Bangkok Airways is the first Thai airline to be re-issued with an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT), with Thai AirAsia and Thai Airways International (THAI) to follow.
Presenting the certificate to the airline in Bangkok on Monday, CAAT director-general Chula Sukmanop said the licensing process, in compliance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), started on Sept 12, 2016.
A re-issued AOC would be valid for five years. CAAT would continually monitor the standards of licencees, he said.
Thai AirAsia and THAI should receive their AOCs within the next month, Mr Chula said. Six other airlines - Nok Air, Orient Thai Airlines, K-Mile Air, NokScoot, AirAsia X and Thai Smile - should get theirs by June this year.
The government is reissuing AOCs for the nine main airlines to convince the ICAO to lift its "red flag" safety warning hanging over Thai airlines. The nine airlines operate 70% of international flights from Thailand.
AOC issuance was an important part of Thailand's efforts to address the ICAO's serious safety concerns (SSC), said Transport Minister Arkhom Terpittayapaisith. The UN's civil aviation agency issued the warning in mid-2015.
The minister expected the ICAO would to lift its red flag in either the third or fourth quarter of this year.