Swiftair

Swiftair is governed by European EASA and Spanish legislation, maintaining its aircraft under PART M/145 regulations, which are qualifications assigned to maintenance centers by the Spanish Civil Aviation. Swiftair Hellas also operates a fully certified EASA-Part145 Maintenance Base. The airline is an IATA member, implying compliance with the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) program. Swiftair is not included on the EU Air Safety List, which bans or restricts unsafe third-country air carriers from flying in European skies.

Despite its regulatory compliance, Swiftair has a notable history of incidents and accidents. Earlier incidents include aircraft being written off or substantially damaged due to issues like forgotten landing gear or botched landings in 1994, 1995, 2005, and 2012. In a significant event, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 operated by Swiftair for Air Algérie crashed on July 24, 2014, killing all on board. More recently, on September 24, 2022, a Boeing 737-400SF operated by Swiftair overran a runway at Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport in France, ending in a nearby body of water, though with no injuries to the three crew members. On October 31, 2023, an ATR-42-300 freighter experienced an engine fire at Ostrava.

Most recently, on November 25, 2024, Swiftair Flight 5960, a Boeing 737-476(SF) operating for DHL, crashed on final approach to Vilnius, Lithuania. This accident resulted in the death of one crew member and injuries to three others. Preliminary investigation reports suggest potential pilot error, with hydraulic pump switches found in the 'off' position and flaps failing to deploy, leading to the aircraft descending below the glideslope.

Swiftair maintains its own aircraft through its maintenance centers, including a state-of-the-art hangar in Madrid Barajas airport and a network of 38 maintenance centers across Europe. However, the 2024 Vilnius crash has prompted questions regarding the maintenance and inspection of older aircraft models in cargo aviation. No specific safety awards or recognitions were found for Swiftair. The overall safety assessment indicates that while Swiftair operates under robust European regulatory frameworks, its record includes several significant incidents and accidents, raising concerns about operational safety practices, especially in recent years.