Foreign Pilots Temporarily Allowed to Fly Domestic Routes?

[Georgealbert]

 

 

Picture courtesy of Thai Vietjet.

 

The Labour Ministry is considering a temporary allowance for foreign pilots to fly domestic routes under wet lease agreements, according to Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. While this arrangement is being explored for one specific airline, further requests from other airlines will be evaluated individually.

 

Minister Phiphat stated that the ministry is awaiting a final meeting with the airline to conclude discussions. The issue was first raised by Thai Vietjet last month during a meeting with the Department of Employment, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), and the Thai Pilots Association. The airline requested permission for foreign pilots to operate domestic routes under wet lease agreements, a request originally made to former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

 

 

The ministry confirmed that Thai Vietjet intends to lease two aircraft, complete with crew, maintenance, and insurance, from a foreign company for six months. The airline plans to operate these jets during Thailand's high tourism season. Although domestic flights are usually reserved for Thai pilots, the ministry is considering making an exception.

 

Phiphat noted that Thailand does not face a pilot shortage, but the lease terms require foreign pilots. A ministerial regulation could be issued to allow this on a temporary basis without parliamentary approval. He added that if other airlines wish to pursue similar agreements, they will need to file separate requests for consideration.

 

However, Teerawat Angkasakulkiat, president of the Thai Pilots Association, expressed concerns that allowing foreign pilots could reduce job opportunities for local pilots. He urged the government to focus on enhancing Thailand's position as an aviation hub and increasing flight capacity to boost domestic pilot employment.

 

Sarun Benjanirat, deputy director-general of CAAT, mentioned that while wet leasing is not uncommon, it has been rarely used in Thailand since its introduction in 2008. Unlike other nations which frequently utilises such arrangements, Thailand has minimal engagement with this practice, as it is not signed Article 83 of the Chicago Convention, which allows the state of registry to transfer supervisory responsibilities for an aircraft to the state of the operator.

 

-- 2024-09-21

 

 

[Captain Monday]

TIT. It has been going on for a long time. 

 

Will not name even though the air carriers where I know it occurred  specifically are defunct.

 

 

 

 

 

"Driving motor vehicles, driving a non-mechanically propelled carrier or driving a domestic mechanically propelled carrier, except for piloting international aircraft or forklift driving"

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Maybe someone who's an aviation geek here can explain the origins of the term "wet lease," which is used repeatedly above....

 

This is what I find on the subject, though it would have been nice if the OP article had explained the term for layman's consumption. But it seems totally un-intuitive for what it really means.

 

"14 CFR 110.2 defines a “wet lease” as “any leasing arrangement whereby a person agrees to provide an entire aircraft and at least one crewmember.” ...

One of the key issues that distinguishes a wet lease from a dry lease is “who has operational control” as defined in 14 CFR 1.1. In a “wet” lease situation, because the lessor is providing both aircraft and crew, the lessor maintains operational control of all flights."

 

https://pilot-protection-services.aopa.org/news/2017/april/01/wet-and-dry-aircraft-lease

 

How the above details translate into "wet" vs "dry" escapes me....

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Captain Monday]

19 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Maybe someone who's an aviation geek here can explain the origins of the term "wet lease," which is used repeatedly above....

 

This is what I find on the subject, though it would have been nice if the OP article had explained the term for layman's consumption. But it seems totally un-intuitive for what it really means.

 

"14 CFR 110.2 defines a “wet lease” as “any leasing arrangement whereby a person agrees to provide an entire aircraft and at least one crewmember.” ...

One of the key issues that distinguishes a wet lease from a dry lease is “who has operational control” as defined in 14 CFR 1.1. In a “wet” lease situation, because the lessor is providing both aircraft and crew, the lessor maintains operational control of all flights."

 

https://pilot-protection-services.aopa.org/news/2017/april/01/wet-and-dry-aircraft-lease

 

How the above details translate into "wet" vs "dry" escapes me....

 

 

Wet lease is often referred to as ACMI. Where the lessor provides "Aircraft, crew maintenance and insurance". Very common in air cargo industry and charter carriers. The lessee just puts their corporate Name on the operation. Remember "Hooters Air"?  

The aircraft were operated by a small charter airline.

 

Dry leasing is just leasing the airframe. Many major airlines lease some or all of their aircraft. 

Announced this week United is leasing Airbus aircraft from a Irish company called SMBC Aviation capital

Maybe because of Boeings long term production and delivery schedules problems?

 

 

https://avitrader.com/2024/09/20/smbc-aviation-capital-leases-20-airbus-a321neo-to-united/

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Captain Monday

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

13 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

Remember "Hooters Air"?  

 

I don't, unfortunately.... 🙂

 

But I seem to recall a big hullabaloo not too far back when the same VietJet Airlines was doing some kind of promotion that had their female cabin crew members dancing down the cabin aisle decked out in bikinis!

 

https://onemileatatime.com/vietjet-models-football-players/