List of airlines banned in the European Union

The European Union (EU) publishes a list of air carriers that are banned from entering the airspace of any of its member states, usually for failing to meet EU regulatory oversight standards. The first version of the list was published in 2006, on the legal basis of Regulation No. 474/2006 of the European Commission, issued on 22 March of that year. The current version of the list was published on 30 May 2024.^[1]

The process by which an air carrier is listed is laid out in Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005 of the European Parliament and Council. It involves consultation among the regulatory agencies of the member states, the institutions of the European Community, the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of the air carrier concerned, and the air carrier itself. Before being listed, each air carrier has the right of appeal. The list is subject to periodic review.

In June 2016, all restrictions on Air Madagascar, Iran Air, Lion Air, Citilink, Batik Air, and all Zambian airlines were removed from the list of air carriers banned in the EU.^[2]

On 30 November 2017, Avior Airlines from Venezuela was added to the list because of "unaddressed safety deficiencies." No further details were given at the time.^[3]

On 14 June 2018, all remaining Indonesian airlines not already removed from the list were removed from the list of air carriers banned in the EU.^[4]

On 3 February 2019, Turkmenistan Airlines was banned from European Union airspace, "pending confirmation that it meets international air safety standards",^[5] but the ban was lifted on 16 October 2019.^[6]

On 8 December 2019, Gabon's airlines were removed from the list, while the Armenian Civil Aviation Committee was "put under heightened scrutiny because of signs of a decrease in safety oversight",^[7] and a new update to the list was published on the next day.

As of January 2020, Syria’s airlines are not specifically mentioned on the list, but in practice there is a ban against them in the context of the general EU sanctions against Syria.^[8]

On 30 June 2020, EASA suspended Pakistan International Airlines authorisation to operate to the EU member states for a period of 6 months to Europe after the crash of flight PK8303 and subsequent PIA Pilot License scandal.^[9] In late 2020 and early 2021, the ban was extended by another three months and later indefinitely.^[10][11] In mid 2023, PIA reportedly passed an initial online EASA Safety Audit^[12] with in-person visit by EASA team scheduled for late November 2023.^[13][14] As of 30 November 2023, PIA does not figure on the EU Air Safety List.^[15]

In response to the government of Belarus forcing Ryanair Flight 4978 to divert and land in Minsk to arrest dissident Roman Protasevich, EU leaders announced that they would ban Belarusian carriers from using EU airspace and vice versa on 24 May 2021.^[16]

In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen announced that Russian owned, Russian registered or Russian controlled aircraft would not be permitted to take-off, land, or overfly EU airspace.^[17]

Banned air carriers could be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with. The list includes the following airlines, with the airline license having been issued in the respective countries:

Country	Banned airlines	Notes
Afghanistan	All	Banned in 2010 for lacking a viable aviation safety regime.[18]
Angola	All except TAAG Angola Airlines and Heli Malongo Airways
Armenia	All
Belarus	All	Ban in response to the diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978 to Minsk.[19] The ban has also been extended due to involvement in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	All
Republic of the Congo	All
Djibouti	All
Equatorial Guinea	All	CEIBA Intercontinental operates flights to Madrid via a wetlease with White Airways
Eritrea	All
Iran	Mahan Air & Iran Aseman Airlines	Iran Air's Fokker 100s are subject to restrictions under Annex B.
Iraq	All
Kyrgyzstan	All
Liberia	All
Libya	All
Nepal	All	Banned - Single authority for aviation regulation and operation creates conflict of interest.[20]
Russia	All	Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[21]
São Tomé and Príncipe	All
Sierra Leone	All
Sudan	All
Suriname	Blue Wing Airlines
Syria	All	Banned as part of the general EU sanctions against Syria.[8]
Turkey	Southwind Airlines	Banned for suspected ties to Russia.[22]
Venezuela	Avior Airlines
Zimbabwe	Air Zimbabwe

Annex B of the EU list covers airlines which are restricted to operating only certain aircraft within the EU.

Country of operator	Restricted airlines	Aircraft permitted	Country of aircraft registry
Iran	Iran Air	All except all Fokker 100 and Boeing 747 aircraft currently on its AOC	Iran
North Korea	Air Koryo	2 Tupolev Tu-204 registered P-632, P-633	North Korea

• EUROCONTROL
• European Aviation Safety Agency
• Joint Aviation Authorities

• Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2005 on the establishment of a Community list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the Community and on informing air transport passengers of the identity of the operating air carrier
• Commission Regulation (EC) No 474/2006 of 22 March 2006 establishing the Community list of air carriers which are subject to an operating ban within the Community referred to in Chapter II of Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council

• The EU Air Safety List at the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy and Transport
• Questions and answers on the list of air carriers subject to an operating ban in the EU (the "black list")