The airlines banned from flying in the UK in 2025

In the 2025 aviation industry, safety and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable. Airlines must adhere to rigorous safety and protocols to ensure the well-being of passengers and crew. 

However, when some fail to meet these standards, they are banned from operating in specific regions, including the United Kingdom.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines are banned from operating in European airspace (including the UK) ‘because they are found to be unsafe and/or they are not sufficiently overseen by their authorities’.

And because these restrictions are designed to maintain safety, controversy often follows when they are rolled back.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which is not permitted to operate in UK airspace, last week resumed direct flights to Paris after a four-year ban from EU airspace. The relaunch sparked outrage due to the airline’s promotional tweet, which featured a graphic of a plane flying toward the Eiffel Tower with the caption: ‘Paris, we’re coming today.’

Hundreds have criticized the tweet as ‘tone-deaf’, with many drawing comparisons to PIA’s 1970s advertisement that depicted a Boeing 747 casting its shadow on the Twin Towers, years before they were destroyed in the September 11 attacks.

People are outraged at PIA’s new promotional poster (Picture: X/Official_PIA)

‘Is this an advertisement or a threat?’ one user questioned, while another remarked: ‘You can’t be serious this time! Fire your designer.’

PIA has been banned from UK Airspace since 2020, following the crash of Flight 8303 in Karachi, Pakistan. However, it isn’t the only banned carrier in the country. 

BoyleSports has now delved into the published records of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to compile a comprehensive list of airlines currently prohibited from flying to, from, and within UK airspace.

Read on for the full list of airlines currently banned from the UK.

Afghanistan 

All air carriers certified by Afghan authorities are barred from the UK airspace. This includes, but is not limited to: Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air.

Angola

Most Angolian airlines are banned, except for a few, including TAAG Angola Airlines and Heli Malongo. Banned carriers include: 

Aerojet

Air Jet

Bestfly Aircraft

Guicango

Heliang

SJL

Armenia

All Armenian carriers are prohibited in the UK. Notable airlines include:

Aircompany Armenia

Armenia Airways

Armenia Helicopters

Atlantis Armenian Airlines

Atlantis European Airways

Mars Avia

Airlines are banned from UK airspace if they are deemed ‘unsafe’ (Picture: Getty)

Congo (Brazzaville)

All Congolese airlines are banned, including:

Canadian Airways Congo

Equaflight Services

Equajet

Société Nouvelle Air Congo

Trans Air Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Every airline from the DRC is banned from the UK, including:

Air Fast Congo

Air Katanga

Busy Bee Congo

Compagnie Africaine D’Aviation (CAA)

Congo Airways

Kin Avia

Malu Aviation

Mwant Jet

Swala Aviation

Djibouti

Daallo Airlines is the only airline from Djibouti on the banned list.

Equatorial Guinea

All carriers from Equatorial Guinea are banned, including:

Ceiba Intercontinental

Cronos Airlines

Eritrea

No Eritrean airlines are allowed in the UK, including:

Eritrean Airlines

Nasair Eritrea

Iran

While Iran Aseman Airlines is banned, Iran Air is permitted with certain aircraft restrictions.

Iraq

Iraqi Airways is banned from operating in the UK.

PIA has been banned from the UK Airspace since 2020 (Picture: Getty)

Kyrgyzstan

All Kyrgyz airlines are prohibited from operating in the UK, including:

Air Company Air KG

Air Manas

Avia Traffic Company

Sky KG Airlines

Tez Jet

Liberia

All airlines certified in Liberia are banned from the UK.

Libya

All Libyan airlines are prohibited, including:

Afriqiyah Airways

Air Libya

Al Maha Aviation

Buraq Air

Global Aviation and Services

Libyan Airlines

Libyan Wings Airlines

Petro Air

Nepal

Every Nepali airline is barred from the UK; carriers include but are not limited to the following:

Altitude Air

Buddha Air

Fishtail Air

Guna Airlines

Himalaya Airlines

Makalu Air

Nepal Airlines Corporation

Simrik Air

Sita Air

Tara Air

Yeti Airlines

North Korea

Air Koryo is permitted to operate only specific aircraft in the UK, with all others banned.

Pakistan

All Pakistani carriers are banned from operating in the UK, including:

Airblue Limited

AirSial

Pakistan International Airlines

Russian Federation

A significant number of Russian airlines are banned. Here are the various carriers included on the list:

Airbridgecargo Airlines

Aircompany’s North-West, Sirius-Aero and Sky Gates Airlines

Atran

Azur Air

Erofey

Gazpromavia

Joint Stock Company’s Air Company Yakutia, Alrosa Air Company, Azimuth Airlines, Iraero Airlines, Jet Air Group, Nordstar Airlines, Red Wings, Royal Flight Airlines, Rusjet, Siberia Airlines, Smartavia Airlines, The 224-th Flight Unit State Airlines, Ural Airlines, and UVT Aero

JS Aviation Company Rusline

JSC Yamal Airlines

LLC Aircompany Ikar

Meridian Air Company

Pobeda Airlines

Rossiya Airlines

Russian Airlines Aeroflot

Severstal Aircompany

Tulpar Air

UTair Aviation

São Tomé and Príncipe

All airlines from São Tomé and Príncipe are banned, including:

Africa’s Connection

STP Airways

Sierra Leone

No airlines from Sierra Leone are allowed to operate in the UK.

Sudan

All Sudanese airlines are banned, such as:

Alfa Airlines SD

Badr Airlines

Blue Bird Aviation

Eldinder Aviation

Green Flag Aviation

Helejetic Air

Kush Aviation

Nova Airways

Sudan Airways

Sun Air

Tarco Air

Suriname

Blue Wing Airlines is banned from operating in the UK.

Venezuela

Avior Airlines is the only Venezuelan airline banned from the UK.

Zimbabwe

Air Zimbabwe Pvt is banned from operating in the UK.

Sophia Martinez