The European Commission has placed Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating within European Union airspace. This decision, announced on December 13, 2024, was prompted by safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization.
Although the Commission did not specify the safety violations, industry experts suggest that issues such as the airline operating aircraft like the Airbus A220 beyond scheduled major maintenance checks may have contributed to its inclusion on the list. Such practices could violate airworthiness directives and compromise passenger safety.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, emphasized the EU’s commitment to passenger safety, stating, “The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide.” He urged Air Tanzania to “take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues” and offered assistance from the Commission to Tanzanian authorities to enhance the airline’s safety performance to meet international aviation standards.
Air Tanzania operates a fleet that includes modern aircraft such as Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s. The airline has been using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for flights to European destinations like Frankfurt, Germany, and Athens, Greece, and had plans to expand services to London with the A220. However, the EU ban has halted these expansion plans, leading to immediate repercussions, including restrictions on Air Tanzania’s operations at several airports, including regional hubs like Kigali.
The European Commission indicated that Air Tanzania might be allowed to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft from carriers not subject to an operating ban, provided that all relevant safety standards are met. A wet lease involves an airline leasing an aircraft along with its crew, maintenance, and insurance from another operator.
The EU Air Safety List is regularly updated to ensure passenger safety based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee. The latest revision includes 129 airlines, with 100 certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient and 29 individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies. Other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU after a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted following substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorization.
Decisions regarding the inclusion or exclusion of airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA. Commissioner Tzitzikostas noted that airlines currently on the list can request a reassessment if they believe they meet the required safety standards, emphasizing that the goal is to ensure global safety compliance rather than to impose penalties.
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges in their international operations, as the bans highlight deficiencies in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities. For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these issues and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
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