Which airlines can you trust?
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Aviation has been struck by severe turbulence in 2009 - with the financial woes generated by the global recession compounded by sustained assaults on the environmental sustainability of the industry.
But - while the IATA has warned airlines could lose over £9 billion over the course of the year, and the UK's Committee on Climate Change suggesting air travel may have to be rationed in order to survive - it is safety which has generated the greatest concern for passengers.
Crashes over the Atlantic (Air France) and in New York (US Airways), have focused public attention on safety in the skies - prompting many to ask how safe it really is to fly?
Apples
European Commission
But what many do not realise is the extraordinary amount of work which goes on behind the scenes to protect their safety.
A lot of this work is carried out in the sober corridors of the European Commission, which regularly audits airlines from around the world to ensure they meet the exacting criteria necessary to fly European citizens. Airlines which fail to make the grade will simply not be allowed to fly in European airspace.
"We cannot afford any compromises in air safety, we have to remain vigilant; citizens have the right to fly safely every where in the world," explains commission vice-president Antonio Tajani.
Blacklist
The first line of defence against potentially unsafe airlines is the Commission's blacklist - which details all airlines barred from European airspace. While largely composed of African and Asian airlines, there are also a number closer to home:
Name of the legal entity of the carrier State of the operator
Ariana Afghan Airlines (AFG)* Afghanistan
Aerojet Angola
Air26 Angola
Air Gemini Angola
Air Gicango Angola
Air Jet Angola
Air Nave Angola
Alada Angola
Angola Air Services Angola
Diexim Angola
Gira Globo Angola
Heliang Angola
Helimalongo Angola
Mavewa Angola
Rui & Conceicao Angola
Sonair Angola
Aero Benin Benin
Africa Airways Benin
Alafia Jet (IGA) Benin
Benin Golf Air Benin
Benin Littoral Airways (BLA) Benin
Cotair Benin
Royal Air Benin
Trans Air (TNB) Benin
Siem Reap Airways International (SRH) Cambodia
Air Koryo (KOR) Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Africa One (CFR) Democratic Republic of Congo
African Air Services Commuter Democratic Republic of Congo
Aigle Aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Air Beni Democratic Republic of Congo
Air Boyoma Democratic Republic of Congo
Air Infini Democratic Republic of Congo
Air Kasai Democratic Republic of Congo
Air Katanga Democratic Republic of Congo
Air Navette Democratic Republic of Congo
Air Tropiques Democratic Republic of Congo
Bel Glob Airlines Democratic Republic of Congo
Blue Airlines (BUL) Democratic Republic of Congo
Bravo Air Congo Democratic Republic of Congo
Business Aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Busy Bee Congo Democratic Republic of Congo
Butembo Airlines Democratic Republic of Congo
Cargo Bull Aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Cetraca Aviation Service (CER) Democratic Republic of Congo
CHC Stellavia Democratic Republic of Congo
Comair Democratic Republic of Congo
Compagnie Africaine D'aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Doren Air Congo Democratic Republic of Congo
El Sam Airlift Democratic Republic of Congo
Entreprise World Airways Democratic Republic of Congo
Espace Aviation Service Democratic Republic of Congo
Filair Democratic Republic of Congo
Free Airlines Democratic Republic of Congo
Galaxy Kavatsi Democratic Republic of Congo
Gilembe Air Soutenance Democratic Republic of Congo
Goma Express Democratic Republic of Congo
Gomair Democratic Republic of Congo
Great Lake Business Company Democratic Republic of Congo
Hewa Bora Airways (ALX) Democratic Republic of Congo
International Trans Air Business Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga Airways Democratic Republic of Congo
Kin Avia Democratic Republic of Congo
Kivu Air Democratic Republic of Congo
Lignes Aeriennes Congolaises (LCG) Democratic Republic of Congo
Malu Aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Malila Airlift (MLC) Democratic Republic of Congo
Mango Aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Piva Airlines Democratic Republic of Congo
Rwakabika Bushi Express Democratic Republic of Congo
Safari Logistics Sprl Democratic Republic of Congo
Safe Air Company Democratic Republic of Congo
Services Air Democratic Republic of Congo
Sun Air Services Democratic Republic of Congo
Swala Aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Tembo Air Services Democratic Republic of Congo
Thom's Airways Democratic Republic of Congo
Tmk Air Commuter Democratic Republic of Congo
Tracep Congo Aviation Democratic Republic of Congo
Trans Air Cargo Services Democratic Republic of Congo
Transports Aeriens Congolais Democratic Republic of Congo
Virunga Air Charter Democratic Republic of Congo
Wimbi Dira Airways (WDA) Democratic Republic of Congo
Zaabu International Democratic Republic of Congo
