The objective of this Opinion is to address the barriers and inefficiencies that Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 creates for European Union (EU) air carrier business groupings as regards the management of the continuing airworthiness (CAW) of their fleets.
This Opinion proposes air carriers licensed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 that form part of a single air carrier business grouping to be allowed to contract a CAMO within that grouping for the CAW management of aircraft operated by them.
The proposed changes are expected to reduce the regulatory burden and increase cost-efficiency for air carrier business groupings mainly by:
- reducing the duplication of tasks between organisations which have harmonised objectives and procedures; and
- removing barriers to short-time interoperability of aircraft between the air carriers that form part of an air carrier business grouping.
As a consequence, the competitive disadvantage of EU air carriers when compared to other non-EU carriers, will be reduced.
It should be noted that the need to increase efficiency is more significant nowadays due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation.
