Summary
- EASA maintains a list of airlines banned in the EU for safety reasons.
- Some banned airlines have no relation to Europe or intent to fly there.
- Airlines like Blue Wing, banned for safety violations, continue to operate.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is one of the world’s foremost regulatory bodies regarding aviation safety and has maintained this standing since it was established in July 2002. The organization has primarily served to promote commercial aviation safety within the European Union by managing the certification processes for different aircraft.
There are a few times when EASA does choose to expand its influence beyond the European stage, the most notable likely being the organization’s extensive list of airlines banned in the European Union. On this list are dozens of carriers completely banned from flying within EU airspace for safety reasons or otherwise.
While most of these airlines have the potential to operate flights to Europe or that would overfly Europe, some carriers have almost no relation to the continent whatsoever and have been placed on the list. In this article, we will explore five airlines that have bizarrely made it onto the EU no-fly list despite not operating any flights to the continent in the first place.
1 Blue Wing Airlines
Country of registry: Suriname
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Category: |
Blue Wing Airlines specification: |
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Founded: |
2002 |
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Fleet size: |
8 |
Blue Wing Airlines is a regional operator based at the Zorg en Hoop Airport (ORG) in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital. The carrier launched in 2002 and operates scheduled and charter services throughout Suriname, Guyana, Brazil, Venezuela, and nearby Caribbean islands.
According to documents from the European Commission, the organization has been on the EU’s no-fly list for most of its existence but was briefly removed between 2007 and 2010. The carry has been consistently cited for safety violations, seemingly addressed by a 2007 corrective action plan.
However, the carrier was soon placed back on the list after three different accidents involving the airline’s Antonov An-28 aircraft led to the deaths of 27 people. As of 2023, the carrier remains banned from operating within EU airspace, even though it has and does not appear to intend to offer flights to Europe.
2 Trans Air Congo
Country of registry: Republic of the Congo
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Category: |
Trans Air Congo specification: |
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Founded: |
1994 |
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Fleet size: |
7 |
Like all airlines of the Republic of the Congo, the European Union bans Trans Air Congo from its airspace. This carrier, launched exactly 30 years ago, is based out of Agostinho-Neto International Airport (PNR) in the Congolese city of Pointe-Noire.
The airline’s business model has involved connecting Pointe-Noire to the nation’s capital of Brazzaville, which has been launched over the years, and the carrier was also the first in the Republic of the Congo to launch a loyalty program. According to the airline’s website, the carrier currently operates 7 aircraft divided as follows:
- 3 Boeing 737-300s
- 3 Boeing 737-200s
- 1 Embraer EMB 120 Brasília
The European Union’s banning of the carrier from its airspace can likely be attributed to safety concerns over the airline’s operations. A 2011 Antonov An-12 crash that resulted in the deaths of over 20 people could be a reason for the ban.
3 CEIBA Intercontinental
Country of registry: Equatorial Guinea
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Category: |
CEIBA Intercontinental specification: |
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Founded: |
2007 |
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Fleet size: |
8 |
CEIBA Intercontinental is one of the major airlines of Equatorial Guinea and operates out of a base at Malabo International Airport (SSG). The carrier, which maintains a small fleet of Boeing and ATR aircraft, is banned from operating in EU airspace like all carriers from the small West African nation.
Interestingly enough, the airline does actually market scheduled services to Madrid’s Barajas Airport (MAD) via a wet lease agreement with Portuguese charter operator White Airways, which operates these flights, although it did not do so before the airline was banned from EU airspace. Therefore, the airline was another banned from EU airspace without operating its own flights to the continent. According to a Ch-aviation analysis, the carrier is preparing for a privatization process which could see a portion of the airline sold off to Ethiopian Airlines.
4 Avior Airlines
Country of registry: Venezuela
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Category: |
Avior Airlines specification: |
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Founded: |
1994 |
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Fleet size: |
10 |
This Venezuelan carrier is one of the most prominent Latin American airlines to be banned from operating in the European Union and still maintains an extensive fleet that includes Boeing 737-400 and 737-200 jets. The airline has also been consistently turned down when applying for permission to fly to the United States, with Ch-aviation noting this as recently as 2018.
The airline pursued an aggressive expansion plan in the mid-2010s, including purchasing new aircraft. According to the Aviation Safety Network, the European Commission added the carrier to the list of banned airlines in 2017 due to a failure to meet certain safety standards.
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5 Eritrean Airlines
Country of registry: Eritrea
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Category: |
Eritrean Airlines specification: |
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Founded: |
1991 |
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Fleet size: |
1 |
Eritrea Airlines operates a rather bizarre network, despite being fully-owned by the Eritrean government. Since being relaunched under new management in 2011, the carrier’s operational network has been significantly limited.
Currently, the airline only operates a few annual flights that serve hajj pilgrims, none of which remotely come near Europe. Nonetheless, the carrier is banned from serving European destinations due to safety concerns.
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Have you ever flown on any of these airlines? Share your experiences in the comments below!