Thailand, US to resume direct flights

Thailand and the United States are expected to resume direct flights in February of next year when the FAA of the US Department of Transportation upgrades Thai aviation safety from Category 2 to Category 1, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit. Suriya recently announced the significant progress in Thailand's aviation safety standards following an inspection by the FAA between Nov 11 and 15, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) receiving favourable evaluations. He said while some minor issues remain, they are not expected to impact the final decision, adding that Thailand is projected to regain its Category 1 (CAT 1) safety rating by February next year, marking a major milestone for the country's aviation sector. Thailand's downgrade to Category 2 (CAT 2) in December 2015 followed a reassessment by the FAA, citing non-compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. In 2015, the ICAO found a conflict of interest in that the department is both the regulator and the operator of provincial airports in the country<br/>