THAI to continue European routes despite ICAO safety threat

Thai Airways has confirmed it will continue to fly to European destinations including London despite the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) ongoing challenge to the Thai airline industry over safety concerns.

Thai Airways A380.
Thai Airways A380.
In a statement, the airline’s president, Charamporn Jotikasthira, said that the European Union had not listed Thai Airways International in the “list of airlines banned within the EU”, despite ICAO posting a red flag on Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation (Thai DCA).

In February, the ICAO had issued a Significant Safety Concern (SSC) on Thai DCA as a result of the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) findings.

THAI will continue to operate scheduled flights to London, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Brussels, Madrid, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm, Zurich, Milan, and Rome.

THAI said it had prepared a business continuity plan in all operational areas in case of a major operational disruption.

“THAI anticipates that the Thai DCA will resolve and correct the Significant Safety Concern findings within the timeframe of the ICAO, in order that Thai carriers can return to normal operations soonest,” the airline said in a statement.
“THAI values the public concern on aviation safety, and would like to assure that THAI will continue to operate under high safety standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).”

sourced:traveldailymedia.com