Tokyo and Seoul Ban New Thai Flights

1st Apr 2015

Civil air travel authorities in Japan and South Korea barred charter and scheduled flights by Thai air companies to their countries, as concerns over Thailand's ability to meet international aviation safety standards grow.

The ban does not include scheduled and charter flights to these two countries that are already operating, as long as they don't change the types of jets on these routes.

This decision will likely have a great impact on Thai airlines flying to these two countries, as well as affect tens of thousands travelers from Thailand.

Several Thai companies have already had to change their plans.

AirAsia X, Thailand's biggest low-cost airline planned to connect Bangkok and Sapporo, Japan starting on May 1, but they will have to write that off for the time being.

NookScoot, Thai's second biggest low-cost long-haul airline scheduled a service to Incheon airport in South Korea for May 10, but that has now been suspended along with the charter flight from Don Muenang, Bangkok to Japan scheduled for May 16.

The decision was met with concern from airline executives, who are concerned Thai airlines, could soon meet the fate of their Indonesian colleagues, who all got banned from E.U. in 2007 for two years.

One executive briefly said:

'Thai aviation's credibility is seriously at stake and may take years to re-establish if the Civil Aviation Department fails to meet the global yardstick.'

TCAD faces a possible demotion from Category 1 to Category 2 by the ICAO (International Aviation Organization) due to an audit covering airline operations and safety.

The audit covered personnel training and licensing, accident investigation, airline operations error, airworthiness evaluation and certification. According to reports, TCAD passed only 21 out of 100 ICAO requirements, with the biggest concern being the lack of procedures for giving licenses and certificates of airworthiness, as well as giving Civil Aviation Department leave to operate airports and license air companies.

According to Alan Polivnick from Watson Farley & Williams international law firm, a possible E.U. ban would have great consequences for Thai carriers because of the amount of traffic between Thailand and European Union countries.

Related News

Bangkok Airways to Resurrect Vital Flight Routes to Northern Thailand

Thai Vietjet Air: Exclusive May Offers for FUN Rewards Members

Hua Hin Airport anticipates surge in international flights after expansion

No more flights to Mae Hong Son

Related Travel Guide Articles

Chiang Mai's Food Odyssey: Street Eats to Gourmet Feasts

6 Steps to Grabbing Cheap Flights - DomesticFlightsThailand

Getting Around Bangkok