Five More Countries Fail Aviation Standards

Worldwide

The Federal Aviation Administration has added five names to its list of countries that it says fail to meet international aviation safety standards, the Washington Post reported. Of the five--Ecuador, Israel, Jordan, Peru and Venezuela--the FAA said Israel and Jordan responded quickly and were expected to meet the standards soon. Places already on the list are Aruba, Bolivia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles, Philippines, Trinidad-Tobago and Turkey. Eleven nations are in the “does not comply” category, which means U.S. flights are banned: Belize, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Kiribati, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Uruguay and Zaire. The FAA survey addresses only the adequacy of government oversight, not the adequacy of the airlines themselves.

Europe

Roving gangs of thieves have been operating in many of Europe’s major airports, preying on travelers who arrive tired and disoriented after long international flights, the Reuters news service reports. According to Dutch police, who have swapped information with police in other countries, gangs of Colombians, Peruvians and North Africans, as well as people from the former Yugoslavia, have been spotted flying between several airports on round-trip tickets, often targeting baggage trolleys and stealing cash, identity papers and jewelry.

Middle East

Israel and the Territories: Palestinian authorities have begun recruiting and training a West Bank police force to provide security for tourists and prevent theft of archeological treasures, a Palestinian official told Reuters in Jerusalem. For 28 years, Israeli police have watched over the 1 million or more tourists who every year visit historical and religious sites in the West Bank, such as Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. But under terms of Israeli-Palestinian agreements, Palestinians have assumed control of the West Bank cities of Jericho and Janin and gradually will control all the major communities.

Briefly . . .

Japan: With security heightened, police say the Tokyo subways are safe. Although police have cracked down on the cult suspected of fatal nerve gas attacks in March, incidents have continued. The State Department suggests that anyone riding the subways “continue exercising security awareness”

Hot spots: State Department travel warnings are in effect for Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Colombia, Croatia, Guatemala, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Rwanda, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and Tajikistan.

The U.S. State Department offers recorded travel warnings and advisories at (202) 647-5225; the fax line is (202) 647-3000.