[27/November/2009]

BRUSSELS, Nov. 27 (Saba) - The European Union banned Friday all airlines from three countries, Djibouti, Republic of Congo, and Sao Tome and Principe from flying into the territories of the EU because of safety deficiencies, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

The European Commission (EC) published here the twelfth update of the list of airlines banned in the European Union . With this update three carriers licensed in Ukraine have been removed from the list.

"We cannot afford any compromises in air safety. Citizens have the right to fly safely in Europe and anywhere else in the world," said EU transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani.

The EU did not ban Yemenia airlines despite speculation that Yemen's naiotnal carrier would be banned following a crash in June off Comores islands that killed 152 people.

The efforts deployed by Yemenia to correct the identified safety deficiencies in the various audits are acknowledged, said the EC in a statement.

The statement said that strengthened cooperation and progress was noted with Albania, Angola, Egypt, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. A number of audit visits have also been requested by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to evaluate the safety situation of authorities and companies in Albania, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan and Yemen.

Today, the EU list has five individual carriers whose operations are fully banned in the European Union: Air Koryo from the Democratic People Republic of Korea, Air West from Sudan, Ariana Afghan Airlines from Afghanistan, Siem Reap Airways International from Cambodia and Silverback Cargo Freighters from Rwanda.

All carriers from 15 countries -- 228 companies in total -- are banned: Angola (with the exception of one carrier which operates under restrictions and conditions), Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, (with the exception of three carriers which operate under restrictions and conditions), Indonesia, Kazakhstan (with the exception of one carrier which operates under restrictions and conditions), the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Swaziland and Zambia. There are eight air carriers allowed to operate under restrictions and conditions - TAAG Angola Airlines Air Astana from Kazakhstan, Gabon Airlines, Afrijet and SN2AG from Gabon, Air Bangladesh, Air Service Comores and Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines from Ukraine.