airlines operate passenger flights to the UK. They are Balkan Airlines and Air Via.