BRUSSELS Dec 30–The European Union has updated its Air Safety List, a crucial document identifying airlines prohibited from operating within its territory due to non-compliance with international safety standards. This list ensures that European passengers travel with the highest possible guarantees, reflecting the EU’s commitment to global air safety.
A total of 100 airlines from 15 countries have been identified as having deficient air safety systems. Among them, 29 airlines present serious safety deficiencies, with 22 operating solely with certificates issued by Russia and the remaining seven from Venezuela, Tanzania, Iran, Suriname, and Zimbabwe.
A notable addition to this list is Air Tanzania, which, despite a modern fleet including the Airbus A220, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, fails to meet necessary operational procedures for safety in Europe. This marks the second ban for the airline following one in 2019.
On a positive note, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted restrictions on two Pakistani airlines, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Airblue Limited. PIA will resume operations in Europe with scheduled flights to Paris starting January 10. Before its ban in 2020, PIA serviced key destinations such as Barcelona, Frankfurt, Milan, and London.
The list also imposes partial restrictions on two specific airlines. Iran Air faces limitations on using certain models like the Fokker F100 and a Boeing 747-200 for cargo transport. Meanwhile, North Korea’s Air Koryo can operate only with two Tupolev TU-204 aircraft, sidelining the rest of its fleet.
Among the banned Russian airlines are notable names like Aeroflot and its subsidiary Rossiya Airlines, along with other companies such as Pobeda Airlines, Nord Wind, and Nordstar Airlines. These restrictions underscore concerns about safety standards in Russian aviation, especially regarding certifications.
Lastly, the group of 129 airlines with deficient safety includes companies from Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Nepal, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Notable examples are Kam Air (Afghanistan), Yeti Airlines (Nepal), and Congo Airways (Democratic Republic of the Congo), highlighting ongoing global challenges in air safety.
The update of this list is a strong reminder of the importance of international aviation standards and the need to maintain constant vigilance to protect passengers.
It’s worth mentioning that the European Union updates this list every three months.
