Europe publishes blacklist of banned airlines

THE European Commission has released an updated blacklist of airlines banned from flying into the European Union due to safety concerns.

This ninth update includes a ban on all operations of Siem Reap Airways International from Cambodia, which does not operate in compliance with the Cambodian safety regulations nor does it meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Due to the ICAO’s recent report in October on Angola the commission has also decided to extend the operating ban already imposed on the carrier TAAG Angola Airlines to all operators from that country.

“The blacklist is essentially a tool that ensures safer skies in Europe,” said Antonio Tajani, Commission vice-president in charge of transport. “Through this list Europeans and non-Europeans alike flying in Europe know that there exists a certain degree of safety on which they can rest assured.

“The European Commission will pursue actively its dialogue with all states, within and outside the union, their civil aviation authorities and their airlines, to ensure that they conform to internationally required levels of air safety on a sustainable basis,” he said.

Other airlines still banned include Air Koryo from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Air West from Sudan, Ariana Afghan Airlines from Afghanistan, Silverback Cargo Freighters from Rwanda, Ukraine Cargo Airways, Ukraine Mediterranean Airlines, Volare Aviation from Ukraine and all carriers from Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Gabon save for Gabon Airlines and Afrijet, whose operations are frozen to the current level under certain strict conditions.

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