US FAA restores Category 1 rating for Thailand

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently reinstated Thailand's aviation safety rating to Category 1 on April 22.  

Previously placed in Category 2 since 2015, Category 1 – the rating is given to countries deemed to be in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organizatin (ICAO) safety standards - allows for new direct or expanded flight services including codeshare flight services from the country to the United States, or other countries that references FAA safety ratings.

Countries rated Category 2 will still be able to see the operation of existing flights to/from the US. However, airlines are not allowed to add more flight services.

When Thailand was downgraded to Category 2 in 2015, the FAA identified 36 safety oversight deficiencies including the shortage of technical officers and certification problems in the transport of hazardous materials.  Following a reassessment process that began in November 2024, the final assessment was conducted in early March.

“Regaining Category 1 not only restores Thailand’s standing in the global aviation market, but also underscores our determination to develop a sustainable and competitive aviation industry at the forefront of the region,” said Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) Director General Manat Chanvanaprayoon.

 At present, there are no direct flights between the US and Thailand, or flights operated by a US-based airline to the Southeast Asian country. Thai Airways last operated non-stop flights between Bangkok and Los Angeles 2012, and a service between the two cities via Seoul Incheon ended in 2015. The last US-based airline to operate flights to Bangkok was Delta with its Fifth-Freedom route from Tokyo Narita that ended in 2016.

Currently with no air services to the US or by a US-based airline, United Airlines will launch a daily service between Hong Kong and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi starting October 26 using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. 

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