IP/09/560
Brussels, 08 April 2009
Commission updates the list of airlines banned from European airspace
The European Commission today adopted the update of the so-called blacklist of airlines that are banned from flying into the European Union due to safety concerns. The Commission has imposed a ban on six airlines from Kazakhstan, one airline certified in Thailand, one additional Ukrainian air carrier and on operations of all carriers certified in Benin.
"The Commission will continue to actively pursue a dialogue with everyone involved in aviation to ensure that all aircraft and air carriers conform to internationally required levels of air safety. Air passengers are entitled to feel safe and be safe when their plane takes off," said Antonio Tajani, Commission Vice-President in charge of transport.
The new list, which replaces the previous one published in November 2008, can be consulted on the Commission’s website[1]. Following the unanimous opinion of the Air Safety Committee, the Commission updated the list and decided to expand the list and impose an operating ban for safety reasons on the following air carriers:
- Air Company Kokshetau, ATMA Airlines, Berkut Air, East Wing, Sayat Air and Starline KZ (Kazakhstan)
- One Two Go Airlines (Thailand)
- Motor Sich Airlines (Ukraine)
- All airlines certified in the Republic of Benin on the basis of the negative results of an audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The Commission noted good progress in relation to the measures taken by Angola in order to improve the safety situation. In particular, it took note of the progress report drawn up by the aviation authorities of Angola on the implementation of corrective actions following the visit of a team of European experts in February 2008 and the publication of the ICAO safety audit report in October 2008.
A report of the visit of a European team of experts to Indonesia in February 2009 showed considerable improvements. The Commission will continue close consultations with the aviation authorities with a view to re-assessing the safety situation at the next meeting of the Air Safety Committee.
Hence from today the Community list imposes a ban on:
- All carriers from Angola, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Gabon save for Gabon Airlines and Afrijet, which have exemptions for a small number of aircraft.
- Sixteen individual carriers:
- Afghanistan – Ariana Afghan Airlines
- Cambodia - Siem Reap Airways International
- Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Air Koryo
- Kazakhstan - Air Company Kokshetau, ATMA Airlines, Berkut Air, East Wing, Sayat Air, Starline KZ
- Rwanda - Silverback Cargo Freighters
- Sudan - Air West
- Thailand - One Two Go Airlines
- Ukraine - Motor Sich Airlines, Ukraine Cargo Airways, Ukraine Mediterranean Airlines and Volare Aviation