Cronos Airlines Equatorial Guinea
Ceiba Intercontinental (CEL) Equatorial Guinea
Egams (EGM) Equatorial Guinea
Euroguineana De Aviacion Y Transportes (EUG) Equatorial Guinea
General Work Aviacion Equatorial Guinea
Getra - Guinea Ecuatorial De Transportes Aereos (GET) Equatorial Guinea
Guinea Airways Equatorial Guinea
Star Equatorial Airlines Equatorial Guinea
Utage – Union De Transport Aereo De Guinea Equatorial Guinea
Ecuatorial (UTG) Equatorial Guinea
Air Services Gabon
Air Tourist (Allegiance) (NIL) Gabon
Nationale Et Regionale Transport (Nationale) (NRT) Gabon
Nouvelle Air Affaires Gabon (NVS) Gabon
Scd Aviation Gabon
Sky Gabon (SKG) Gabon
Solenta Aviation Gabon Gabon
Air Pacific Utama Indonesia
Alfa Trans Dirgantata Indonesia
Asco Nusa Air Transport Indonesia
Asi Pudjiastuti Indonesia
Atlas Delta Satya Indonesia
Aviastar Mandiri Indonesia
Balai Kalibrasi Fasitas Penerbangan Indonesia
Cardig Air Indonesia
Dabi Air Indonesia
Deraya Air Taxi (DRY) Indonesia
Derazona Air Service Indonesia
Dirgantara Air Service (DIR) Indonesia
Eastindo Indonesia
Ekspress Transportasi Antar Benua Indonesia
Gatari Air Service (GHS) Indonesia
Indonesia AirAsia (AWQ) Indonesia
Indonesia Air Transport (IDA) Indonesia
Intan Angkasa Air Service Indonesia
Kal Star Indonesia
Kartika Airlines (KAE) Indonesia
Kura-Kura Aviation Indonesia
Lion Air (LNI) Indonesia
Linus Airways Indonesia
Manunggal Air Service Indonesia
Megantara Airlines Indonesia
Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA) Indonesia
Metro Batavia (BTV) Indonesia
Mimika Air Indonesia
National Utility Helicopter Indonesia
Nusantara Buana Air Indonesia
Nyaman Air Indonesia
Pelita Air Service (PAS) Indonesia
Penerbangan Angkasa Semesta Indonesia
Pura Wisata Baruna Indonesia
Republic Ekspress (RPH) Indonesia
Riau Airlines (RIU) Indonesia
Sampoerna Air Nusantara Indonesia
Sayap Garuda Indah Indonesia
Smac (SMC) Indonesia
Sriwijaya Air (SJY) Indonesia
Survei Udara Penas Indonesia
Transwisata Prima Aviation Indonesia
Travel Ekspress Aviation Service (XAR) Indonesia
Travira Utama Indonesia
Tri Mg Intra Airlines (TMG) Indonesia
Trigana Air Service (TGN) Indonesia
Wing Abadi Nusantara (WON) Indonesia
Air Company Kokshetau (KRT) Kazakhstan
Atma Airlines (AMA) Kazakhstan
Berkut Air/Bek Air (BKT) Kazakhstan
East Wing (Airline) (EWZ) Kazakhstan
Sayat Air (SYM) Kazakhstan
Starline KZ (LMZ) Kazakhstan
Air Manas (MBB) Kyrgyz Republic
Avia Traffic Company (AVJ) Kyrgyz Republic
Aerostan (Ex Bistair-Fez Bishkek) (BSC) Kyrgyz Republic
Click Airways (CGK) Kyrgyz Republic
Dames (DAM) Kyrgyz Republic
Eastok Avia Kyrgyz Republic
Golden Rule Airlines (GRS) Kyrgyz Republic
Itek Air 04 (IKA) Kyrgyz Republic
Kyrgyz Trans Avia (KTC) Kyrgyz Republic
Kyrgyzstan (LYN) Kyrgyz Republic
Max Avia (MAI) Kyrgyz Republic
S Group Aviation Kyrgyz Republic
Sky Gate International Aviation (SGD) Kyrgyz Republic
Sky Way Air (SAB) Kyrgyz Republic
Tenir Airlines (TEB) Kyrgyz Republic
Trast Aero (TSJ) Kyrgyz Republic
Valor Air Kyrgyz Republic
Silverback Cargo Freighters (VRB) Rwanda
Air Rum, Ltd (RUM) Sierra Leone
Destiny Air Services, Ltd (DTY) Sierra Leone
Heavylift Cargo Sierra Leone
Orange Air Sierra Leone Ltd (ORJ) Sierra Leone
Paramount Airlines, Ltd (PRR) Sierra Leone
Seven Four Eight Air Services Ltd (SVT) Sierra Leone
Teebah Airways Sierra Leone
Air West Co.Ltd (AWZ) Sudan
Aero Africa (RFC) Swaziland
Jet Africa Swaziland (OSW) Swaziland
Royal Swazi National Airways Corporation (RSN) Swaziland
Scan Air Charter Ltd Swaziland
Swazi Express Airways (SWX) Swaziland
Swaziland Airlink (SZL) Swaziland
One Two Go Airlines Company Limited (OTG) Thailand
Motor Sich Airlines (MSI) Ukraine
Ukraine Cargo Airways (UKS) Ukraine
Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines (UKM) Ukraine
Volare Aviation Enterprise (VRE) Ukraine
Can Airlines be Redeemed?
The European Commission argues one of the principal benefits of its blacklist – other than keeping Europeans out of unsafe planes - is the encouragement it offers to prohibited airlines to reform.
"The list acts a strong incentive to remedy safety deficiencies; withdrawal from the list is indeed possible, when the parties concerned put effectively in place sound corrective action to comply with all relevant safety standards," explained the Commission.
The most recent list, for example, saw four Indonesian airlines - Garuda Indonesia, Airfast Indonesia, Mandala Airlines and Premiair – removed from the list following "significant" safety improvements by the Indonesian civil aviation authority.
Safe to Fly
So then, with unsafe airlines banned and others encouraged to improve, European travellers can be reassured of their safety. Indeed the aforementioned Air France crash aroused such high levels of concern because it involved a flag-carrying European airline. Crashes involving such respected aviation companies are simply not supposed to happen.
But it is likely the event was the exception which proved the rule, with the European Commission acting to prevent unsafe airlines even offering their services on the continent.
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