Kyrgyzstan removed from EU Air Safety blacklist after two decades

Image: Airports of Kyrgyzstan

Today, June 8, 2026, Kyrgyzstan was officially removed from the European Union Air Safety List, according to a statement from the country’s presidential administration.

The Central Asian nation had been on the EU “blacklist” since 2006, becoming one of the first countries subjected to a blanket ban that prohibited all locally registered airlines from operating flights to Europe.

The original restrictions stemmed from the need to modernize Kyrgyzstan’s state flight safety oversight system, align national legislation with international standards, and strengthen aviation surveillance. Furthermore, the European Commission had determined at the time that the majority of audited airlines, despite holding Kyrgyz Air Operator Certificates (AOCs), maintained their principal place of business outside the country.

However, the presidential administration announced today that all air carriers certified in the country have now been “removed from the list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the EU.”

The decision was reportedly confirmed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE). This followed an audit conducted in March and a subsequent meeting of the EU Air Safety Committee (ASC) held in Brussels on May 19–21. The administration added that the lifting of the restrictions will be officially formalized in an upcoming European Commission regulation.

“Exiting the European Union’s blacklist opens up new opportunities for Kyrgyzstan. National airlines gain the right to operate flights to EU member states upon completing the necessary certification procedures and obtaining the relevant permits,” said Manasbek Samidinov, Chairman of the Management Board of Kyrgyzstan Airports (the operator managing the country’s airports and owner of national carrier Asman Airlines). “<…> We are not just opening up the skies of Europe; today, Kyrgyzstan is turning a new page in its aviation history.”

CentralAsia+ Aero earlier reported: Aeroflot to carry fewer passengers to Kyrgyzstan this year.