Update on banned airlines within the EU
As you know from our previous article, particular airlines are banned from operating within the European Union. The list has been updated on Tuesday. All airlines originating in Afghanistan were added.
No more commercial flights to Afghanistan
Starting Tuesday, November 24, 2010 no Afghan airlines are allowed to fly in any of the European Union member States. The final cause that led to this decision was, according to the European Commission statement, the failed attempt to establish a system to oversee the civil aviation. This is bad news mainly for diplomats and travelers doing business in Afghanistan.
Banned Afghan airlines
Two airlines are now unable to continue in flights to the EU. Safi Airways was operating a connection between Kabul and Frankfurt. Kam Air has just started regular flights from Vienna in September. Both companies are now in serious trouble. In order to keep the connection alive, Safi Airways are now renting a whole plane for USD 500 000 a month. They are further looking to merge with an unnamed European airline in order to overcome the restriction. This way, the airlines will be under the oversight of European civil aviation authorities.
Further additions to the blacklist
The European Commission also decided to put all carriers certified in Mauritania on the list. According to ICAO, there were persistent problems in civil aviation oversight system as well as operations and maintenance shortcomings with Mauritania Airways. Nine airlines based in Kazakhstan were removed from the list. Their operator certificates have been canceled by Kazakh authorities. Restrictions on Airlift International, based in Ghana, were partly lifted allowing for operations under strict conditions.
Source: List of Banned Airlines within the EU
Claus Fischer
It is correct that the airlines are banned due to lack of oversight from afghan CAA. But Safi Airways is still flying the Frankfurt Kabul route with a spanish wetleased aircraft until the Airbus 340 is registred into a european AOC, which will take Safi airplanes off the blacklist.
Claus Fischer
It is correct that the airlines are banned due to lack of oversight from afghan CAA. But Safi Airways is still flying the Frankfurt Kabul route with a spanish wetleased aircraft until the Airbus 340 is registred into a european AOC, which will take Safi airplanes off the blacklist.