The European Commission has added the Iraqi airline, Fly Baghdad, to the list of airlines banned in the EU zone, following the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recommendation.
In the same announcement, the EU Commission has made clear that the ban on certified air carriers in Nepal will remain effective, considering the ongoing security concerns, as an evaluation visit of authorities to Nepal made in September concluded.
This decision is based on serious safety concerns identified by the EU Aviation Safety Agency and reflects our strong commitment to passenger safety in Europe and around the world. We hope that Fly Baghdad will continue its work and determination to resolve the security issues identified in a rapid and sustainable manner.
Fly Baghdad is one of 129 airlines that are banned from crossing the airspace of EU countries. In detail, 101 are certified airlines in 15 states worldwide, which were banned due to insufficient safety oversight by those states’ aviation authorities.
Some other 22 airlines certified in Russia are also banned while six airlines are also not allowed to fly EU skies, namely:
- Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)
- Avior Airlines (Venezuela)
- Blue Wings Airlines (Suriname)
- Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran)
- Fly Baghdad (Iraq) and
- Iraqi Airways (Iraq)
Two other companies are subject to operating restrictions and can only fly to the EU using specific aircraft types: Iran Air (Iran) and Air Koryo (North Korea).
Yesterday’s update to the EU Air Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of Member State aviation safety experts, who met in Brussels on November 14 to 16, 2023, gathering the EU Air Safety Committee.
This Committee is chaired by the European Commission with support from EASA. The European Parliament’s Transport Committee also supports the update. Decisions under the EU Air Safety List are based on international safety standards, notably the standards decreed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Fly Baghdad, which is based in the Iraqi capital, has not operated flights to the EU in the last few months, except for some flights to Turkiye, which is a nearby country of the EU.
According to Ch-aviation data, Fly Baghdad operates 11 aircraft: one Boeing 737-700, five 737-800, three 737-900ER, one Mitsubishi CRJ200ER, and one CRJ900ER. Iraq’s other airline, Iraqi Airways, is also included in the ASL.
While the EC banned Fly Baghdad, it has recognised the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal’s (CAAN) engagement and efforts to improve its safety oversight capacity, which was noted during the safety meeting.
