287 'Unsafe' Airlines That Are Banned From Europe

The European Union bans dozens of airlines it deems "unsafe" from flying in its airspace, saying they operate "in conditions below essential safety levels."

The blacklist includes all the carriers based in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Republic of Sudan, and Zambia.

Nearly all of Indonesia's 50-plus carriers are also on the list, including Lion Air. The airline made headlines this week after one of its planes crashed in Bali and split in two. All 108 passengers and crew survived, but the incident highlighted the lackluster safety record of Indonesian airlines.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not rate, rank, or blacklist airlines, but it does assess whether a country's aviation authorities adhere to safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Those standards measure how the authorities regulate and certify airlines, train their personnel, ensure enforcement of international standards, and document oversight and surveillance. Countries that are deficient in any of these areas do not meet the standards.

Some of the airlines from those countries, which include Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, the Philippines, Serbia, and Ukraine, are allowed to operate in American airspace, "under heightened FAA surveillance."

Here's the full list of airlines banned from European Union airspace as of December 4, 2012:

EU Airlines Not To Fly

And here are the national aviation authorities that the FAA says do not meet international safety standards (category "2"):

FAA Assessment Of National Aviation Authorities