Commission updates EU Air Safety List and bans Fly Baghdad from flying in the European Union

The Commission updated the EU Air Safety List, the list of airlines that are subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union, because they do not meet international safety standards. Ensuring the highest level of air safety for Europeans and all other travelling passengers is at the very heart of the Commission’s aviation safety policy.

Following the latest update, Fly Baghdad has been included on the List. The basis for this decision is safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). These led to the decision not to grant Fly Baghdad a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.

The update also reflects the decision to maintain the ban on air carriers certified in Nepal, in view of continued safety concerns identified during an assessment visit to Nepal on 11-15 September. However, the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority’s proactive engagement and ongoing efforts to enhance its safety oversight capacity, were duly acknowledged during the EU Air Safety Committee meeting.

Following yesterday’s update, a total of 129 airlines are banned from EU skies:

• 101 airlines certified in 15 States[1], due to inadequate safety oversight by the aviation authorities from these States;
• 22 airlines certified in Russia, as well as 6 individual airlines from other States, based on serious safety deficiencies identified: Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname), Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran), Fly Baghdad (Iraq) and Iraqi Airways (Iraq).
  Two additional airlines are subject to operational restrictions and can only fly to the EU with specific aircraft types: Iran Air (Iran) and Air Koryo (North Korea).

Background

Yesterday’s update to the EU Air Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of Member State aviation safety experts, who met in Brussels on 14 to 16 November 2023 under the auspices of the EU Air Safety Committee. This Committee is chaired by the European Commission with support from EASA. The European Parliament’s Transport Committee also supports the update. Decisions under the EU Air Safety List are based on international safety standards, and notably the standards decreed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).