Bad image grounds Russian airliners

Several Russian air carriers have had their flights to European Union countries suspended. These carriers revealed numerous violations of air traffic and safety regulations that have yet to be corrected.

The decision was made by Russian civil aviation authorities.

The Transportation Ministry said the ban was imposed “in order to prevent serious harm to the image of the Russian Federation as a major aircarrier and to ensure flight safety.”

Among the blacklisted companies are ventures owned by Russian oil and gas giants – GAZPROMAVIA, the LUKOIL jet company, and seven others.