Safety is the top priority in the aviation industry. To ensure this is always guaranteed, foreign airlines require a license if they want to fly to Switzerland.
Airlines that do not obtain this license have serious safety deficiencies or are not adequately monitored by their country’s aviation authorities. If a country or airline is on this list, its staff are also not allowed to work in EU or EFTA states. There are currently 128 airlines on this list (as of 30 April 2024).
Strict controls
Inspectors from the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) carry out regular spot checks as part of the European SAFA (Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft) programme and check whether airlines meet the required international technical and operational standards (International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards) and whether the authorities in the country of origin actually exercise control over the airline. The company must also have adequate insurance coverage. As a rule, the FOCA issues operating licences to foreign airlines for a period of five years.
However, actual supervision with in-depth inspections and audits is generally the responsibility of the civil aviation authority of the airline’s home country. The FOCA can revoke the license at any time if it suspects that the regulations are not being met. Airlines classified as unsafe by the EU are also not allowed to fly to Switzerland.
Since Switzerland has adopted the EU blacklist and is participating in the updating process, airlines banned in an EU or EFTA member state are generally not granted a landing permit in Switzerland if they wish to resume flights.
The blacklist
These airlines are prohibited from operating in the European Union and EFTA states:
- Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)
- Avior Airlines (Venezuela)
- Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname)
- IranAseman Airlines (Iran)
- Fly to Baghdad (Iraq)
- Iraqi Airways (Iraq)
All air carriers authorised by the competent authorities with regulatory oversight responsibilities in the following countries are not authorised to operate flights into EU and EFTA states:
- Afghanistan
- Angola (except for two airlines)
- Armenia
- Congo (Brazzaville and Democratic Republic of Congo)
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Kyrgyzstan
- Liberia
- Libya
- Nepal
- Russia
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Sierra Leone
- Sudan
The following two airlines are allowed to operate with restrictions only in the airspace of EU and EFTA states:
- Iran Air (Iran) Fokker F100 and Boeing B747 aircraft
- The entire fleet of Air Koryo (North Korea), with the exception of two TU-204 aircraft
- The listed airlines can obtain a license if they operate a leased (wet lease) aircraft that is not subject to an operating ban and meets safety standards.
If a listed airline believes that it meets the necessary technical elements and requirements prescribed in the applicable international safety regulations, it can initiate a request for review and delisting.
You can find the entire list on the European Commission website.