Passengers flying from the UK with Turkmenistan Airlines have been stranded after UK and European air regulators grounded the airline for safety reasons.
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said flights from Birmingham and London’s Heathrow to Amritsar, and Heathrow to New Delhi – which fly via Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – had been suspended.
The CAA said: “Following the decision on 4 February 2018, by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to suspend permission for Turkmenistan Airlines to operate services to the European Union, Turkmenistan Airlines flights from Birmingham and Heathrow to Amritsar, and Heathrow to New Delhi – which fly via Ashgabat – are suspended with immediate effect.
“The UK Civil Aviation Authority is required under European law to withdraw Turkmenistan Airlines’ permit to operate to the UK pending EASA‘s restoration of their approval that it meets international air safety standards.”
The CAA acted after the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended permission for it to fly in the European Union. Turkmenistan Airlines also serves Frankfurt and Paris from Ashgabat.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said the EASA had suspended the carrier’s flights to and from the EU “pending confirmation that it meets international air safety standards”.
“This means that Turkmenistan Airlines flights between the UK (London Heathrow and Birmingham) and Turkmenistan (Ashgabat), do not have permission to travel to and from the UK,” the FCO said.
