Air Tanzania Banned From European Union Skies

The European Commission has officially banned Air Tanzania from operating in European Union (EU) airspace, citing safety concerns.

The announcement, made on December 13, 2024, places Tanzania’s national carrier on the EU’s blacklist of airlines deemed unsafe to operate in the region.

“Following today’s update, Air Tanzania has been included on the list. The basis for this decision is safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). These also led to the decision not to grant Air Tanzania a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization,” read the statement from the European Commission.

Air Tanzania joins a total of 129 airlines banned from EU airspace.

This list includes 100 airlines certified in 15 countries, such as Afghanistan, Angola (except for two airlines), and the Democratic Republic of Congo, due to inadequate safety oversight by local aviation authorities. It also includes 22 airlines certified in Russia and seven individual airlines from various countries that have failed to meet international safety standards.

The Tanzanian government, through its Chief Spokesperson, Gerson Msigwa, has already responded to the ban.

He confirmed ongoing discussions with EU aviation authorities aimed at resolving the safety concerns and lifting the suspension.

“EU aviation experts are expected to visit Tanzania soon to complete the vetting process. This inspection will be a crucial step toward granting Air Tanzania the licence to operate in EU airspace,” Msigwa said.

He further clarified that Air Tanzania currently does not operate any routes to EU destinations. However, the airline had been in the process of obtaining the required TCO authorisation and operating permits to access EU airspace before the ban was imposed.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been removed from the EU blacklist following recent safety improvements. Another Pakistani carrier, Airblue Limited, has also secured EASA’s TCO authorization, allowing it access to EU skies.