Nok Scoot and Thai AirAsia X were yesterday announced to qualify for Air Operators Certificates (AOC) after both met the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
Both became the country’s 4th and 5th local airlines to be granted the AOCs.
Nok Scoot and Thai AirAsia X are low cost international carriers operating in an extremely competitive field.
Of all 5 local carriers that were granted AOCs, 77% are international carriers.
The certificates were presented to executives of the two airlines by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand yesterday.
CAAT director-general Chula Sukmanop said that the presentation of AOC certificates showed that the two airlines have security systems in place and their services met ICAO standards even though they are low-cost airlines.
One final hurdle for Thailand is to petition the ICAO revoke its red-flagging of the local airline industry which should be successfully achieved by the end of this month, he said.