All airlines from Tanzania as well as Suriname have been blacklisted by the European Commission, banning them from operations within EU airspace.

The Commission says the prohibition has been imposed because the civil aviation regulators in both countries are “unable to ensure compliance” with international safety standards.

“This decision is based on serious safety concerns identified during assessments conducted by European Union aviation safety experts,” it adds.

Shortcoming have been discovered in both operational and regulatory areas.

“These include a shortage of qualified personnel [as well as] ineffective oversight processes in flight operations and airworthiness,” says the Commission.

Tanzania and Suriname are among 17 states to have outright bans on all – or practically all – carriers.

“We urge both countries to address these issues promptly,” says sustainable transport and tourism commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas. “The Commission stands ready to support their efforts toward full compliance with international safety standards.”

Flag-carrier Air Tanzania had already been individually blacklisted towards the end of last year.

But the regulatory oversight concerns have spurred the Commission to extend this sanction to all carriers registered in the African state.

Suriname has also received a blanket ban. One carrier from Suriname, Blue Wing Airlines, was one of the first operators to be blacklisted when the Commission launched its air safety list scheme in 2006 – and has remained so since.