The European Commission has prohibited all airlines certified in Tanzania and Suriname from flying in EU airspace due to significant safety concerns and regulatory deficiencies. This decision came after a thorough evaluation by European Union aviation safety experts, who determined that the civil aviation authorities in both countries could not guarantee adherence to international safety standards.
In a notice, the Commission stated, "All air carriers certified in Suriname and Tanzania have been added to the list and are no longer permitted to operate within the EU." The review revealed shortcomings in both operational practices and regulatory oversight.
The issues at hand include a lack of qualified personnel, ineffective oversight in flight operations and airworthiness, and failure to adhere to international safety standards by the civil aviation authorities and certified air carriers of both countries.
As a result of these concerns, the EU has expanded its existing ban on Air Tanzania—previously blacklisted in late 2024—to encompass all airlines from Tanzania. This brings the total number of countries with airlines facing complete bans due to insufficient safety oversight to 17, including Tanzania.
The most recent update to the EU Air Safety List now includes a total of 169 banned airlines, comprising 142 carriers from 17 countries and 22 airlines from Russia.
