The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced on Monday that it would no longer uphold the permission for Turkmenistan Airline to continue their route over concerns related to international air safety standards.
UK Foreign Office confirmed in a note that Turkmenistan Airline was banned from flying to and from the EU pending the decision over the safety standards.
The European Aviation Safety Agency has suspended Turkmenistan Airlines flights to and from the EU. This affects some #TurkmenistanAirlines flights from #India to Birmingham and Heathrow. Affected passengers are advised to contact Turkmenistan Airlines https://t.co/d5DecWn1Yw pic.twitter.com/oHSTPI71KL
— FCO travel advice (@FCOtravel) February 4, 2019
— Ashley Quint ✈ 🌴 (@LuxuryTravelled) February 4, 2019
Turkmenistan, located in Central Asia, provides for a convenient base for connecting flights to India, a popular destination among travellers from Britain.
According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), 800,000 passengers travel to the world's second most populous country every year.
Affected passengers were advised to contact Turkmenistan Airlines to seek advice, as the flights won't be resumed until the ban is lifted or the UK ceases to be governed by EASA decisions.