Aviation safety and prohibition list of air carriers

Air transportation is very safe and despite a general increase in aviation fatalities are still a small percentage. The aviation industry has stringent and harmonised requirements from ICAO and EASA. All entities involved in the operations of a flight must meet the stated requirements, which are used inter alia in:

• issuing of operating permits

• aircraft maintenance

• issuing licences to individuals

The Directorate of Communications is responsible for issuing these licences and certificates and for monitoring that the party in question meets all requirements.

The Icelandic Transportation Agency is also responsible for so-called SACA/SAFA ramp inspections, which is a European effort to have inspectors inspect whether crews and aircraft licensed to other European countries comply with regulations.

Air carriers which do not comply with these international safety standards are put on a prohibition list and restricted or banned from operating in Europe.

• Individual airlines as well as individual countries may be included in the list.

• If the aeronautical authorities of a particular country are not in compliance with the requirements, all air carriers of that country may be excluded from the airports of the Member States of the European Union.

Even though flights are the safest form of transport, the very existence of this list highlights the importance of upholding international aviation safety standards.