Thailand aims to regain FAA Category 1 status in February 2025, restoring direct US flights lost since 2015 due to safety concerns. With reforms and Suvarnabhumi Airport’s rising global rank, hopes grow for the kingdom’s transformation into a leading aviation hub.
Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungruangkit announced on Saturday that he was confident of Thailand regaining its lost Category 1 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) status in late February 2025. Lost in 2015 due to lax standards and safety concerns, the downgrade has cost Thailand in terms of flight connectivity with the US market. The news comes as the kingdom appears to be making progress toward former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s vision of Thailand as a world-leading aviation hub catering for Southeast Asia and the wider Indo Pacific.
Thailand is expected to be upgraded by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in late February. In short, the change will see Thailand raised to a Category 1 destination.
After that, the kingdom can expect greater confidence in airlines opening routes to and from the country, particularly since Thailand lost its Category 1 status in December 2015. Since then, American airlines have been prohibited from launching new direct flights to the kingdom.
This news was confirmed on Saturday by Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungruangkit. It follows an inspection by FAA officials from November 11-15.
Thailand’s downgrade in 2015 cost its aviation sector connectivity and confidence in the global market
Certainly, this was a detailed audit conducted by US representatives as guests of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
It followed a disastrous inspection in July 2015. Previously, the FAA had placed Thailand on a red-flag list while downgrading its rating to Category 2.
Undoubtedly, the impact of this downgrade has been felt, especially after the COVID-19 crisis, which saw Thailand struggling to regain industry confidence and route connectivity.
Nonetheless, the present government has been making definite strides. This has attracted key global airlines, such as British Airways, back to Bangkok and led to an improvement in the rating of Thailand’s main aviation centre, Suvarnabhumi Airport.
On March 1st, former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin outlined a bold vision to develop Thailand as Southeast Asia’s premier aviation hub, targeting 150 million arrivals per year.
Prime Minister Srettha’s bold aviation goals have sparked reforms and optimism in Thailand’s aviation sector
Certainly, the impetus by the former Prime Minister has contributed greatly to rising optimism.
Indeed, at one point, Prime Minister Srettha turned up unannounced at the country’s main airport to conduct a review. The results were far from satisfactory.
However, since then, the airport has introduced e-tickets and boarding passes, as well as biometric scanning, to mention just a few initiatives.
In July 2015, the American oversight agency identified no fewer than 33 failures in the country’s regulatory environment. These included lower safety standards, a lack of staffing and the fact that the country’s regulator was also responsible for provincial airports.
Thailand faces an uphill struggle to become the aviation hub it once was before the pandemic era
Meanwhile, the elevation of Vietnam to Category 1 status in 2019 further damaged Thailand.
The Southeast Asian country is Thailand’s direct competitor, primarily for foreign tourism, inward investment, and trade.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Transport’s permanent secretary, Chayatan Phromsorn, explained that the CAAT had made extensive and continuous improvements leading to this month’s audit.
Thailand expects FAA to finalize its upgrade to Category 1 status, boosting global confidence in Thai aviation
In particular, he clarified that there are still a number of minor points to be addressed. Presently, it is expected that the FAA will finalize its report based on the five-day audit.
After that, there will be a formal meeting. However, Thai authorities are confident that the upgrade will be announced in late February 2025. In turn, this will confirm to the critical international airline industry that Thailand complies fully with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
Consequently, this will open the way for American-based airlines to expand operations in Thailand. Even more significantly, it will see the resumption of direct flights from the United States. This certainly remains one of Thailand’s most important and lucrative foreign tourism markets.
Indeed, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) maintains offices in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
In the meantime, in addition to opening a new terminal and a third runway, Suvarnabhumi Airport is taking off. The airport ranked 58th in the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, up from 68th last year. Previously, the airport had been ranked 13th.
However, in February, Suvarnabhumi Airport was voted the 7th most luxurious airport in the world by a major insurance firm. Furthermore, UNESCO listed it among the top most beautiful airports globally.
In addition, the new SAT-1 terminal, which opened last year but fully launched in 2024, has been praised. Indeed, it has been nominated for a Prix Versailles award for its beautiful world-class architecture.
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