The European Union added two air cargo carriers from Ghana, Meridian Airways and Airlift International, to its "no-fly" black list after they failed to meet safety standards, reported Agence France-Presse.

Meridian Airways, serving the UK, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands, was banned from flying in the 27-nation bloc after inspections of its aircraft, the European Commission (EC) said.

The EC will only allow one Airlift International plane to land in the EU, after an inspection of an aircraft showed it was "well below" international standards.

The EU has imposed full or partial bans to all carriers from 17 countries: Angola, Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Swaziland and Zambia.

"Where we have evidence that air carriers are not performing safe operations or where the regulatory authorities fail in their obligation to enforce the safety standards we must act to guarantee to exclude any risks to safety," said European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas.

 Source: schednet