The European Union has updated its Air Safety List, banning 169 airlines from operating within its airspace due to safety concerns.
The latest revision, published in December 2025, continues into 2026 and includes carriers that fail to meet international aviation safety standards, as well as airlines from countries where oversight authorities are deemed insufficient.
For travellers, this matters because the list signals which airlines are considered unsafe, even if they do not fly to Europe. It helps passengers make informed choices when booking flights globally and highlights countries where aviation safety oversight may be weaker.
The list covers airlines that are either completely banned from EU skies or face operational restrictions. Authorities may also include airlines that do not operate within the EU as a precautionary measure to inform the public about potential safety risks.
The European Commission said that if a non-EU country’s aviation authority cannot meet its international safety oversight obligations, all airlines certified in that country may be added to the list.
In Africa, the ban includes Air Zimbabwe and all airlines certified in Angola, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Tanzania.
In the Americas, the list includes Avior Airlines from Venezuela, along with all airlines from Suriname and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Across Asia, Iran Aseman Airlines, Fly Baghdad and Iraqi Airways are banned, alongside all airlines certified in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya and Nepal.
In Europe, all airlines from Armenia and Russia remain on the list.
Two additional airlines are allowed to operate under strict restrictions. Iran Air faces limits on its Fokker F100 and Boeing B747 aircraft, while Air Koryo from North Korea can only use two TU-204 aircraft within the EU.
