CAAT to issue licences to two new airlines

CAAT to issue licences to two new airlines

With the ICAO red flag lifted, Thai VietJet Air has had its AOC reissued, and can resume flying overseas. (Creative Commons, Huy Nguyen via Flickr)
With the ICAO red flag lifted, Thai VietJet Air has had its AOC reissued, and can resume flying overseas. (Creative Commons, Huy Nguyen via Flickr)

Authorities are planning to issue air operating licences (AOL) to two new airlines after a red flag over Thai aviation problems, issued by the global civil aviation body, was lifted early last month.

Thailand is now poised to expand its aviation industry which earlier came under strict monitoring after the country was red-flagged in June, 2015 by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for its failure to meet aviation safety standards.

"Now we can increase the number of new airlines," Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) chief Chula Sukmanop said, adding the increase will benefit the rapid growth of commercial air travel.

Recently two new airline operators have asked the CAAT to grant them AOLs for starting their services on domestic routes. Their requests will be considered this month by a committee before being forwarded to Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith for a final say.

Mr Chula said it should take about three months to issue the AOLs, a prerequisite for the operators to apply for air operator's certificates (AOC) which are also crucial for air operations.

The CAAT chief said his agency expects its work to be hectic as several other airlines are seeking the AOC or having their AOC reissued.

The process of "Re-AOC," or recertification of air operator's certificates, usually takes between six and eight months to complete. Authorities are reissuing an AOC to nine Thai-registered airlines after they finished reissuing the certificates to 12 airlines first. They are required to go through a process to apply for the AOC again, as part of the process for regaining the confidence of the ICAO.

The ICAO found problems in Thai aviation safety standards in regards to regulating aviation businesses and granting air operator certificates. ICAO experts also raised concerns over regulations on the transport of hazardous items, including batteries, engines and flammable substances.

A former aviation executive earlier admitted Thailand previously suffered a shortage of personnel responsible for accrediting aviation safety standards and issuing the certificates. This was believed to be a factor in Thailand failing to keep its aviation regulations in line with the ICAO standards.

The problems prompted the country to amend and update laws concerning aviation industry as well as granting a Re-AOC to airlines, leading eventually to the red flag being removed.

Thai VietJet Air, the subsidiary of Vietnamese low-cost group VietJet Air, is the latest beneficiary of the process, getting its AOC reissued last Wednesday, which allows it to resume flying overseas.

The airline is preparing to open a new route between Bangkok and Da Lat in southern Vietnam on Dec 18, providing four flights a week, Mr Arkhom said, as he presided over a ceremony to give the AOC to the airline. Next in line to receive the reissuance of an AOC is Orient Thai Airlines. "We expect to reissued the AOC to the airline next week," Mr Chula said. Eight airlines will be granted a new AOC by January next year.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (2)