The European Commission has lit a red light for Armenian air carriers

ArmInfo. Air carriers that have received certificates in Armenia are included in the list of the European Commission for Aviation Safety of the EU. The restricted  list includes all companies certified in RA: Aircompany Armenia,  Armenia Airways, Armenian Helicopters, Atlantis Armenian Airlines,  Atlantis European Airways, Mars Avia, Skyball.

According to a report on the website of the European Commission, the  European Commission today once again updated the European list of  airlines subject to prohibitions or operational restrictions in the  European Union, known as the "EU Flight Safety List", The structure  emphasized that the Commission seeks to ensure the highest level of  flight safety for all passengers traveling in the EU.

"After today's update, all the airlines certified in Armenia were  added to the list after further assessing the country's capabilities  in the field of flight safety control. This decision was made after  hearing the reports of the Civil Aviation Committee of Armenia and  six Armenian air carriers," the European statement says commission.

"The EU safety list should be considered as a tool to help airlines  and countries on the list review and improve their flight standards.  The decision to include Armenian carriers in the EU safety list was  made on the basis of the unanimous opinion of the Safety Committee.  With the assistance of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, it  is ready to cooperate and invest in Armenia to improve aviation  safety, "said EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean, quoted in an EU  statement.

According to the report, the EU aviation safety list not only ensures  the maintenance of a high level of security in the EU, but also helps  airlines to increase flight safety. The list has also become an  important preventive tool, as it encourages countries with security  problems to take appropriate measures before it becomes necessary to  include them in this list.

After the last update, the list includes 96 airlines that are  prohibited from using the airspace of the European Union.

It is noted that 90 airlines are certified in 16 states (Afghanistan,  Angola (excluding 2 airlines), Armenia, Congo (Brazzaville),  Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea,  Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Moldova (excluding out of 3  airlines), Nepal, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone and Sudan) -  due to inadequate control of aviation security by these states.

In addition, six individual airlines were identified with serious  security flaws: Avior Airlines (Venezuela), Blue Wing Airlines  (Suriname), Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran), Iraqi Airlines (Iraq),  Med-View Airlines (Nigeria) ) and Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).

It is also noted that three more airlines are subject to operational  restrictions and can only fly to the EU with certain types of  aircraft: Air Service Comores (Comoros), Iran Air (Iran) and Air  Koryo (North Korea).  In conclusion, it is noted that today's update  of the Safety List is based on the unanimous opinion of safety  experts from the Member States who met on 12-14 May 2020 under the  auspices of the EU Aviation Safety Committee (ASC) via video  conference. This committee is chaired by the European Commission with  the support of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The  update also received support from the Transport Committee of the  European Parliament. The assessment is carried out in accordance with  international safety standards, in particular, standards adopted by  the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Commission  is constantly looking for ways to improve safety, in particular  thanks to the joint efforts of aviation authorities around the world  to raise global safety standards.  Earlier, information was  circulated in a number of Armenian media that the international  aviation organization revoked the license of the State Civil Aviation  Committee of Armenia, which could have very disastrous consequences  for the entire civil aviation of Armenia, in particular for pilots  who could simply be forbidden to board the helm.

At that time  the State Civil Aviation Administration informed that  between February 3 and 7, experts from the European Aviation Safety  Agency (EASA) made an evaluation visit to two small Armenian airlines  (Armenia Aircompany and Atlantis European Airlines) and the State  Aviation Administration. "On March 6, preliminary evaluation results  were received from EASA and the agency expects to receive the opinion  of the State Committee of Civil Aviation, after which the final  report on Armenia will be released. Thus, the observations made by  EASA will be sent to the Committee on April 6," the GUGA emphasized,  this recalling that on May 12-14 in Brussels are scheduled hearings  to which representatives of the Committee are invited.

At the same time, the State Civil Aviation Administration recognized  that the Committee actually had problems, which were repeatedly  mentioned, and which did not arise yesterday, and it will take time  to completely modernize the structure, and radical steps are already  being taken in this direction.