EU Bans Another Russian Airline From Operating in Its Territory, Bringing the Number to 118
Thus, since June 1, the Russian certified airline “I Fly” has been added to the EU Air Safety List, which includes airlines worldwide that do not meet international safety standards and are prohibited from flying over most of Europe.
According to the Commission, the reason behind the inclusion of “I Fly” in this list is the airline’s lack of valid certificates of airworthiness, for which same reason another 20 Russian certified airlines were added to this list in April, and one in November.
Commenting on the update of the EU Air Safety List, Commissioner for Transport Adina V?lean said that the decision is not another sanction against Russia in the light of the war in Ukraine, but it’s rather a decision taken solely based on technical and safety grounds.
“Following the decision taken in April to include 20 Russian airlines that operated foreign-owned aircraft without a valid Certificate of Airworthiness, another airline was put on the EU Air Safety List today. The Commission closely monitors all Russian airlines that have foreign-owned aircraft without a valid certificate of airworthiness in their fleet, added illegally by Russia to its Register,” the Commissioner said amongst others.
Thus, since June 1, all the following Russian-licensed airlines are part of the EU Air Safety List and as a result, banned from flying over the EU:
- Aurora Airlines
- Aviacompany “Aviastartu” CO. LTD
- IZHAVIA
- Yakutia
- Rusjet
- Uvt Aero
- Siberia Airlines
- Smartavia Airlines
- Iraero Airlines
- Ural Airlines
- Alrosa Air Company
- Nordstar Airlines
- Rusline
- Yamal Airlines
- Nord Wind
- Aircompany Ikar
- Pobeda Airlines
- Aeroflot – Russian Airlines
- Rossiya Airlines
- Skol Airline
- Utair Aviation
The list consists of a total of 118 countries, 90 of which have been banned due to a lack of safety oversight by the national aviation authorities in 15 different states, including here Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Congo, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Sudan, etc.
The rest have been added to the list due to serious safety deficiencies identified, including here 22 Russian airlines, as well as Avior Airlines of Venezuela, Blue Wing Airlines of Suriname, Iran Aseman Airlines of Iran, Iraqi Airways of Iraq, Med-View Airlines of Nigeria, and Air Zimbabwe of Zimbabwe.
