Croatia meets conditions to introduce direct flights to US

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that Croatia complies with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), based on the results of a reassessment of Croatia’s civil aviation authority. Croatia has made significant progress and is now upgraded from the Category 2 safety rating the country received in September 2008 to Category 1.

A Category 1 rating means the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. A Category 2 rating means a country either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority - equivalent to the FAA for aviation safety matters - is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping or inspection procedures.

Croatian Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure BOZIDAR KALMETA told a news conference on Thursday that Category 1 opened new doors to Croatia for the continuation of Croatia-US cooperation in commercial transport. It will also enable the Croatian air carrier to enter codeshare with US companies, which is good news for the arrival of American tourist in Croatia, the minister said.

US Ambassador to Croatia James B. Foley said Category 1 will enable the strengthening of business and tourist connections with the US and advance the bilateral economic relations.

With the Category 1 rating, air carriers will be able to establish new service to the United States, Kalmeta said adding that first results can be expected as early as this year.

The news conference also heard that Croatia and the US are scheduled to sign an agreement on the establishment of bilateral relation in air traffic in early February.

Announcing that the government would soon decide on concession granting for a project aimed at improving the Zagreb Airport, Kalmeta told the news conference that foreign airports had shown great interest in that concession.

He said that the aim of that project was to build a new passenger terminal and an apron at that airport.

Ambassador Foley said a US company had already shown an interest in the concession for Zagreb airport.


(Hina)