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CAAT to Audit THAI, Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways for AOCs
1st Dec 2016
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) will be helping the national carrier Thai Airways International (THAI) resume flights to United States. The airline is expected to open a route to either San Francisco or Seattle. According to Chula, THAI should be able to return to the US around the end of next year, during the winter schedule.
THAI had to abandon its one route to the US (Bangkok-Los Angeles) after the US Federal Aviation ruled to downgrade Thailand to Category 2 last December. This meant that no Thai-based airline could open new routes, increase their frequency on existing flights or change the type of aircraft it uses on current routes. THAI was forced to suspend the route as part of its rehabilitation plan.
FAA’s decision also came a few months after the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) red-flagged Thailand due to safety concerns in June, last year.
Now, CAAT is working to remove those obstacles for Thai-registered airlines and allow them to once again fly internationally unencumbered. The Authority specifically aims to help carriers deal with the safety issues the UN and US aviation regulators pointed out.
According to Chula Sukmanop, CAAT director, the short-term goal is to have ICAO’s red flag removed and return Thailand to the FAA Category 1 by next year.
As part of this, CAAT will audit the top three airlines in Thailand – Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways – in order to reissue their Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) by March next year. Following the audit, CAAT will invite ICAO and FAA for an examination of Thailand’s aviation sector between May and June. The results of this examination should be available within three months, said CAAT Director.
Chula also said that, before ICAO’s audit, Thai airlines will be examined by a world-renowned aviation consultancy, CAA International, a subsidiary of the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
THAI Phuket-Bangkok Flight Grounded After Engine “Bangs” on Takeoff
Meanwhile a ThAI-operated Airbus A330-300 was grounded at Phuket Airport after one of the engines emitted a “loud bang” during takeoff.
A report of the incident said:
The aircraft was accelerating for takeoff from runway 09 when the crew rejected takeoff after the right hand engine (PW4168) emitted a loud bang. Ground observers reported there had been a huge bang, the aircraft shuddered, the aircraft began to slow when two more bangs occurred from the right hand engine.
Incidents like these are the last thing THAI needs if it wants to resume flights to the United States.
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