Significant “Safety Concerns” Turn Asian Countries Against Thailand’s Airlines

China has joined Japan and South Korea in preventing Thai airlines from expanding over their skies due to safety concerns.

Airlines based in Thailand are suddenly finding route expansions unwelcome in neighboring Asian countries. Reuters reports China is the latest nation to ban Thai airlines from expanding routes to their nations, joining Japan and South Korea in the prohibition movement.

The halt comes on the heels of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) release of an audit of safety practices on airlines based in Thailand, one identifying serious “safety concerns” among the country’s carriers. An ICAO representative told Reuters that the concerns were focused around “air operator certification procedures.”

As a result of the cancelled flights, Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation claims that as many as 30,000 tickets have either been refunded or modified in order to ensure travelers get to their final destination. Thai carriers Orient Thai Airlines and Sky View have been barred from expanding their routes into China, while Thai AirAsiaX and Star Alliance member Thai Airways are also affected by the prohibition.

According to the country’s Department of Civil Aviation, preexisting routes between Thailand and the three neighboring countries are not affected by the situation. New routes, however, will be limited at the height of Thailand’s tourist season. Officials inside the department believe that the situation will be resolved by the end of 2015.

While the FAA is aware of the ICAO report, officials at the administration provided no comment regarding any steps being taken as a result. If the FAA were to downgrade Thailand, airlines based in the country could face additional prohibitions on launching service to the U.S.

[Photo: Thai Airways]