United States' FAA team to test Thai aviation standards

[davidstipek]

Recently took a flight with Thai with an 18 month old child. When I asked for a safety belt for the child they told me that child restraints were not safe and that I should just hold the child tight in the event of an emergency !!!

Safe to say I have already booked with BA for the next flight. Even if they do have a shiny new A380 on the route, if I can't safely belt my kids in then they can keep it.

Referring to Thai Air....

Does anyone remember why Thai Air was kicked out of Seattle Tacoma International Airport ??? (I know the answer... just want to see if they will admit.) Following that Ruling they lost for a time the rights to enter U.S.A.'s air space. Later they were granted minimal landing sites. But never regained the privilege to land in Washington State.

I was under the belief that Child seatbelt adapters were mandatory. When child is over a certain age, even weights are given as when to be applied when they are assigned a seat. Only when child is an infant example: 3 months,17kg are they allowed to be held. Some Airlines will rebook families to other flight schedules where safety restraints are available, to comply with this ruling.

[VIPinthailand]

they read check list upside down... and most of the time they don't read it at all, it s in English....

[deckape]

Does anyone remember why Thai Air was kicked out of Seattle Tacoma International Airport ???

No I don't remember and I almost broke Google searching for it. Please enlighten us?

[Oziex1]

Does anyone remember why Thai Air was kicked out of Seattle Tacoma International Airport ???

No I don't remember and I almost broke Google searching for it. Please enlighten us?

Yes, what happened there or are you making it up?

[davidstipek]

Crew was caught smuggling contraband (which included Drugs) into USA. Banned from ever landing at Seattle/Tacoma Int. Again. This came about from months of surveillances. Crew was taken into custody, finally released to Thai/US Consultant and demanded they exit U.S. asap. Not sure who was paid or the amount... But crew to this day is Banned from entering US Airspace. It took months to get Jet released, US crew (Military) flew it back to Thailand, Thailand had to pay wages and costs involved with return.

[davidstipek]

So to fly Thai Air to Seattle.

Land either at Vancouver, British Columbia or California (L.A. not sure if San Fran ever opened doors to them or not)

[jaywalker]

....still putting together the manual....

....much like the countless school projects or assignments.....

...dissertations...

...theses......

....and we know how that works...

... and constitutions.

[arunsakda]

Recently took a flight with Thai with an 18 month old child. When I asked for a safety belt for the child they told me that child restraints were not safe and that I should just hold the child tight in the event of an emergency !!!

Safe to say I have already booked with BA for the next flight. Even if they do have a shiny new A380 on the route, if I can't safely belt my kids in then they can keep it.

Adult seat belts are not safe for small kids. The only FAA approved restraint for children under 44 pounds, other than an approved hard backed car seat, is the CARES restraint system. I fly for a US airline and we don't provide them, doubt BA does either. FAA requires child over 2 years to be in their own seat and most parents bring an approved car seat.

[Traveling Sailor]

Might not take too long to arrive at a conclusion.

No need to take a boat. There are plenty of Non-Thai carriers that touch down in Bangkok.

[SteveChe]

Agree 100% with Jim Walker, the most unsafe airline in the world (from an Engineering standpoint) is a Thai based airline that operates within Thailand and internationally, with Americans and Brits at the helm. It's a sad fact that the Thai employees who work for the airline (and rarely get paid on time) know full well that it is unsafe, but are too scared to say so. Ok, so Thai DCA Regulations and their Processes they require of Thai based airlines is pretty shabby, as found by the Chinese CAAC Audit of the Thai DCA and a selection of Thai airlines back in May but the root cause of Thailand's downgrade is the fact that their Low Cost Carriers allow expat Americans and Brits in to ride rough-shod over the Thais and the Thai employees wont stand in unity to fight their farang oppressors.

Most countries have an Aviation Confidential Reporting System, called CHIRP in the UK, but such a system is lacking in Thailand. That would sort a few things out if the Thais stood up and made statements to highlight inherent Safety Issues brought about by the imported hired help!

[ratcatcher]

So to fly Thai Air to Seattle.

Land either at Vancouver, British Columbia or California (L.A. not sure if San Fran ever opened doors to them or not)

No Thai flights to YVR only LAX

[Lunchbob]

My step father worked for the FAA 30 years. They are a joke.

[phoenixdoglover]

"THAI has no problem with safety standards and we are able to operate anywhere," said Charamporn. He added the airline would continue its cost-cutting measures along with initiating new strategies to return to profit.

An unfortunate juxtaposition of two thoughts.