List of airlines banned in the European Union

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  All airlines banned.
  Some airlines banned.
  Some airlines banned and some under Annex B restrictions.
  Some airlines under Annex B restrictions.
  No airlines banned and still allowed to fly in the airspace.

The European Union (EU) publishes a list of air carriers that are banned from entering the airspace of any of its member states, usually for failing to meet EU regulatory oversight standards. The first version of the list was published in 2006, on the legal basis of Regulation No. 474/2006 of the European Commission, issued on 22 March of that year. The current version of the list was published on 30 May 2024. [1]

Contents

The process by which an air carrier is listed is laid out in Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005 of the European Parliament and Council. It involves consultation among the regulatory agencies of the member states, the institutions of the European Community, the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of the air carrier concerned, and the air carrier itself. Before being listed, each air carrier has the right of appeal. The list is subject to periodic review.

In June 2016, all restrictions on Air Madagascar, Iran Air, Lion Air, Citilink, Batik Air, and all Zambian airlines were removed from the list of air carriers banned in the EU. [2]

On 30 November 2017, Avior Airlines from Venezuela was added to the list because of "unaddressed safety deficiencies." No further details were given at the time. [3]

On 14 June 2018, all remaining Indonesian airlines not already removed from the list were removed from the list of air carriers banned in the EU. [4]

On 3 February 2019, Turkmenistan Airlines was banned from European Union airspace, "pending confirmation that it meets international air safety standards", [5] but the ban was lifted on 16 October 2019. [6]

On 8 December 2019, Gabon's airlines were removed from the list, while the Armenian Civil Aviation Committee was "put under heightened scrutiny because of signs of a decrease in safety oversight", [7] and a new update to the list was published on the next day.

As of January 2020, Syria’s airlines are not specifically mentioned on the list, but in practice there is a ban against them in the context of the general EU sanctions against Syria. [8]

On 30 June 2020, EASA suspended Pakistan International Airlines authorisation to operate to the EU member states for a period of 6 months to Europe after the crash of flight PK8303 and subsequent PIA Pilot License scandal. [9] In late 2020 and early 2021, the ban was extended by another three months and later indefinitely. [10] [11] In mid 2023, PIA reportedly passed an initial online EASA Safety Audit [12] with in-person visit by EASA team scheduled for late November 2023. [13] [14] As of 30 November 2023, PIA does not figure on the EU Air Safety List. [15]

In response to the government of Belarus forcing Ryanair Flight 4978 to divert and land in Minsk to arrest dissident Roman Protasevich, EU leaders announced that they would ban Belarusian carriers from using EU airspace and vice versa on 24 May 2021. [16]

In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen announced that Russian owned, Russian registered or Russian controlled aircraft would not be permitted to take-off, land, or overfly EU airspace. [17]

List of air carriers

Banned airlines by country

Banned air carriers could be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with. The list includes the following airlines, with the airline license having been issued in the respective countries:

CountryBanned airlinesNotes
Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan All Banned in 2010 for lacking a viable aviation safety regime. [18]
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola All except TAAG Angola Airlines and Heli Malongo Airways
Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia All
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus All Ban in response to the diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978 to Minsk. [19] The ban has also been extended due to involvement in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of the Congo All
Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg  Republic of the Congo All
Flag of Djibouti.svg  Djibouti All
Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg  Equatorial Guinea All CEIBA Intercontinental operates flights to Madrid via a wetlease with White Airways
Flag of Eritrea.svg  Eritrea All
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran Mahan Air & Iran Aseman Airlines Iran Air's Fokker 100s are subject to restrictions under Annex B.
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq All
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg  Kyrgyzstan All
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia All
Flag of Libya.svg  Libya All
Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal All Banned - Single authority for aviation regulation and operation creates conflict of interest. [20]
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia All Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [21]
Flag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg  São Tomé and Príncipe All
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone All
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan All
Flag of Suriname.svg  Suriname Blue Wing Airlines
Flag of Syria.svg  Syria All Banned as part of the general EU sanctions against Syria. [8]
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey Southwind Airlines Banned for suspected ties to Russia. [22]
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela Avior Airlines
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe Air Zimbabwe

Annex B

Annex B of the EU list covers airlines which are restricted to operating only certain aircraft within the EU.

