The European Commission has updated the European Union (EU) Air Safety List, adding aircraft registered in Tanzania and Suriname to the list.
The EU Air Safety List features airlines that are subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union because they do not meet international safety standards.
The European Commission, in a press release, said the move was necessary since neither jurisdiction met international safety standards.
“Following today’s update, all air carriers certified in Suriname and Tanzania have been included on the list and can no longer operate in the EU,” reads part of the press release.
“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.”
EU bans all air carriers certified in Tanzania and Suriname
This decision is based on serious safety concerns identified during assessments conducted by European Union aviation safety experts.
The safety experts revealed that civil aviation authorities in these countries are unable to ensure compliance with international safety standards for air carriers.
For Suriname and Tanzania, the identified safety shortcomings cover both operational and regulatory areas.
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These include a shortage of qualified personnel, ineffective oversight processes in flight operations and airworthiness, and non-compliance with international safety standards by both countries’ civil aviation authorities and certified air carriers.
“Passenger safety remains our top priority. Following a detailed technical assessment, the European Commission has added all air carriers certified in Suriname and Tanzania to the EU Air Safety List due to serious deficiencies in national aviation oversight. We urge both countries to address these issues promptly,” said the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
“The Commission stands ready to support their efforts toward full compliance with international safety standards.”
European Union Air Safety List
The update to the EU Air Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of member state aviation safety experts, who met in Brussels from May 13 to May 15, 2025, under the auspices of the European Union Air Safety Committee chaired by the European Commission with support from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
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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).
Following the recent update, a total of 169 airlines are banned from European Union skies. 142 airlines certified in 17 states are banned due to inadequate safety oversight by the aviation authorities from the states.
The states include Afghanistan, Angola (with the exception of 2 airlines), Armenia, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, and Sudan.
22 airlines certified in Russia, as well as Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran), Fly Baghdad (Iraq) and Iraqi Airways (Iraq) are banned based on serious safety deficiencies identified.
Two additional airlines, Iran Air (Iran) and Air Koryo (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), are subject to operational restrictions and can only fly to the EU with specific aircraft types.
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