European Commission Updates EU Air Safety List, Clears 14 Airlines

Air Madagascar has been cleared from the EU Air Safety List.

The European Commission recently updated the EU Air Safety List, the list of airlines that do not meet international safety standards and are therefore subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union.

Compared to the previous “blacklist” of December 2015, 14 carriers have been removed from the list while no new ones have been added.

According to the update, all airlines certified in Zambia are cleared from the list, along with Air Madagascar and three airlines certified in Indonesia (Citilink, Lion Air and Batik Air). In addition most aircraft of Iran Air are allowed to resume operations to the EU.

Kazakh carrier Air Astana has been cleared from the “blacklist” since December 2015.

Following the update, a total of 216 airlines (from 230 in December 2015) are banned from EU skies and include 214 airlines certified in 19 states: Afghanistan, Angola (with the exception of one airline which operates under restrictions and conditions), Benin, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon (with the exception of 2 airlines which operate under restrictions and conditions), Indonesia (with the exception of 7 airlines), Kazakhstan (with the exception of Air Astana), the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Libya, Mozambique, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone and Sudan, due to a lack of safety oversight by the aviation authorities from these states.

Iran Air is still subject to operational restrictions but most of its aircraft are allowed to resume operations to the EU.

Also included on the “blacklist”, are two individual airlines, based on safety concerns: Iraqi Airways (Iraq) and Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname).

An additional six airlines are subject to operational restrictions and can only fly to the EU with specific aircraft types: Afrijet and Nouvelle Air Affaires SN2AG (Gabon), Air Koryo (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), Air Service Comores (the Comoros), Iran Air (Iran) and TAAG Angola Airlines (Angola).

According to the Commission, the EU Air Safety List not only helps to maintain high levels of safety in the EU, but it also helps affected countries to improve their levels of safety, in order for them to eventually be taken off the list.

Under Regulation 2111/2005, travel agencies and tour operators are obliged to inform their customers on the airlines included on the “blacklist”. Passengers that have purchased a package for a flight operated outside the EU by a “blacklisted” airline is entitled to either be booked on another airline or to be reimbursed.

Press here to see the full list of banned airlines.