Bosnia & Herzegovina Airlines and Croatia Airlines have been named the safest airlines in the former Yugoslavia, in an annual global review conducted by “AirlineRatings”. For a third consecutive year, the two carriers scored highest for safety, receiving six out of seven stars, ahead of Adria Airways and Air Serbia, which settled for five stars.
B&H, Croatia Airlines and Montenegro Airlines all scored lower than last year, when the Bosnian and Croatian carriers boasted a perfect seven star score, while Montenegro Airlines received five stars in 2014.
B&H Airlines and Croatia Airlines fared well as they both have successfully undergone an IATA Operational Safety Audit, are allowed to operate within the European Union, have had no fatalities in the past ten years and are endorsed by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The eight ICAO audit parameters that pertain to safety are legislation, organization, licensing, operations, airworthiness, accident investigation, air navigation service and airports. Bosnia and Herzegovina scored lower in accident investigation and organization, while Croatia received lower scores in legislation and airports. These concerns do not necessarily indicate a particular safety deficiency in the air navigation service providers, airlines, aircraft or airports, but, rather, indicates that “the state is not providing sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO standards”, the regulatory body says.
It should be noted that “AirlineRatings’” scorecard for EX-YU airlines is based on ICAO’s last audits conducted between 2009 and 2011.
(Source: Ex-YU AviatioN news)
