EASA Raises Safety Concerns with Air Arabia Maroc Operations
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has reportedly raised serious safety concerns about Air Arabia Maroc, primarily related to its scheduling practices and their alignment with fatigue management guidelines. However, EASA declined to comment on the specifics of the report, with a spokeswoman emphasizing that the agency does not publicly discuss details of its Third Country Operators (TCO) assessments.
The scrutiny followed a Morocco World News report revealing findings from an EASA audit conducted in September, which allegedly identified eight critical safety issues and one significant violation within Air Arabia Maroc’s operations. According to the report, primary concerns included breaches of flight and duty time limitations, improper scheduling during rest periods, and delays in updating the airline’s Minimum Equipment List (MEL) for its Airbus A320 fleet. Additionally, the airline’s head of flight operations was reportedly cited for neglecting to address these regulatory concerns.
Prompted by a confidential report, EASA initiated a thorough investigation into Air Arabia Maroc, involving on-site inspections of the airline’s Casablanca headquarters. As a result, the airline was placed under heightened surveillance by EASA to monitor compliance with operational and maintenance standards critical for flight safety.
Air Arabia Maroc, a subsidiary of UAE-based Air Arabia, currently operates a fleet of twelve Airbus A320-200s, one of which is wet-leased from Bulgaria’s Electra Airways. Despite the allegations, Air Arabia Maroc has not issued a response, leaving questions regarding the airline’s commitment to rectifying these critical safety issues.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com