While politicians are playing games with each others and filling their pocket, Nepal is being shunned by Europe.


LONDON: The European Union (EU) on Thursday imposed a blanket ban on all airlines from Nepal from flying into the 28-nation bloc under the latest changes to a list of unsafe carriers.

The European Commission updated for the 22nd time the European list of airlines subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the EU, better known as "the EU air safety list."

"On the basis of safety information from various sources and a hearing both with the Nepalese aviation authorities as well as with a number of Nepalese carriers, the Commission decided to put all airlines from Nepal on the EU air safety list," the EU said.

As a consequence of the ban on Nepalese carriers, they are prevented from flying into or within the Union.

Also, European operators and travel agents will need to inform European travellers, who will have a right to reimbursement if they had booked a seat on a Nepalese carrier as part of a journey to Nepal, and decide not to use it.

Siim Kallas, commission vice-president responsible for transport, said "The current safety situation in Nepal does not leave us any other choice than to put all of its carriers on the EU air safety list. We do hope that this ban will help the aviation authorities to improve aviation safety. I have already asked the European Aviation Safety Agency to prepare an aviation safety assistance project for Nepal."

"On the positive side, I am happy to note further safety progress, particularly in the Philippines, Sudan and Zambia. These countries, as well as a number of other countries where safety is gradually improving, remain for the moment on the list, but I am confident that positive decisions are in the pipeline if things keep moving in the right direction".

Airline crashes in 2004 and 2005 that killed hundreds of European travellers prompted EU governments to seek a uniform approach to airline safety through a common blacklist.

The list, updated generally twice a year, is based on deficiencies found during checks at European airports, the use of antiquated aircraft by companies and shortcomings by non-EU airline regulators.

The ban covers passenger and cargo carriers from nations.

Further technical updates to the EU air safety list were made, due to the removal of some airlines that ceased to exist and the addition of new ones recently created in a number of banned countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Mozambique.

The EU Air Safety Committee consists of aviation safety experts from the Commission, from each of the 28 Member States of the Union, as well as from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The updated EU air safety list includes all airlines certified in 21 states, for a total of 295 airlines fully banned from EU skies: Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon (with the exception of 3 airlines which operate under restrictions and conditions), Indonesia (with the exception of 5 airlines), Kazakhstan (with the exception of one airline which operates under restrictions and conditions), Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Mozambique, Nepal, Philippines (with the exception of one airline), Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Swaziland and Zambia.

The list also includes 2 individual airlines: Blue Wing Airlines from Suriname and Meridian Airways from Ghana, for an overall total of 297 airlines.

Additionally, the list includes 10 airlines subject to operational restrictions and thus allowed to operate into the EU under strict conditions: Air Astana from Kazakhstan, Afrijet, Gabon Airlines, and SN2AG from Gabon, Air Koryo from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Airlift International from Ghana, Air Service Comores from the Comoros, Iran Air from Iran, TAAG Angolan Airlines from Angola and Air Madagascar from Madagascar.

Wow, good report, thanks for posting.

While this is certainly not good for our airline industry and can be detrimental for our tourism, I also hope that this will relay some message to our aviation authorities. Safety has been shady and every year we hear of a plane or helicopter getting into accidents. While this ban is for international flights, hope some sort of massive reform will come in our country for both local and international flights.

Did we have any Nepalese Airline flying to Eurozone?

Now ban any Nepalese politicians to enter any other country than india.

Panacea I think this law will mostly affect other international airlines because they cannot fly out of Nepal to Europe. This will dramatically increase the cost of flying in and out of Nepal. Another blow to Nepalis because of corrupted officials.

Do we have any airlines flying directly from Europe to Kathmandu ? I think the only airlines is Turkish Airlines.

wonton, I think the ban is for Airlines originating from Nepal and not flying out of Nepal because Nepalese Airlines have poor safety records. Hypothetically, if British Airlines(BA) plan to start a flight to Nepal, it won't affect BA. Also, hypothetically, if Turkey becomes a EU member tomorrow, this ban won't effect their flights to and from Nepal.

Oh ok I thought it was for flights originating from. I didn't think any Nepali airlines flew to Europe. I might be mistaken.

India le lootne bhayo aba..

Nepal Airlines had its eyes set on flying to couple of European destinations like London, Frankfurt when they acquire two Airbus A320 in future. There goes their dream down the drain!