Thai Aviation Red Flagged

[baa99]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33181534

 

In March, the ICAO issued an alert on Thailand's aviation body after a safety audit revealed that it failed to adequately oversee its airlines.

 

The move led to a ban on new flights to China, Japan and South Korea.

 

Thai officials had then submitted plans to deal with the concerns in March.

 

But, the ICAO "red flagged" the country's body on Thursday for failing to solve the issues within 90 days.

Thailand's aviation sector joins 12 other developing countries, including Nepal and Sierra Leone, that have been downgraded to Category 2 from Category 1 by the organisation for its safety standards.

 

An audit in January by the United Nations body had found that Thailand's aviation authority had a shortage of technical officers and issues with certifying the transportation of hazardous goods.

[Coss]

ICAO red-flags Thailand

 

 

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICASO) has red-flagged Thailand for its failure to address significant safety concerns (SSC) regarding safety standards within the 90-day deadline.

 

 

According to Bangkok Post, SSC indicates that Thailand is not providing sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO standards, said ICAO.

 

Former director-general of Civil Aviation Department, Mr Chaisak Aungsuwan, said that the placing of red-flag on Thailand ICAO website is a normal procedure to inform the public of Thailand not providing sufficient safety oversight.

 

He added that this was not a matter of serious concern as concerned Thai authorities have been trying to solve the problem.

 

THAI president Charamporn Jotikasthira said that ICAO’s red-flagging indicated the Civil Aviation Department’s safety oversight failure but it did not mean that air navigation services, airlines, airports and air craft of Thailand were substandard.

 

http://englishnews.t...-flags-thailand

[Coss]

And yet -

 

After a lot of talk about Thai flag carriers losing permission to fly to Europe and North America due to safety issues, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) today announced that it operates with the highest safety standards in all operational areas.

 

Mr. Charamporn Jotikasthira, THAI President, said that in light of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) public posting a red flag today on Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation (Thai DCA), as a result of the findings during the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP) and the issuance of a Significant Safety Concern (SSC), Thai Airways International wants to reassure the travelling public that THAI operates with the highest safety standards in all operational areas.

 

“A significant safety concern (SSC) does not necessarily indicate a particular safety deficiency in the air navigation service providers, airlines (air operators), aircraft or aerodrome; but, rather, indicates that the State is not providing sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO Standards,†ICAO.

 

Despite the ICAO having “identified that Thailand has a significant safety concern with respect to the ability of the Thai DCA to properly oversee airlines under its jurisdiction,†Thai Airways International assures all parties that THAI strictly practices the safety standards of these international agencies.

 

EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency)

FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)

CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority)

CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China)

JCAB (Japan Civil Aviation Bureau)

IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit)

 

Since 13 February 2015, when ICAO first issued the SSC on Thai DCA, Thai Airways International has had to rely on other states’ civil aviation authorities to provide oversight for where THAI operates. As such, THAI has undergone additional and more frequent safety audits and station inspections by these authorities; and as a result of these audits, THAI has been able to continue operating regular flights to these countries. In the very near future, THAI will be audited at the Company’s base by other states’ civil aviation authorities.

 

http://www.eturbonew...afety-standards

[cavanami]

If you tell the lie enough times, one starts to believe it.

[Coss]

ICAO gives Thailand 4 more months to sort out safety standards

 

THE INTERNATIONAL Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) yesterday continued to red-flag Thailand over safety standards and gave the country another four months to tackle this issue.

 

Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong admitted the country had not passed the ICAO safety standards yet, but vowed to continue the hard work to get the red flag removed as soon as possible.

 

Thai Airways International, meanwhile, issued a statement reassuring its customers worldwide that the airline had consistently adhered to the highest international safety standards and was not affected by the red flag.

 

In February this year, the ICAO told Thailand it had significant concerns (SSC) regarding aviation safety standards.

 

Prajin said yesterday the ICAO had told Thai officials in Canada that the Kingdom had until November this year to continue tackling the issue before the next evaluation.

 

"In my opinion, it looks like we failed this time," said Prajin, adding that aviation authorities in other countries might consider cancelling flights operating from Thailand due to the red flag.

 

Thai-registered airlines will likely face a loss of goodwill, higher operating costs and increasing competition from foreign carriers. In addition, Thai carriers can expect an increase in costs from higher aircraft lease rates, more stringent maintenance covenants, and surges in insurance premiums.

