EU updates Air Safety List: here is the list of companies that cannot fly in European skies
Air transport safety is a top priority, ça va sans dire. Therefore, last December 13, 2024, the [...]
Air transport safety is a top priority, ça va sans dire. Therefore, last December 13, 2024, the European Commission. has updated its "Air Safety List", viz. The list of airlines that do not meet safety standards required to fly within the airspace of the European Union. But let's go in order.
In this article:
What is the Air Safety List?
Updated regularly by the European Commission, theAir Safety List is an essential tool, to say the least, that monitors and ensures the safety of flights in the EU. Through this list, airlines are identified that, due to several factors, are not considered safe: first and foremost, deficiency in aircraft maintenance e poor crew training. All carriers on this list, therefore, are effectively banned from European airspace (salbeit with some exceptions).
Photo: @AirTanzania via Facebook
Which companies are not considered safe: the list
With the latest update in December '24, the European Union added a new airline to the list, Air Tanzania: The decision to include it stems from serious safety concerns found by EASA, the European Union Aviation Safety. Air Tanzania aside, the's list consists of 128 other companies, mostly all from countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia: TAAG Angola Airlines, Air Burundi, Congo Airways, to name a few.
Photo: @PakistanInternationalAirlines via Facebook
Since the last update, Pakistan International Airlines has been removed from the list., which has demonstrated significant improvements about safety standards; therefore, it can now again fly within European airspace.
As specified in the EU document, however, air carriers on the list can receive permission to exercise traffic rights under one condition: Use aircraft taken on crewed charter (via wet-lease formula) by an air carrier not subject to an operating ban, provided that all relevant safety regulations are met.
Two more companies are then added to the list: Iran Air e Air Koryo, the flag carriers of Iran and North Korea, respectively. These carriers, specifically, are not subject to an operating ban in the EU, but to restrictions.
In fact, they can fly within European airspace, But not with certain aircraft: Fokker F100s and Boeing B747s, in the case of Iran Air; and all aircraft in the fleet (except TU-204s), in the case of Air Koryo.
