Air France, Airbus in crash blame game
Source: Agencies |
May 20, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A ROW has erupted between Air France and Airbus as pressure grows to explain the 2009 Rio-Paris plane crash using data recovered from black boxes.
The tensions were laid bare inadvertently by a top official following days of finger-pointing in the media and the disclosure that the A330 aircraft suffered no major faults.
Air France chief Pierre-Henri Gourgeon urged the media to stay calm over the causes of the 2009 Atlantic plane crash, which should become clear in a matter of weeks.
"It is impossible today to draw conclusions about any kind of responsibility," he told a news conference. "Let's wait until the experts give us a coherent message before heading off in one direction or another and speculating," Gourgeon said, dismissing questions over his future as chief executive of parent Air France-KLM.
Air France officials are said to be upset that Airbus quickly let it be known that an initial reading of black box data uncovered no significant mechanical problems, by telling airlines it did not plan immediate new safety recommendations.
Europe 1 radio reported yesterday that the pilots were not to blame, leaving uncertainty over what did cause the Airbus jet to dive into the Atlantic killing 228 people in June 2009.
The reputations of both companies are on the line over one of the world's most shocking and unexplained disasters and both face a criminal probe as well as potential claims from families.
The black box investigation is not only happening under the glare of media attention but also comes weeks before the Paris air show, at which Airbus hopes to announce large plane orders.
Gourgeon said history had shown that air accidents were typically not caused by any individual event.
The tensions were laid bare inadvertently by a top official following days of finger-pointing in the media and the disclosure that the A330 aircraft suffered no major faults.
Air France chief Pierre-Henri Gourgeon urged the media to stay calm over the causes of the 2009 Atlantic plane crash, which should become clear in a matter of weeks.
"It is impossible today to draw conclusions about any kind of responsibility," he told a news conference. "Let's wait until the experts give us a coherent message before heading off in one direction or another and speculating," Gourgeon said, dismissing questions over his future as chief executive of parent Air France-KLM.
Air France officials are said to be upset that Airbus quickly let it be known that an initial reading of black box data uncovered no significant mechanical problems, by telling airlines it did not plan immediate new safety recommendations.
Europe 1 radio reported yesterday that the pilots were not to blame, leaving uncertainty over what did cause the Airbus jet to dive into the Atlantic killing 228 people in June 2009.
The reputations of both companies are on the line over one of the world's most shocking and unexplained disasters and both face a criminal probe as well as potential claims from families.
The black box investigation is not only happening under the glare of media attention but also comes weeks before the Paris air show, at which Airbus hopes to announce large plane orders.
Gourgeon said history had shown that air accidents were typically not caused by any individual event.
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