Air Express Algeria has become the first Algerian carrier on the EU Air Safety List, after Brussels cited serious safety concerns and compliance gaps with international standards. The 48th revision of the blacklist leaves the airline barred from EU operations and lifts the pressure onto Algeria’s civil aviation oversight, not just the operator itself.
The decision follows the carrier’s failed third-country operator approval process, with EU safety experts flagging unresolved deficiencies, weak corrective action planning and no verifiable crew-training evidence. It also feeds scrutiny of ANAC, which took over civil aviation responsibility in 2023 and now faces questions over audit findings and enforcement depth.
The message to operators is blunt: EU access now hinges on demonstrable compliance, not paper fixes.