Ensuring your airline is reliable and free from blacklisting is a smart priority for any traveler. In France and Europe, carriers face rigorous oversight, adhering to the highest safety standards.
Unlike European airlines, foreign carriers aren't bound by these rules. To protect passengers, the EU maintains a blacklist of airlines failing to meet minimum safety standards. Checking it before your flight is essential.
France's airlines undergo thorough safety audits by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). EASA's standards exceed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) minimums. The European Commission regularly consults aviation safety committees from member states to evaluate non-compliant carriers.
Non-EU airlines must still meet baseline standards to operate in Europe. The EU blacklist bans or restricts violators based on poor aircraft maintenance, outdated fleets, or failure to address issues. It includes operators like Afrijet and New Air Affaires SN2AG in Gabon, Air Koryo in North Korea, Air Service Comores in the Comoros, Iran Air in Iran, and TAAG Angola Airlines in Angola.
This list, now covering 181 airlines—mostly from Africa and Asia, including Indonesia, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Gabon, and Sierra Leone—is publicly available on the EU website for traveler reference.
Beyond the EU list, consult the securvol.fr barometer, an independent resource from journalists and aviation experts dedicated to "delivering reliable information on airlines and the broader aviation sector." It rates carriers as "good level," "correct level," "subject to restrictions," "to avoid," or "prohibited in Europe or pending prohibition," grouped accordingly.
