EU traffic right restrictions
Airlines banned in the EU
Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom may restrict an airline’s traffic rights because of serious shortcomings in flight safety. Traficom monitors safety compliance by individual airlines through ramp inspections of aircraft, carried out on a random basis.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established minimum flight safety standards that its member states must comply with. ICAO member states are required to acknowledge certificates issued by other ICAO states, unless they have reason to doubt whether the state actually fulfils the standards. ICAO audits the aviation authorities of its member states to help identify and address shortcomings in the implementation of international standards.
Airlines not based in the EU or in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and wishing to transport passengers or cargo to or from Finland must obtain a permit from Traficom. To obtain such a permit, the airline must comply with the international flight safety standards established by ICAO.
Traficom may deny a permit or cancel an existing permit if it is found that the airline or its aircraft do not meet the international flight safety requirements. Denial or cancellation may also be effected for reasons other than flight safety. Permit decisions are always reviewed if new information is received or circumstances change.
List of banned air carriers
The European Commission maintains a list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the EU, which is published on its website. Operating bans are issued based on shortcomings in compliance with flight safety standards, as detected by aviation authorities of EU Member States. The purpose of the list is to improve flight safety.
When compiling the list, the Commission takes into account any operating bans issued by aviation authorities in EU Member States. The list is revised as needed and in any case once every three months.
The list of air carriers banned from operating within the European Union is based on EC Regulation No. 2111/2005 (External link).