ABOVE: A Thai Airways jet crash landed on Sept. 8, 2013. The next day the airline ordered the logo painted over to try to “hide” its identity. Photo: Wings magazine
Authorities are scrambling to get a ban of new flights by Thai airlines by Japan lifted as Korean officials consider the same measures due to safety concerns.
Although international aviation officials have not made public their findings, the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization has flagged the kingdom’s airlines including Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia X, NokScoot a “significant safety concern,” leading Tokyo to block all new flights.
The ban is not only embarrassing but potentially costly at the beginning of a peak travel season for the Songkran Festival. Existing flights are not affected.
Thai Airways President Jarumporn Chotikasathein told the Associated Press it would cancel at least five charter flights planned next month while heightened inspections by foreign regulators were conducted.
The move to downgrade Thailand on March 20 came after a January audit which typically reviews staff, training, fleet condition, accident investigations and more.
Whether any specific incidents led to the audit and decision was unspecified, as the previous review was conducted 10 years ago.
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