Air checks likely delayed until year end

Air checks likely delayed until year end

Process to meet international air safety standards will be slower than expected. (Photo by Narupon Hinshiranun)
Process to meet international air safety standards will be slower than expected. (Photo by Narupon Hinshiranun)

A plan to address safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is likely to be delayed and further inspections by the UN agency are unlikely to be completed before the end of the year, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong says.

ACM Prajin's remark followed his meeting with the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).

The meeting was to review the plan which has been prepared to ease the ICAO's aviation safety concerns.

Due to delays, the ICAO inspections, which were scheduled from July to October this year, will be postponed to mid-August and will be completed after December, ACM Prajin said.

ACM Prajin said the delays were caused by a shortage of personnel to train the DCA's staff to carry out inspections and certification of 28 new airlines.

Moreover, he said the DCA has decided to wait for recommendations from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is scheduled to make checks from July 13 to 17.

"Before the start of inspections and certification of 28 new airlines in August, we will wait for recommendations from the FAA.

"The recommendations may be used to make changes to the action plan. If they detect any flaws, we have 65 days to fix them," he said.

ACM Prajin said the flight operating inspector manual and air operating certification requirements are expected to be implemented after the first week of July. Staff training will begin after that.

He said the DCA has 19 staff to carry out air operating certification inspections and is seeking to hire experts from the Technical Cooperation Bureau to help carry out inspections and certification of 28 airlines.

Soithip Trisuddhi, permanent secretary for transport, said it is difficult to predict when the ICAO's "red flag" will be removed due to the delays in the action plan.

However, she said the DCA is confident it will eventually pass the audit.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (6)