European Union prohibits flights by Armenia-based carriers

The European Union banned all Armenia-based airlines from flying to the bloc under the latest changes to a list of unsafe carriers, citing concerns about the country’s regulatory oversight of the industry.

The EU “stands ready to cooperate and invest in Armenia to improve its aviation safety,” European Transport Commissioner Adina Valean said in an emailed statement on Tuesday in Brussels.

The EU blacklist was first drawn up in 2006 with more than 90 airlines, mainly from Africa. The ban covers passenger and cargo carriers from nations including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia and Sudan.

Airline crashes in 2004 and 2005 that killed hundreds of European travelers 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, companies’ use of antiquated aircraft and shortcomings by non-EU airline regulators.