Thai Airways could be banned from flying to US
Only a few weeks after Thai Airways International escaped inclusion on the European Union’s Air Safety List of airlines with substandard safety levels even though the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) remained concerned, new trouble is on the horizon for Thailand’s national carrier, this time emerging from the US.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its latest inspection of Thai aviation safety standards revealed that insufficiently qualified manpower is one of the country’s main drawbacks in delivering its aviation safety services on a globally recommended level. The FAA found that staff in the Thai civil aviation sector does not meet recommended industry standards and were sometimes inappropriately assigned to aircraft types, a concern which had also been raised by the ICAO. Another issue found was that operations checklists are not strictly adhered to.
According to Thailand’s transport minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, the FAA’s full inspection report including a safety rating is expected to be released within 30 days, and the Thai Department of Civil Aviation will be given 65 days to take corrective measures.
If Thailand subsequently meets the standards, the FAA will give it a Category 1 rating, which means Thai-registered carriers can continue flight services to the US as normal. But if the department is not able to resolve the problems highlighted by the FAA, the country’s aviation safety standard rating could be downgraded to a second class ranking which would result in a flight ban to the US.
The FAA inspection came after the ICAO red-flagged Thailand on June 18 following its failure to meet a 90-day deadline to correct shortcomings the international aviation body highlighted earlier.
Only a few weeks after Thai Airways International escaped inclusion on the European Union's Air Safety List of airlines with substandard safety levels even though the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) remained concerned, new trouble is on the horizon for Thailand's national carrier, this time emerging from the US. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its latest inspection of Thai aviation safety standards revealed that insufficiently qualified manpower is one of the country’s main drawbacks in delivering its aviation safety services on a globally recommended level. The FAA found that staff in the Thai civil aviation sector does...
Only a few weeks after Thai Airways International escaped inclusion on the European Union’s Air Safety List of airlines with substandard safety levels even though the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) remained concerned, new trouble is on the horizon for Thailand’s national carrier, this time emerging from the US.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its latest inspection of Thai aviation safety standards revealed that insufficiently qualified manpower is one of the country’s main drawbacks in delivering its aviation safety services on a globally recommended level. The FAA found that staff in the Thai civil aviation sector does not meet recommended industry standards and were sometimes inappropriately assigned to aircraft types, a concern which had also been raised by the ICAO. Another issue found was that operations checklists are not strictly adhered to.
According to Thailand’s transport minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, the FAA’s full inspection report including a safety rating is expected to be released within 30 days, and the Thai Department of Civil Aviation will be given 65 days to take corrective measures.
If Thailand subsequently meets the standards, the FAA will give it a Category 1 rating, which means Thai-registered carriers can continue flight services to the US as normal. But if the department is not able to resolve the problems highlighted by the FAA, the country’s aviation safety standard rating could be downgraded to a second class ranking which would result in a flight ban to the US.
The FAA inspection came after the ICAO red-flagged Thailand on June 18 following its failure to meet a 90-day deadline to correct shortcomings the international aviation body highlighted earlier.