Country of operatorRestricted airlinesAircraft permittedCountry of aircraft registry
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran Iran Air All except all Fokker 100 and Boeing 747 aircraft currently on its AOCFlag of Iran.svg  Iran
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea Air Koryo 2 Tupolev Tu-204 registered P-632, P-633Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea

See also

Related Research Articles

The Single European Sky (SES) is a European Commission initiative that seeks to reform the European air traffic management system through a series of actions carried out in four different levels with the aim of satisfying the needs of the European airspace in terms of capacity, safety, efficiency and environmental impact.

Ariana Afghan Airlines Co. Ltd. also known simply as Ariana, is the flag carrier and largest airline of Afghanistan. Founded in 1955, Ariana is state owned and the oldest airline in the country. The company has its main base at Kabul International Airport, from which it operates domestic flights and international connections to destinations in China, India, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. The carrier is headquartered in Shāre Naw district, Kabul. Ariana Afghan Airlines has been on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union since October 2006.

Pakistan International Airlines is an international airline which is the government-owned flag carrier of Pakistan. Its primary hub is Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, while Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and Islamabad International Airport serve as secondary hubs.

Mahan Airlines, operating under the name Mahan Air, is a privately owned Iranian airline based in Tehran, Iran. It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Its main home bases are Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport.

Sudan Airways is the national airline of Sudan, headquartered in Khartoum. Since 2012, the company has been fully owned by the Government of Sudan.

Air Koryo is North Korea’s flag carrier and only commercial airline. It is state-owned and controlled by the North Korean air force. Headquartered in Sunan-guyŏk, Pyongyang, it operates domestic and international routes – on a regular schedule only to Beijing, Shenyang, and Vladivostok – from its hub at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport. It also operates flights on behalf of the North Korean government, with one of its aircraft serving as North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un's personal plane. Its fleet consists of Ilyushin and Tupolev aircraft from the Soviet Union and Russia, and Antonovs from Ukraine.

Belavia, formally Belavia Belarusian Airlines, is the flag carrier of Belarus, headquartered in Minsk. The state-owned company had, as of 2007, 1,017 employees. Belavia serves a network of routes between Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as some Middle East destinations, from its base at Minsk National Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union Aviation Safety Agency</span> European Union civil aviation authority

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Commission with responsibility for civil aviation safety in the European Union. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitoring. It collects and analyses safety data, drafts and advises on safety legislation and co-ordinates with similar organisations in other parts of the world.

TAAG Angola Airlines E.P. is a state-owned airline and flag carrier of Angola. Based in Luanda, the airline operates domestic services within Angola, medium-haul services in Africa and long-haul services to Brazil, Cuba, and Portugal. The airline was originally set up by the government as DTA – Divisão dos Transportes Aéreos in 1938, rechristened TAAG Angola Airlines in 1973, and gained flag carrier status in 1975. It is now a member of both the International Air Transport Association and the African Airlines Association.

Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines, Ukrayinsʹko-seredzemnomorsʹki avialiniyi, was an airline based in Kyiv, Ukraine. it ceased operations at 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minsk National Airport</span> International airport serving Minsk, Belarus

Minsk National Airport, formerly known as Minsk-2, is the main international airport in Belarus, located 42 km (26 mi) to the east of the capital Minsk. It geographically lies in the territory of Smalyavichy Raion but is administratively subordinated to the Kastrychnitski District of Minsk. The airport serves as hub of the Belarusian flag carrier Belavia and the cargo carriers TAE Avia, Genex, and Rubystar Airways.

Eritrean Airlines is the national airline of Eritrea. Based at Asmara International Airport, it is wholly owned by the government of Eritrea. Scheduled service had been discontinued since 2008, and the airline operated only a few hajj flights every year. The airline was restarted under new management in 2011. In 2011, Nasair, a privately owned company, merged with government-owned Eritrean Airlines, to form Nasair Eritrea. Eritrean Airlines has been banned from flying into the European Union (EU) since December 2012. As of July 2023, Eritrean Airlines had no scheduled service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LAM Mozambique Airlines</span> Flag carrier of Mozambique

