Russian Aviation Regulators Suspend Some Charters to EU

MOSCOW, February 16 (RIA Novosti) - Two state aviation regulators have suspended the charter and non-regular flights of several Russian air carriers to the European Union, the Transportation Ministry said Friday.

The ruling will affect Aero Rent, Tatarstan, Atlant-Soyuz, Aviacon Zitotrans, Centre Avia, Gazpromavia, LUKoil, Russian Sky and UTair air carriers.

"In order to prevent serious harm to the image of the Russian Federation as a leading global air power and to ensure flight safety, Rostransnadzor and Rosaviatsia issued a joint directive suspending the charter and non-regular flights of these air carriers to the European Union," the ministry said in a statement.

Inspections conducted by the European Commission in 2004-2006 of these carriers revealed numerous violations of air traffic and safety regulations that have yet to be corrected.

The ministry said all the companies had been informed of the results of the inspections, but failed to submit plans to state regulators on correcting the violations. The companies risk being placed on the so-called EU aviation safety "blacklist," established in 2005.

None of the cited Russian air carriers is currently on the EU list of airlines banned from operating within the European Community.

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