Helpful Resources for Identifying Unsafe Carriers

(Dive Travel Business News - November 14, 2008) -- The European Commission (EC) has updated its list, effective Nov. 14, 2008, of airlines that are banned from flying into the EU due to safety concerns.

The United States takes a different approach by identifying individual countries, rather than carriers, that fail to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance as established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The FAA's list, called the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) List, is however, limited to civil aviation authorities of countries with existing air carrier service to the US, or authorities of foreign air carriers wanting to start services to the United States.

The carrier Siem Reap Airways International from Cambodia has been added to the list of seven individual carriers whose operations remain fully banned in the European Union: Air Koryo from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; Air West from Sudan; Ariana Afghan Airlines from Afghanistan; Silverback Cargo Freighters from Rwanda; Ukraine Cargo Airways, Ukraine Mediterranean Airlines and Volare Aviation from Ukraine.

Travel Professionals are reminded to review these lists on a regular basis and inform customers of these safety concerns when services are requested on foreign carriers either based in countries identified on the FAA's IASA List or found on the EC's Carrier Blacklist.

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