Thailand's airlines could serve the U.S. after a 10-year pause.
A Thai Airways Boeing 777 during taxi. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
After a decade of suspension, Thailand’s airlines could resume service to the U.S. in the near future. It comes after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) upgraded Thailand’s air safety to Category 1.
Back in 2015, Thailand was downgraded to Category 2 due to a shortage of qualified flight inspectors and certification problems in transporting hazardous goods. The FAA had identified 36 safety concerns based on International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
Under the rating of Category 2, Thai airlines couldn’t provide service or codeshare with other countries’ carriers to the U.S. Also, the rating could deeply affect Thai pilots’ opportunities.
The decision could be a shot in the arm to Thai aviation. According to the Thai government, Thai airlines could expand their route maps or increase flight frequencies to South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong. After the resumption, passengers could take advantage of the new policy, such as a competitive fare to the U.S. In addition, Thai pilots can pursue more opportunities.
Thai Airways could stand to benefit from the latest announcement. Prior to the suspension, the flag carrier used to operate between Bangkok and New York, along with Los Angeles. The airline currently owns a fleet of 79 aircraft operating flights to 64 destinations.
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