IATA: Unfair to penalise Thai airlines
Kang Soon Chen
Asia News Network

MADRID: -- It is unfair to penalise Thai airlines for the government's ''oversight'' in regulatory regime for aviation, said International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general and chief executive officer Tony Tyler.

Speaking at a press conference during the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit, Tyler said the situation on the ban on new charter and routes imposed on Thai airlines was "confusing"as the airlines were not entirely at fault.

"Both Thai Airways and Bangkok Air are members of IATA which met international safety standards.

''It is important for governments to provide adequate, thorough regulatory regime to ensure aviation safety," said Tyler.

Japan, South Korea and China are the countries that ban charter flights from Thailand over safety concerns after Thai negotiators from the Civil Aviation Department failed to convince officials to ease restrictions.

Besides Thai Airways, other airlines affected by the ban include Asia Atlantic,NokScoot, Jet Asia, Asian Air and Thai AirAsia X.

Japan and South Korea later eased restrictions for the airlines; six Thai airlines were allowed to operate charter flights to Japan from April 11 to May 31 while Jet Asia received approval from South Korea to fly until mid-April.

On another matter, Tyler said the benefits achieved from lower fuel price has been offset by stronger US dollars.

"Stronger dollar affects operation cost as well, spare parts are usually priced in US dollars, supply contracts of various are also priced in US dollars,'' he said.

Source: http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-74159.html


-- ANN 2015-04-17

Whose has paid him? Oversight! 10 years to solve. People cannot be trusted, you have to have international standards.

Edited April 17, 201511 yr by clockman

IATA is effectively the union for the bigger/scheduled-airlines.

They are correct to say that some of their members are perhaps being hit unfairly, by this failure of the Thai DCA, falling behind ICAO international-standards.

But they can't really expect other Asian regulators to differentiate between long-established well-financed properly-engineered scheduled-airlines, and small new poorly-financed charter-airlines, that is the Thai DCA's job.

Aren't Thai Airways owned by the same government they are pointing the finger at?

Madrid....Spain....'nuff said.

And the passenger pays the ultimate price if things go wrong. Sack that idiot

Edited April 18, 201511 yr by gandalf12

Bring in some 1st or 2nd country experts to sort this out. Can't seem to do it on their own.

So also IATA are run by fools ...

Madrid....Spain....'nuff said.

Not really. Apart from the fact Madrid is in Spain and is its capital I've no idea what your talking about.

Well in Thailand things that have to be done quick or even since ages only work while they feel very hard presssure on them.....So the only way is to ban ALL from Thai running Airlines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So also IATA are run by fools ...

No, they're just representing their members, who are generally the better/larger/longer-established airlines of the world.

And exactly who does IATA think should be punished for the failure to maintain safety standards ?

And the stronger dollar sure hasn't reflected itself in the Thai Baht exchange rate

The last time i heard this spokesman he was saying there was no need for tourists to avoid Thailand just because of the problems on the streets in 2010.

Representing your members is one thing but excusing the DCA for sitting on their hands for years is well beyond an ' oversight ' especially where safety is in question.

Protecting members more important than protecting the travelling public ?

"Both Thai Airways and Bangkok Air are members of IATA which met international safety standards.

''It is important for governments to provide adequate, thorough regulatory regime to ensure aviation safety," said Tyler.

From the OP, I'd say it's very clear, where IATA think the blame/responsibility lies, and I don't see him making any excuses for the DCA either.

"Japan, South Korea and China are the countries that ban charter flights from Thailand over safety concerns..."

Last week there was a news story that China would not ban the flights. Someone needs to get their facts right.