From budgettravel.com:

Europe has one of the best safety records in the world when it comes to airplanes. Its safety rules are considered the gold standard by many. Yet many airlines based outside of Europe operate below essential safety levels. Member states of the European Union (E.U.) ban these airlines from operating in their countries.

In case you're curious, the E.U. has posted a PDF file naming the airlines blacklisted in Europe. http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm

You'll only encounter most of these airlines if you're flying in developing countries such as Gabon and the Kyrgyz Republic.

The good news? No airline based in North America is on the list.

The most disturbing detail? European experts don't think that Indonesia, a large country with a growing middle-class, adequately monitors the safety of its planes. No airline from Indonesia is considered safe enough to fly into E.U. countries.

Ready for a bit of gallows humor? One of the airlines on the blacklist is "Safe Air," based in the (not so) Democratic Republic of Congo.

The United States has not come up with its own blacklist.

FYI--

Official: EU to lift ban on Indonesian airlines
The European Commission will end its ban on four Indonesian airlines, according to The Associated Press. AP writes Indonesian transport minister "Jusman Syafii Djamal says Garuda, Mandala Airlines, Airfast Indonesia and Prime Air will be allowed to fly in EU airspace within 20 days. The ban, which was imposed in July 2007 after a series of deadly accidents, remains in place for 53 other Indonesian airlines. Jusman said Friday that the ban was lifted because the carriers introduced new safety measures. National carrier Garuda said it will resume flights to Europe in 2010. On New Year's Day 2007, an Adam Air flight plunged into the sea killing all 102 people onboard. On March 7 the same year 22 people died when a Garuda jet shot off a runway and burst into flames."

Fresh from Yahoo
Need another reason to hate flying? Then have we got a story for you! This past week, several airlines announced that they were increasing their baggage fees (again). Delta, Continental, and United all raised the fees they charge their passengers to check their luggage. It will now cost you $25 to check your first bag, and $35 to check the second (you can get a small discount for paying online). The announcement was met with predictable outrage in the Search box. Web lookups on "airline baggage fees" and "why do airlines raise fees" both shot skyward. Also worth noting were the queries on "southwest baggage fees." For the record, Southwest charges their customers a whopping $0 for the first bag and a completely outrageous $0 for the second.

If I should decide to monger in places like Albany, New York, or Jackson Mississippi, I will definitely keep Southwest in mind.

Although as time goes on the advantages of reaching elite status on the airlines seem to diminish, I suppose baggage fees (which tend to be waived for frequent fliers) is one area where brand loyalty has some rewards.

Albany is a great place to monger. Especially if you have a friend who is a politician.

All NY politicians can fix you up.

MM

I agree whit you Laguy, Continental, just cut the third bag, from first class an only 50 pounds of weight each.

If you are traveling with 3 bags, and even if only one of them weighs over 50 pounds you are not on a monger trip.

One bag, never check is my motto. Recommend it highly.

Don't know why anyone would have a problem with this.

The airline's could just include it in the price of the ticket and "make everyone pay extra" whether you plan to check bags or not, but instead the airlines "give you the option to pay or not pay".

I would much rather have the option than being forced to pay it in the ticket price.

Fooledagain1

What you say only works if they have reduced the ticket price to compensate for the add ons. Did they?

If the airlines are losing money and they need to raise prices, it's much better to do what they are doing, then raise ticket prices across the board and make everyone pay for check luggage whether you check luggage or not.

The airlines have a choice when they need money, raise all ticket prices or get the money in other creative ways that allows you the passenger to aviod paying extra if your smart enough.

It's much better to do what they are doing then raise "all prices across the board", don't see why anyone would have a problem with that.

All you "just carry on" guys crack me up when I watch the non-statused fight for overhead bin space because every jackass on the plane has the same idea with two clearly oversized, overstuffed "carry-ons".

Oh, and not to mention the plane pushing back 20 minutes late as no one can board on time because the jackasses are blocking the aisles whiles wrestling with the overhead bins.

I was back in the US for the first time in two years.Holy shit the bin hogging is out of control. I got into it with one of the flight attendants [sic] because she was insisting I put my one normal size back pack under my seat to make room for some a-hole with his two fucking well oversized carry on's. They should really should enforce the carry on limits and policies, if they are gonna price per checked in bag. It was hard t believe the US cabin experience could get worse, but it has -- much much worse. Oh an the ticket I bought origiating in Asia allowed me two checkedin bags for all my flights. So the airlines are really practicing some knd of illegal price discrmination IMHO.