LAM - Mozambique Airlines, S. A. or Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, Ltd., operating as LAM Mozambique Airlines, is the flag carrier of Mozambique. The airline was established by the Portuguese colonial government of Mozambique in August 1936 as a charter carrier named DETA - Direcção de Exploração de Transportes Aéreos, and was renamed in 1980 following reorganisation. LAM Mozambique Airlines is based in Maputo, and has its hub at Maputo International Airport. It operates scheduled services in Southern Africa. The company is a member of the International Air Transport Association, and of the African Airlines Association since 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">YAK-Service</span> Defunct Russian charter airline

YAK-Service was an airline that operated executive passenger charters based in Moscow, Russia. It was established on 12 February 1993 and started operations on 25 November 1993. The airline was banned from operating within the EU from 24 July 2009 to November 2009, and had further restrictions imposed upon it in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority</span> Regulatory authority in Pakistan

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) is a state-owned autonomous body under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation, which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Pakistan. PCAA's head office is situated in Terminal-1 of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. PCAA is a member state of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Nearly all 44 civilian airports in Pakistan are owned and operated by the PCAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Civil Aviation Committee (Armenia)</span>

The Civil Aviation Committee is an agency of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure օf Armenia. Its head office is on the property of Zvartnots International Airport in Zvartnots, near Yerevan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryanair Flight 4978</span> 2021 aviation incident in Belarus

Ryanair Flight 4978 was a regularly scheduled international passenger flight from Athens International Airport, Greece, to Vilnius Airport, Lithuania, operated by Buzz, a Polish subsidiary of the Irish airline Ryanair. On 23 May 2021, while in Belarusian airspace, it was diverted by the Belarusian government to Minsk National Airport due to alleged claims of a Hamas bombing attempt, where two of its passengers, opposition activist and journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, were arrested by authorities. The aircraft was allowed to depart after seven hours, reaching Vilnius eight and a half hours behind schedule.

References

Bibliography

Citations

  1. ↑ "The EU Air Safety List". European Commission for Transport. European Commission. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  2. ↑ "EU allows Iran's state carrier to resume flights in bloc". Reuters. 16 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Venezuelan airline barred from European Union skies". The Washington Post . Associated Press. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  4. ↑ "Aviation Safety: Commission removes all airlines from Indonesia from EU Air Safety List".
  5. ↑ Calder, Simon (4 February 2019). "Flights cancelled for thousands of British passengers after EU bans Turkmenistan airline". The Independent . London.
  6. ↑ Gurt, Marat; Auyezov, Olzhas; Goodman, David (17 October 2019). "EU lifts ban on Turkmenistan Airlines". Reuters .
  7. ↑ "Aviation Safety: Commission adopts new EU Air Safety List<!lang>" (Press release). 8 December 2019.
  8. 1 2 "EU Sanctions Map". 10 December 2019. Member States shall take the necessary measures to prevent access to the airports of cargo flights operated by Syrian carriers and flights operated by Syrian Arab Airlines.
  9. ↑ "PIA banned from flying to EU states for six months". Dawn. 30 June 2020.
  10. ↑ Asghar, Azfar (8 April 2021). "European Union Aviation Safety Agency extends travel restrictions on PIA". Dawn. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  11. ↑ Nuzhat Nazar; Wasim Iqba (16 March 2021). "EU, US and UK operations: PIA has to wait until July". Brecorder. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  12. ↑ "EASA clears PIA in remote audit". Pakistan Observer. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Khan, Naimat (25 November 2023). "European delegation's visit to Pakistan next week raises hope for lifting PIA's flight ban". Arab News. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "PIA likely to get nod for Europe, UK flights". Ary News. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "EASA's audit report clears way for PIA's direct flights to Europe". Lead Pakistan. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "EU leaders agree on Belarus sanctions after plane diversion". Associated Press. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  17. ↑ "Ukraine invasion: EU to close airspace to all Russian planes and ban Kremlin-backed media". Sky News. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  18. ↑ Harrison, Pete (23 November 2010). "Europe bans all Afghan airlines from its airspace". Reuters.
  19. ↑ "EU leaders agree on Belarus sanctions after journalist's arrest". Al Jazeera. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  20. ↑ Republica. "Nepal's efforts fall short as EU retains Nepali airlines on air safety blacklist". My Republica. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Ukraine invasion: EU shuts airspace to Russian planes". BBC. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  22. ↑ "Media: EU bans Turkish airline due to links with Russia". The Kyiv Independent. 30 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
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