Aviation industry regulations are as stringent as ever in 2025 – but passengers should still consider the safety of operations when choosing who to fly with.
Failure to follow operational protocols and meet internationally agreed safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) can land airlines on the UK Air Safety List of carriers banned from operating.
Following its departure from the European Union in 2020, the UK Government agreed on a Future Trade Agreement from 31 December 2020 to establish a new framework for air travel.
Third-country operators are now required to hold a UK-Part TCO certificate and a Foreign Carrier Permit issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) before any commercial flight can travel to, from or within the United Kingdom.
According to advice from the CAA and the UK Air Safety Committee, 138 named carriers are currently prohibited from operating commercial flights in UK airspace due to poor safety performance.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, said: “In reality, there is no likelihood of the vast majority of these airlines ever flying to the European Union or the UK. But the list provides a handy guide of carriers to be wary of when travelling in the rest of the world.”
Here are the airlines banned from taking off for the UK to protect and inform travellers.
Read more: Every country currently on the Foreign Office ‘do not travel’ list
The airlines banned from operating in the UK
Afghanistan
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Afghanistan are banned from operating, including:
Angola
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Angola are banned from operating, including:
These two airlines are exempt from the restrictions:
Armenia
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Armenia are banned from operating, including:
Comoros
One carrier with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Comoros is prohibited from operating commercial air services within the UK:
Congo (Brazzaville)
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Congo (Brazzaville) are banned from operating, including:
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are banned from operating, including:
Djibouti
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Equatorial Guinea are banned from operating, including:
Equatorial Guinea
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Equatorial Guinea are banned from operating, including:
Eritrea
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Eritrea are banned from operating, including:
Iran
The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Iran is banned from operating:
Iran Air, with the exception of their Fokker 100 and B747 aircraft, is permitted to operate into, within or out of the United Kingdom.
Iraq
The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Iraq is banned from operating:
Kyrgyzstan
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Kyrgyzstan are banned from operating, including:
Liberia
According to the UK Air Safety List, “all air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Liberia are banned from operating commercial air services to, from, and within the United Kingdom”.
Libya
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Libya are banned from operating, including:
Nepal
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Nepal are banned from operating, including:
North Korea
Airline Air Koryo is permitted to fly in the UK when operating TU-204 aircraft with registration P-632 or P-633.
All other aircraft operated by Air Koryo are banned.
Pakistan
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Pakistan are banned from operating, including:
The Russian Federation
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of The Russian Federation are banned from operating, including:
São Tomé and Principe
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of São Tomé and Principe are banned from operating, including:
Sierra Leone
According to the UK Air Safety List, “all air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Sierra Leone are banned from operating commercial air services to, from, and within the United Kingdom”.
Sudan
All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Sudan are banned from operating, including:
Suriname
The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Suriname is banned from operating:
Venezuela
The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Venezuela is banned from operating:
Zimbabwe
The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Zimbabwe is banned from operating:
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
