European civil aviation regulators have banned Turkmenistan Airlines from operating services to the country while they verify that the carrier meets safety requirements.
The European Aviation Safety Agency has “suspended” flights by the carrier pending confirmation that it meets international safety standards, says the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
It has disclosed the ban in a review of public advice regarding travel to India.
While Turkmenistan Airlines operates from the UK to its base at Ashgabat, it offers onward connections to the Indian cities of Delhi and Amritsar.
Turkmenistan Airlines had secured third-country operator authorisation to serve the European Union, and was still listed as having this approval in a 3 January EASA update.
Services from the Indian cities to Birmingham and London Heathrow, which operate through Ashgabat, will be suspended as a result of the decision.
Turkmenistan Airlines operates Boeing 757-200s on the UK routes, its only links to the European Union. The carrier serves Istanbul and several cities in Russia.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
