In the updated list released Tuesday of carries banned from European airspace, the EC said all planes of Silverback Cargo Freighters are not permitted there. Silverback deals with only cargo and was first put on the list last year.
"We cannot afford to compromise on air safety," said Siim Kallas, the commission's vice president, in a statement Tuesday.
Silveback is not allowed in Europe
In April, the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) angrily criticized the European Commission’s safety ban. AFRAA claimed the blacklist at the time, which effectively excludes 111 African airlines from European Union airspace, is protectionist.
In a strongly worded statement, AFRAA secretary general Nick Fadugba said: “The ulitimate beneficiaries of the ban are European airlines which dominate the African skies to the disadvantage of African carriers. If any list is to be published, it should be done by ICAO, the global regulator of aviation safety, which has a known track record of impartiality.”
Two other carriers that are banned from operating in the European Union: Ariana Afghan Airlines from Afghanistan and Siem reap Airways International from Cambodia.
On the new blacklist for Tuesday, the European Commission expanded restrictions on Iran Air's operations by banning more types of aircraft. The commission banned Iran Air from flying its fleet of Airbus A-320 and of Boeing B-727 and B-747 planes into European airports.
The EC said it would continue to monitor Iran Air and work with the airline to improve standards.
All carriers from 17 countries -- 278 companies in total -- are also banned: Angola, Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon (except three carriers with restrictions), Indonesia (except six carriers from which the restrictions have been fully removed), Kazakhstan (except one restricted carrier), Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Swaziland and Zambia.
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