Everything you need to know about the airline blacklist

Everything you need to know about the airline blacklist

If you are going to fly on your next vacation, this article might be of interest to you. Here you can find out what an airline blacklist is and how it is established. Find the European list as well as our advice to leave safely.

What is an airline blacklist?

Following a series of crashes in 2005, some countries such as France, Switzerland or Belgium have set up a blacklist of airlines. This blacklist is established by the governments of the day and lists airlines designated as risky for passengers. When an airline is on this black list, it means that it is no longer authorized to circulate in the sky of the territory which includes it on its list, or that its circulation is restricted to certain aircraft of its list. fleet. As the level of security of these companies is considered insufficient for passengers, this can be used to guide your choices when booking your ticket.

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The blacklist of airlines in Europe

This blacklist was first put together in 2006 and is a major incentive for airlines to improve the safety of their aircraft and their flights. Indeed, being refused access to European airspace can be very restrictive. Currently, 181 companies are prohibited in the European Union and 6 others have restricted access depending on the aircraft they wish to fly .

You can find the complete list on the website of the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, which was last updated in May 2017.

 

How is it made?

The European Commission meets as an aviation safety committee approximately once every six months. The committee then decides the fate of each company on a case-by-case basis. The assessment is carried out according to safety criteria based on European standards defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The committee benefits from information such as audits, ground assessments or any accident report to establish their decision.

AXA Assistance's advice for safe travel

If you travel non-stop to or from Europe, you will be protected since these companies deemed to be at risk are not allowed on European soil. On the other hand, if you are leaving the European Union, we advise you to check that your company is not on any blacklist. Note that some countries have almost all their airlines on the blacklist (Afghanistan, Republic of Congo, Republic of Gabon, Indonesia, Libya, Nepal, Sudan….) If however you have to go through these countries, we recommend that you check that the airline is not on the European list, or to use other means of transport if possible.