■ MADAGASCAR: Air Madagascar passes IOSA, EASA audits; wants to be struck off the EU No-Fly Ban List.

After a cabinet meeting which judged troubled national carrier, Air Madagascar (MD), to be on the path to recovery,  the Madagascar government will, before the end of October, send an inter-ministerial delegation to Brussels to lobby for the removal of national carrier, Air Madagascar (MD), from the EU's No Fly Ban List.

Air Madagascar's MRO Hangar in Antananarivo (Air Madagascar)

The move comes after the Malagasy airline passed two safety audits this last month - that of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit which scrutinized the airline's security plans and quality of service offered to passengers, in addition to another audit done by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regarding the commercial exploitation of the company’s aircraft - with 90%, with necessary corrective measures to be taken "before the end of the month."

As part of their resolve to improve aircraft reliability and the overall calibre of maintenance, Air Madagascar, in September, awarded a contract for the MRO of their two Airbus A340-300s to Air France Industrie KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M). Under the "Total Care" maintenance agreement, AFI KLM E&M will provide for the aircrafts' preparation, re-painting in the Air Madagascar livery, transfer and overall maintenance.

Fabrice Defrance, AFI KLM E&M Senior Vice President Commercial, said: 

"After renewing their commercial agreement early this year, the AIR FRANCE KLM and Air Madagascar groups are now cooperating in the Maintenance and Engineering sphere. In addition, this transaction on behalf of the Malagasy carrier illustrates and confirms AFI KLM E&M's ability to deliver comprehensive and competitive solutions in a highly-responsive manner and with top quality of services."

Source [AFI KLM E&M]

Antananarivo has said that various audit reports and documents were submitted to the Delegation of the European Union in Antananarivo on Monday, September 24, 2012, six days prior to the  September 30 deadline, though EASA will only decide on Air Madagascar's fate at  its session to be held in November 2012. 

To drive the point home, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina has ordered an interdepartmental mission to Brussels to court European authorities in the meantime.