- The CJEU ruled that the EU aircraft ban list can be challenged in court.
- The case was brought by Kyrgyz carrier Global 8 Airlines.
- The airline purchased two Beechcraft aircraft from a Russian company.
- The CJEU found the Commission played a leading role in listing aircraft.
- The case was referred back to the General Court.
The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that the European Commission’s listing of aircraft subject to an EU flight ban can be challenged before the bloc’s courts. The judgment sets aside a lower court’s dismissal of a case brought by Kyrgyz charter carrier Global 8 Airlines. The ruling was issued on 8 October 2026.
The case concerns two Beechcraft 390 Premier IA light business aircraft that Global 8 Airlines purchased from a Russian company in September 2022 and February 2023. The aircraft were registered in Kyrgyzstan as EX-88012 and EX-88011. The Commission informed the airline on 20 March 2023 that both aircraft were on the EU flight ban list.
The CJEU found that the Commission played a leading role in deciding which aircraft should be listed. The court concluded that the list did more than share information and that the Commission had taken a decision with direct consequences for others. The case has been referred back to the General Court for a final decision on the merits.
