The Last Rivet
December 15, 2010
Alan D. Reitzfeld- New York
As we have done from time to time, this issue’s Last Rivet provides a brief update on the European Commission’s Airline Operating Ban List.
On November 23, 2010, the European Commission entered into force its sixteenth update of the list of third-country air carriers subject to an operating ban within the European Community for not meeting safety criteria. The initial list was established on March 22, 2006. Before the latest update, the list was updated in June 2006; October 2006; March 2007; July 2007; September 2007; November 2007; April 2008; July 2008; November 2008; April 2009; July 2009; November 2009; March 2010; July 2010; and September 2010.
As discussed in the Commission’s press release, the list now has:
- Four individual carriers whose operations are banned in the European Union. Those carriers are from Surinam, Ghana, Cambodia and Rwanda.
- All carriers certified in 19 countries (a total of 276 known air carriers) whose operations are banned in the European Union. Those carriers are from Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon (except three carriers that operate under restrictions and conditions), Indonesia (except six carriers), Kazakhstan (except one carrier that operates under restrictions and conditions), the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Mauritania, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Swaziland and Zambia.
- Ten carriers that are allowed to operate into the European Union under restrictions and conditions. Those carriers are from Kazakhstan, the Democratic People Republic of Korea, Ghana, Comores, Gabon, Iran, Angola and Ukraine.
The operating ban regulations, operating ban list, press release and other materials are available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm.1
1 For a detailed description of the operating ban legislation and the mechanics of the various interrelated regulations, see A. Reitzfeld & C. Mpande, “EU Regulation on Banning of Airlines for Safety Concerns,” Air & Space Law, Issue 33.2, April 2008 (Kluwer Law Int’l).
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