Iran and Africa make progress on EU safety list

European Commission updated (16-Jun-2016) the EU Air Safety List, the list of airlines that do not meet international safety standards, and are therefore subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the EU. The following changes have been put into effect:

• All airlines certified in Zambia are cleared from the list;
• Air Madagascar has been removed from the list;
• Three Indonesian airlines - Citilink, Lion Air and Batik Air - have also been certified;
• Most aircraft of Iran Air are allowed to resume operations to the EU.

Following the update, a total of 216 airlines remain banned from EU skies.

• 214 of these airlines, certified in 19 states, are banned due to a lack of safety oversight by the aviation authorities from these states;
• Two individual airlines, based on safety concerns: Iraqi Airways and Blue Wing Airlines;
• An additional six airlines are subject to operational restrictions and can only fly to the EU with specific aircraft types:
• • Afrijet and Nouvelle Air Affaires SN2AG (Gabon);
  • Air Koryo (Democratic People's Republic of Korea);
  • Air Service Comores (the Comoros);
  • Iran Air (Iran);
  • TAAG Angola Airlines (Angola). [more - original PR]

European Commission:"Aviation safety is my top priority and today's update illustrates our continuous efforts to offer the highest level of air safety to European citizens. I am happy to say that after seven years of work and extensive European technical assistance, we were able to clear all Zambian air carriers from the list. Following my visit to Iran in April, a technical assessment was successfully carried out in May. Based on this I am happy to announce that we are now also able to allow most aircraft from Iran Air back into European skies." EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc. Source: European Commission, 16-Jun-2016.