 

The industry will likely see increased competition from foreign carriers that may launch new routes to capture under-served passengers travelling to and from Thailand. Thai carriers may also lose personnel to foreign counterparts looking to boost their own manpower.

 

Of all the sub-segments in the airline industry, charter carriers will lose out the most as their operating licences are issued on a case-by-case basis, while full service airlines and medium-haul low-cost carriers will experience some setbacks to their growth plans from an inability to fly new routes or increase flight frequencies. Domestic low-cost carriers will likely be the least affected.

 

According to the ICAO website, Thailand had secured 76.19 per cent for aviation legislation while getting only 46.15 per cent for organisation of government agencies to ensure safety standards, which is below the global average.

 

As for operations, the country got 64.84 per cent, slightly above the global average of 66.24 per cent. Earlier, the ICAO said the significant safety concerns meant that there were questions about the ability of the state to properly oversee airlines under its jurisdiction.

 

As for other aspects, comprising airworthiness, accident investigation, air navigation services, and aerodromes, Thailand got higher scores than the global average.

 

Currently, the countries hit with a red flag are Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Eritrea, Georgia, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malawi, Nepal, Sierra Leone and Uruguay.

 

Meanwhile, Thai Airways International president Charamporn Jotikasthira said: "A significant safety concern [as cited by the ICAO] does not necessarily indicate a particular safety deficiency in the air-navigation service providers, airlines [air operators], aircraft or aerodromes but, rather, indicates that the state is not providing sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO standards."

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/ICAO-gives-Thailand-4-more-months-to-sort-out-safe-30262658.html

[Coss]

U.S. aviation body downgrades Thailand over safety issues

 

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday downgraded Thailand's safety ratings after its civil aviation body failed to tackle flaws in its commercial aviation standards.

 

Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) was taken to a category 2 from 1 because it "did not comply" with its standards, the FAA said in a statement. That means Thai airlines are prevented from launching or expanding services to the United States, either directly or as code-share partners.

 

Although none of the kingdom's airlines currently fly to the United States, the lower safety rating could hurt the image of a country with a thriving tourism industry and a long-established commercial air travel sector that handles scores of domestic and international routes.

 

Bangkok is a regional airline hub that has forecast some 30 million tourist arrivals this year. In July it was given 65 days by the FAA to take make improvements over what the it said were critical omissions in safety standards.

 

Prior to the announcement, a DCA source told Reuters the FAA's inspections detected "some three or four" unresolved issues and the DCA "cannot meet the deadline."

 

The FAA did not specify where Thailand had failed, but said its category 2 rating would apply to an aviation authority that "is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping, or inspection procedures".

 

It follows a series of red flags and concerns that have put Thailand's air safety standards under the microscope this year.

 

The Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Authority, a division of the United Nations, downgraded the kingdom to category 2 from category 1 in June. Its January audit found Thailand had a shortage of technical officers and certification problems in transporting hazardous goods.

 

South Korea, Japan and China had previously stopped Thai-based airlines from flying charters and new routes over safety worries that emerged in an international audit. Those restrictions have since been relaxed.

 

Thailand had been given time to take corrective measures over what the FAA said were critical omissions in its safety standards.

 

Patee Sarasin, chairman of low-cost carrier Nok Airlines told Reuters the FAA decision would hurt the local industry's reputation and may also lead to countries like South Korea or Japan limiting flights and routes by Thai operators.

 

Flag carrier Thai Airways, however, said its business would not be affected.

 

"There is no commercial or customer impact as THAI had already ceased operations to its only U.S. destination of Los Angeles," its president, Charamporn Jotikasthira, said in a statement.

 

{ in other words the commercial and customer impact has already kicked in }

 

-----

 

http://uk.reuters.co...N0TK4J920151201

[My Penis is hungry]

When did they stop flying to LA?

[jitagawn]

"When did they stop flying to LA?"

 

October 22nd

 

Bummer

[radioman]

Thing is that when the FAA does something like this other bodies sometimes sit up and take note. Quite possibly the EU will follow the FAA lead and that would have a much more significant impact.

[My Penis is hungry]

Wow, no more USA flights, not that long ago they had a few places they went too