Kazakh airlines will not be included in the European "black list" - minister

By Trend

Kazakh airlines will not be included in the Europe's "black list", Kazakhstan's Minister of Industry and Infrastructural Development Kairbek Uskenbayev said, Trend reports citing the ministry.

On June 1, 2022, the European Commission published an official decision in relation to the aviation authorities of Kazakhstan and the flights of Kazakh airline companies to Europe. Uskenbayev noted that the leaders of the aviation authorities of 27 European states decided not to restrict Kazakh airlines from flying to Europe and not to include Kazakhstan in the black list.

“They positively assessed the current situation in the field of flight safety in Kazakhstan and the measures taken by Kazakh Government over the past three years. We regard this as a great achievement,” the minister said.

He also noted that Kazakhstan previously was included in the black list, when in 2009 the International Civil Aviation Organization revealed a low rate of implementation of ICAO standards. This led to the European Commission banning the flights of all Kazakh airlines to European countries, except for Air Astana, which was limited in its ability to expand its flight geography and aircraft fleet.

“After the restrictions were lifted in 2016, the team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did a great job so that the situation would not repeat itself,” Uskenbaev emphasized.