Thailand’s air safety given terse “must try harder”

Safety, capacity and cost issues affecting Thailand’s aviation sector must be urgently addressed in order for it to remain competitive, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned.

The country’s aviation industry accounting for around 2 million Thai jobs and generating $29 billion in GDP, with those figures estimated to grow to 3.8 million jobs and $53 billion in GDP by 2035.

“Aviation is critical to Thailand’s economic success,” IATA director general and chief executive said. “It is the backbone of the tourism industry and provides critical global business links.”

That potential growth of 83% is however in “jeopardy”, he continued, if these pressing issues are not dealt with.

These include safety oversights highlighted by both the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which downgraded Thailand’s safety ranking at the end of last year.

The FAA lowered Thailand’s rating to “category 2” which means its civil aviation authority is deficient in one or more critical areas or that the country lacks laws and regulations needed to oversee airlines in line with international standards.

The EU also warned Thailand over its air safety in December.

However, Tyler stressed that these assessments looked at activity at the government level rather than the activities of the airlines themselves. He stressed that Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Thai Lion Air and Orient Thai Airlines are on the registry of the IATA Operational Safety Audit which he said means they are operating to the “highest global standards for operational safety”.

“Safety is aviation’s top priority. The Government of Thailand must address these concerns in support of a vibrant aviation sector that is the backbone of travel and tourism,” said Tyler.

He also called on Thailand to mandate IOSA as a requirement for all Thai-registered airlines.

“This would not absolve the government of its responsibility to do better in aligning its oversight programs to global standards. But it would send a strong signal that Thailand is serious about its commitment to world-class safety,” he said.

Capacity was also highlighted as an issue at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport which sees traffic of more than 52 million annual travellers, exceeding the terminal design capacity of 45 million. There are also safety concerns over “soft spots” on the tarmac, taxiways and apron area.

In addition, the country’s cost competitiveness needs improvement, according to IATA.

“In the face of intense competition, Thailand’s aviation competitiveness is being chipped away with various new or increased taxes and charges. It is in Thailand’s long-term self-interest to review and abandon proposals that increase the cost of transportation. That includes taxes or charges,” said Tyler.

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Latest comments

Nawaponrath says:
February 19, 2016 at 10:04 am
I understand the issue lies with the Thai Aviation Government body not the airlines but could you answer why Indonesia have half a dozen aviation accidents a year.
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