EU blacklisting sinks Air Zimbabwe's bid to resume UK flights

The European Aviation Safety Aviation (EASA) has blacklisted Air Zimbabwe along with airlines from Nigeria, Ukraine, St. Vincent and Grenadines for failure to address aviation security concerns raised during its previous airline safety audits. By Oscar Nkala
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Due to the blacklisting, the airlines will either be banned totally or subject to operational restrictions against flying into EU airspace for failing to address safety deficiencies raised during assessments for third-country operator authorisations.

In 2015, the EU adopted new aviation safety strategy which requires rigorous safety audits and recommends penalties against airlines that fall short of set standards. 

For Air Zimbabwe, the ban means that the airline will no longer be able to restart its prestigious Harare-London flights, on which it had pinned all hopes of revival. 

Air Zimbabwe stopped the highly lucrative Harare-London route in 2012 when one of its planes was impounded at the request of an international aircraft spares supplier in lieu of an unpaid US$2.8 million debt. 

The latest EU restrictions and total bans affected 181 airlines. However, 174 airlines from 12 countries across the world are allowed to operate in European Union airspace.