http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/597156

The red flag slapped by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Thailand's aviation safety supervision on Thursday may result in a further backlash to the industry.

It could mean several more countries will be under pressure to put flights operated by Thai-registered airlines to their airports under closer scrutiny or even curb them, Thai officials and airline executives said Thursday.

Transport Minister Prajin: 'We have to admit that we failed the test'

"What we're gravely concerned about is more countries coming to clip our wings since our image is made worse by the red flag," a senior executive of one Thai airline operating on international routes told the Bangkok Post.

There is a risk the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau may lift its reprieve, now set to end next month, that allows airlines such as Thai AirAsia X to operate flights to Sapporo.

Similarly, South Korea and China could tighten restrictions on Thai airlines' flights to their airports beyond regular scheduled services that they allowed before the ICAO put out its yellow card.

The UN agency in charge of global aviation standards on Thursday publicly flashed a red flag at Thailand after the country failed to meet the deadline for corrective action.

Thailand is one of 13 countries including the likes of Botswana, Haiti and Angola to be red-flagged by the ICAO among 187 whose aviation standards were audited.

The ICAO showed a yellow card to Thailand after an audit in January when the Civil Aviation Department scored very poorly.
It expressed grave concerns about lapses in personnel licensing and training, airworthiness assessment and certification, airline operations oversight and issues involving the granting of operator certificates to airlines.

I flew Thai Airways out of Manila a few years ago. They charged me $85. in extra baggage that my flight from the US on Asiana Airlines had not charge for, the plane was three hours late, they sent a smaller airplane than advertised, the inside of the plane looked like a herd of cows had just passed through (filthy) and the overhead in the cabin was falling apart. Years ago I flew Thai every year from the US RT to Thailand and it was wonderful, now its really gone downhill.

Anchor Moy wrote:

The ICAO showed a yellow card to Thailand after an audit in January when the Civil Aviation Department scored very poorly.
It expressed grave concerns about lapses in personnel licensing and training, airworthiness assessment and certification, airline operations oversight and issues involving the granting of operator certificates to airlines.

Just for that reason, and not because of profit reasons (as stated by Thai Airways) they have cancelled all flights to the US.
Their fleet is technically seen a catastrophe, and I think it's just a matter of time until they get banned from flying in to Europe.

Very bad news. Their first class ticket to Paris is a steal

Barang_doa_slae wrote:Very bad news. Their first class ticket to Paris is a steal

Was a while ago, but the last time I flew Thai Airways from Paris to Bangkok was the last time I took TA. There was an electrical fault so the lights were out/on minimum for the entire flight and we took off at lunchtime. After the meal it was time for bed ! No reading light, no nothing.

I would have retaliate by emptying their bar... Hmm wait I usually do that anyway

Shit I've been flying with them to Europe maybe 5 time in the last 12 months , by far the best schedule, and their prices aren't bad

logos wrote:Shit I've been flying with them to Europe maybe 5 time in the last 12 months , by far the best schedule, and their prices aren't bad

This was a few years ago, but it's one of my worst flights ever, including Aeroflot, Bulgarian and Biman Airlines. A total f'k up and not cheap either. In fact we paid a bit more for what we thought was a good-service and reliable airline.
It could have just been one of those unlucky things, the last flight of a plane on its last legs... but it was so awful that I prefer to go elsewhere now and sorry if that's not fair.

Barang_doa_slae wrote:I would have retaliate by emptying their bar... Hmm wait I usually do that anyway :beer2:

Yeah, I did, but it was rough drinking in the dark.

I never even consider Thai these days, for LHR-BKK they are usually significantly more expensive compared to the opposition, haven't kept up with fleet modernisation and are a bit like the old BA where they traded too long on a past reputation.

However I might have missed it but I didn't think the article specifically singled out Thai Airways, I thought it was more aimed at the general running of the sector in Thailand.

http://travel.asiaone.com/article/news/ ... y-concerns

China has joined South Korea and Japan in stopping Thai airlines from flying charters and new routes because of safety concerns highlighted by an international audit, Thai officials said yesterday.

The move will come as a blow to Thai carriers that have just started recovering after a poor 2014 when political protests slashed the number of tourists visiting Thailand.

The halt is disrupting the peak travel season around the Thai new year in April. About 100 charter flights to Japan alone have been cancelled and some 30,000 tickets either refunded or modified, the director general of Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Somchai Piputwat told reporters yesterday.

Budget carriers have been worst hit though national carrier Thai Airways International, which is in the midst of a major restructuring, has also been prevented from expanding because of the halt, Thai officials said.

One aviation source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that significant safety concerns had been uncovered during an audit of Thailand's civil aviation authority by the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The source said the ICAO's concerns revolved around the issue of operator certificates to carriers by the Thai authority. While the ICAO cannot "downgrade" states, its audits identify concerns that could lead countries to take steps such as banning flights.

"The audit revealed some safety concerns, primarily relating to air operator certification procedures," ICAO spokesman Anthony Philbin said in an email, adding that Thailand had submitted a plan to the ICAO to correct the issues identified.
- See more at: http://travel.asiaone.com/article/news/ ... SKfqc.dpuf