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E.U. Bans 92 Unsafe Airlines

According to reports, the European Union has blacklisted 92 airlines from operating in the region. Included on the list are 50 companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 14 carriers in Sierra Leone and seven from Swaziland. Other banned airlines are Thailand`s Phuket Airlines, as well as carriers from Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and North Korea. There are reports the blacklist was suggested after more than 500 people died in plane crashes last summer.

The EU based the blacklist on criteria that includes poor maintenance, and obsolete or old planes. Most of the carriers don`t fly to Europe, but Barrot says the list would "pre-empt" issues. The list will be updated at least every three months.

Any company banned by an EU state will be banned by all members, as well as by Norway and Switzerland. The EU`s transport commissioner, Jacques Barrot, said, "The European Union now has a coherent approach to banning unsafe airlines. This blacklist will keep dubious airlines out of Europe. It will also make sure that all airlines operating in Europe`s sky meet the highest safety standards."