EU adds Air Tanzania to the list of banned airlines

Air Tanzania company. Photo: Getty images

The European Commission has updated the list of air carriers banned from flying in EU airspace due to non-compliance with international safety standards. Following the latest update, Air Tanzania was added to the list.

Reasons for the ban

The decision to include Air Tanzania on the list is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The airline also failed to obtain a third country operator (TCO) permit.

Apostolos Tsitsikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, said:

“The decision to include Air Tanzania on the list demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest standards of safety for passengers in Europe and around the world. We urge the airline to take immediate action to address these concerns.”

As of now

Today, the total number of airlines banned from flying in EU airspace is 129.

  • 100 airlines from 15 countries were included in the list due to inadequate safety oversight by their respective aviation authorities.
  • The 22 Russian airlines were added after the complete closure of EU airspace to Russian aircraft on 27 February 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine.
  • Seven airlines are included in the list due to specific safety concerns: Air Tanzania (Tanzania), Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname), Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran), Fly Baghdad (Iraq) and Iraqi Airways (Iraq).

Operational limitations

Two airlines, Iran Air (Iran) and Air Koryo (North Korea), can operate flights to the EU, but only using certain types of aircraft.

These measures underline the importance of maintaining high safety standards for all air carriers operating in European airspace.