Thailand’s aviation regulator has ordered a Nok Air suspension of all international flights and future route expansion plans, citing safety and staffing concerns. The airline says it remains safe and expects the restriction to be lifted within a month.
Thailand’s aviation regulator has ordered a Nok Air suspension of all international flights and told the carrier to pause plans for route expansion. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said the move stems from safety concerns and personnel issues.
Nok Air’s chief executive, Wutthiphum Jurangkool, said the airline remains safe and believes the ban will be lifted within a month. He also said that in 21 years of operation, Nok Air has never recorded a fatal accident.
What CAAT raised
In a letter dated 25 August, the regulator pointed to several incidents, including in-flight engine shutdowns, runway excursions, hard landings, and tail strikes.
The most attention focused on an incident on 8 January 2024, when one engine failed on a flight to Nanning in China. The aircraft landed safely on the remaining engine, and the faulty engine was replaced immediately.
CAAT said Nok Air could not complete a full analysis of the cause because the damaged engine had already been returned to the manufacturer.
Staffing and safety oversight
The regulator also expressed concern about the departure of several pilots, instructors, and flight inspectors.
Wutthiphum said those departures were driven by job offers from another low-cost airline expanding a Boeing 737 fleet, not by safety problems.
He added that Nok Air holds an IATA operational safety audit certificate, works with Boeing and software suppliers, and keeps pilot monthly flying hours at around 60 to 70 hours, well below the 90-hour maximum.
International flying is already limited
Nok Air is not operating international flights during the low season anyway. At peak season, the airline flew to three Chinese cities and two destinations in India.
The company says the current restrictions are also linked to an ongoing CAAT audit conducted with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is pushing for stricter checks.
Wutthiphum acknowledged that incidents can happen, citing a runway slip in Chiang Rai in 2022 during heavy rain, but said such events can happen to any airline.
He said Nok Air’s standards comply with regulations and that the carrier expects to return to international routes soon.
