June 11, 2026, 12:46 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
Flying is becoming increasingly safer. This is largely due to the continuously improving safety measures implemented by all parties involved in flight operations, which reduce the risk of accidents. However, there are some airlines worldwide that do not fully meet certain safety standards. These airlines end up on the so-called “Black List,” compiled by the European Commission. Recently, this list was expanded to include one more airline. At the same time, all airlines from Kyrgyzstan were removed. TRAVELBOOK provides insights into the background and reveals which countries and airlines are currently on the “Black List.”
The EU Air Safety List, first published in 2006 and better known as the “Black List,” now includes a total of 154 airlines. All of them are banned from EU airspace. As of June 9, 2026, among them is the Algerian airline Air Express Algeria.
A total of 126 airlines from 16 countries are now affected by a flight ban (including overflight). These include Afghanistan, Armenia, the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Liberia, Libya, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Suriname, and Tanzania (the complete list of airlines can be found below). Additionally, Angolan airlines are banned from operating in the EU, with two exceptions. Furthermore, 22 Russian airlines and six airlines from Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Iran, Iraq, and now Algeria are excluded from air traffic in the EU. The reasons: inadequate safety oversight and serious safety deficiencies.
The “EU Air Safety List” (ASL) distinguishes between airlines that are completely banned from operating in the EU and those that are subject to restrictions. For instance, Iran Air and North Korea’s Air Koryo are on the ban list, but they are allowed to fly to Europe with certain aircraft.
For travelers, the EU Air Safety List is an important decision-making tool for whether they should fly with a particular airline. Aviation expert Cord Schellenberg previously gave TRAVELBOOK a clear recommendation: “I would never use an airline that is on the EU’s Black List.”
Overview
New Flight Ban for Air Express Algerian
Even before this 48th update, numerous airlines were on the EU’s flight ban list (in a previous version of this article from June 2025, there were 169). However, none were from Algeria until recently. How did the addition of Air Express Algeria come about?
The EU Commission states in a statement that this decision is based “on serious safety concerns identified during assessments by EU aviation safety experts.” These experts uncovered “deficiencies in the airline’s compliance with international safety standards.”
Permission for Kyrgyz Airlines
In addition to the new flight ban for the mentioned Algerian airline, there were also positive changes within the list. All certified airlines from Kyrgyzstan are now allowed to fly over and within the EU. The removal from the list occurred, according to the EU Commission, “in recognition of the country’s progress in strengthening its aviation safety oversight over the past 20 years.”
The update to the Black List was preceded by a unanimous statement from aviation safety experts of EU member states, who met in Brussels in May this year. All decisions made regarding the Black List are based, according to the statement, “on international safety standards, particularly those set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).”
Who Decides Which Airlines Are Added to the EU Black List?
The regular update of the “Black List” is carried out by the European Commission, supported by the EU Air Safety Committee with experts from all member states and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The list is then presented to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, and subsequently adopted by the Commission and made binding with publication in the Official Journal.
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Criteria Considered for the EU Safety List
For the creation of the “Black List” of airlines, the European Commission and the Air Safety Committee rely on various sources. According to their own statements, these include:
- the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- the EASA
- the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA)
- Third Country Operator (TCO) authorizations
- information collected by EU member states and the European Commission itself
Based on all sources and available information, an assessment is made that is based on international safety standards.
Cord Schellenberg to TRAVELBOOK: “Both the safety standards of the home country and the specific airline are relevant.” The area is rightly broad. The aviation expert mentioned the following aspects in a previous version of this article:
- reliability of the national aviation authority
- aviation safety in the country’s air traffic system
- technical standards of the airline and its maintenance facilities
- training level of crews, engineers, and technicians
- financial resources of the airline and condition of its fleet (which is why individual types can also be listed)
- unclear ownership structures
- involvement in criminal activities (e.g., illegal transport of weapons, drugs, etc.)
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Unsafe Airlines: The Complete EU Black List
The EU Air Safety List disproportionately features airlines from African and Asian countries. Additionally, 22 Russian airlines are currently on the EU’s “Black List.” The reason: After the invasion of Ukraine, Russia unlawfully seized more than 500 Western aircraft. Internationally, these no longer have valid airworthiness certificates. Therefore, any Russian airline operating such aircraft is considered unsafe and ends up on the EU Air Safety List.
The EU Air Safety List consists of two annexes: Annex A lists all airlines banned from operating (including overflight) in the EU. Annex B shows the airlines that are only allowed to operate in the EU with certain aircraft types. These are marked with asterisks (*) in the table.
Can Airlines Do Anything to Get Off the Black List?
Affected airlines have the opportunity to be removed from the Black List. This typically requires close collaboration with aviation authorities and a transparent resolution of identified deficiencies. In its legal notices, the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission states: “If an airline currently listed on the EU Air Safety List believes it meets the required technical elements and requirements prescribed in the applicable international safety standards, it can request the Commission to initiate the procedure for removal from the list.”