PUBLISHED : 30 Nov 2024 at 09:30
Thailand and the United States are expected to resume direct flights in February of next year when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US Department of Transportation upgrades Thai aviation safety from Category 2 to Category 1, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit.
Mr Suriya recently announced the significant progress in Thailand’s aviation safety standards following an inspection by the FAA between Nov 11 and 15, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) receiving favourable evaluations.
He said while some minor issues remain, they are not expected to impact the final decision, adding that Thailand is projected to regain its Category 1 (CAT 1) safety rating by February next year, marking a major milestone for the country’s aviation sector.
Thailand’s downgrade to Category 2 (CAT 2) in December 2015 followed a reassessment by the FAA, citing non-compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
In 2015, the ICAO found a conflict of interest in that the department is both the regulator and the operator of provincial airports in the country.
It also warned of insufficient personnel inspection and leniency in issuing air transport licences.
Transport Permanent Secretary Chayatan Phromsorn assured that the CAAT has worked diligently to address safety issues and meet the standards since the downgrade. The recent five-day audit by the FAA revealed that major concerns have been resolved, with only minor adjustments pending, he said.
Next, the FAA will finalise its report and conduct a final discussion. It is expected to make an official announcement about the upgrade in late February.
The CAT 1 designation confirms that a country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards, enabling airlines to establish or expand operations to the US.
Thailand’s regaining of its CAT 1 status will allow Thai airlines to operate direct flights to the US, benefiting the country’s aviation industry.
The country was assigned an initial Category 2 rating in 1996 and received a CAT 1 rating in 1997.
Reassessments in 2001 and 2008 continued the CAT 1 rating. However, a reassessment in July 2015 found that Thailand did not meet international standards, leading to a downgrade in December of the same year.