BRUSSELS- The European Union Commission has imposed an operating ban on all airlines certified in Suriname and Tanzania, adding both countries to the European Union’s Air Safety List due to serious safety oversight deficiencies.
The decision affects all carriers registered in these jurisdictions, preventing them from operating within European Union airspace.
Suriname Airways; Photo- WikipediaEurope Bans 169 Airlines
The European Commission determined that neither Suriname nor Tanzania met international aviation safety standards, prompting the inclusion of their airlines on the prohibited list.
Officials conducted a detailed technical assessment that revealed serious deficiencies in national aviation oversight capabilities within both countries.
The ruling emerged from a meeting held in Brussels last month, where the European Commission collaborated with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to evaluate aviation safety standards across multiple jurisdictions.
The assessment process examined each country’s ability to maintain adequate safety oversight of its certified airlines.
The addition of Suriname and Tanzania brings the total number of banned airlines to 169, representing a significant expansion of the EU’s aviation safety enforcement.
The comprehensive list includes 142 airlines certified across 17 different states that demonstrate inadequate safety oversight by their respective aviation authorities.
Russian airlines comprise 22 of the banned carriers, while 5 additional airlines face prohibition based on individual serious safety deficiencies.
These specifically named carriers include Air Zimbabwe (UM) from Zimbabwe, Avior Airlines (9V) from Venezuela, Iran Aseman Airlines (EP) from Iran, Fly Baghdad (IF) from Iraq, and Iraqi Airways (IA) from Iraq.
Air Zimbabwe; Photo- Dean Morley | FlickrOperational Restrictions
Two airlines remain subject to operational restrictions rather than complete bans, allowing them limited access to EU airspace with specific aircraft types only. Iran Air (IR) from Iran and Air Koryo (JS) from North Korea operate under these conditional arrangements, demonstrating the Commission’s graduated approach to safety enforcement.
Surinam Airways (PY), serving as the primary airline and national flag carrier of Suriname, faces immediate operational disruptions from the ban. The airline has suspended services to and from Cayenne, the capital city of French Guiana, which falls under EU safety jurisdiction as an overseas region and department of France.
Air Tanzania (TC), the flag carrier of Tanzania, was previously added to the EU safety list last year, indicating ongoing concerns about the country’s aviation oversight capabilities. The complete ban now encompasses all airlines certified within Tanzanian jurisdiction.
Air Tanzania; Photo- N509FZ | Wikimedia CommonsSafety is Top Priority
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, emphasised that passenger safety remains the European Union’s primary concern in aviation matters.
He confirmed that the Commission conducted thorough technical assessments before adding airlines from both countries to the prohibition list.
The Commissioner urged both Suriname and Tanzania to address their aviation oversight deficiencies promptly, stating that the European Commission stands ready to provide support for their efforts toward achieving full compliance with international safety standards.
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The post Europe has Now Banned 169 Airlines with Two New Additions appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
