Nearly 300 Airlines Banned From European Airspace

A total of 278 airliners are banned from using European airspace under strict European air safety regulations. On Tuesday one additional airline was added to the list alongside greater restrictions on Iran Air.
Nearly 300 Airlines Banned From European Airspace
An Iran airplane at Paris-Orly Airport on May 18. On Monday Iranian officals said that airports in Britain, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates have refused to refuel Iranian passenger jets. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)
Jasper Fakkert
7/6/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/IRAN-WEB.jpg" alt="An Iran Air plane seen at Paris-Orly airport on May 18. On July 6 the European Commission imposed further restictions on Iran Air for its use of European airspace. THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)" title="An Iran Air plane seen at Paris-Orly airport on May 18. On July 6 the European Commission imposed further restictions on Iran Air for its use of European airspace. THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1817711"/></a>
An Iran Air plane seen at Paris-Orly airport on May 18. On July 6 the European Commission imposed further restictions on Iran Air for its use of European airspace. THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)
A total of 278 air carriers are banned from using European airspace under strict European air safety regulations. On Tuesday one additional air carrier was added to the list alongside greater restrictions on Iran Air.

Airlines such as Ariana Afghan Airlines, Siem Reap Airways International from Cambodia, and all Philippine air carriers are excluded from using European airspace.

“We cannot afford to compromise on air safety. Where we have evidence that air carriers are not performing safe operations, or where regulators fail in their obligation to enforce safety standards,” said Siim Kallas, vice president of the European Commission, responsible for transport said in a news release on Tuesday.

The European Commission, Europe’s executive body, announced on Tuesday it had placed an additional carrier from Suriname—a Dutch-speaking South American country sandwiched between French Guiana and Guyana—on its banned list in addition to expanding restrictions on Iran air.

Suriname’s Blue Wing Airlines was banned after a series of accidents and deficiencies found during ramp inspections of its aircraft, according to the commission.

In May this year, a Blue Wing AN-28 aircraft crashed in a forested area in Eastern Suriname on a domestic flight between Godo Holo and Paramaribo. Both crew members and all six passengers died in the crash making it the third Blue Wing plane to crash.

Further expansion of operating restrictions on Iran Air were supported unanimously by the Air Safety Committee after they visited Iran earlier this year. Iran Air’s fleet of Airbus A-320, Boeing B-727 and B-747 airplanes, have been excluded from European Airspace.

Iran airplanes still allowed into European airspace will be closely monitored.

While almost all Indonesian air carriers had previously been barred from European Airspace, two Indonesian air carriers, Metro Batavia and Indonesia Air Asia, were removed from the list. Seven Indonesian air carriers are now allowed access to European airspace while 45 air carriers have been denied.
Jasper Fakkert is the Editor-in-chief of the U.S. editions of The Epoch Times. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Science and a Master's degree in Journalism. Twitter: @JasperFakkert
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