Asiana A380 Pilot Faces License Revocation Risk... Government Requests Entry Permission to Thailand

Asiana Airlines' A380

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Amid the threat of over 140 Asiana Airlines pilots losing their flight qualifications for the Airbus A380 model due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has taken measures to address the issue. It has requested temporary entry for pilots to Thailand, where the training center is located, and is also considering operating empty flights without passengers or cargo.

According to the aviation industry on the 29th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently requested Thai aviation authorities to allow temporary entry for Asiana Airlines A380 pilots. Currently, Thailand has extended its ban on foreign entry until the end of next month to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Ministry's request for temporary entry to Thailand stems from the fact that the suspension of A380 operations due to the COVID-19 situation has put Asiana Airlines pilots of this model at risk of losing their flight qualifications. According to the current Aviation Safety Act Enforcement Regulations, pilots must meet conditions such as performing at least three takeoffs and landings on the relevant aircraft model within 90 days to maintain their qualifications.

Asiana Airlines had originally conducted training for A380 pilots at the training center located in Thailand, but since Thailand tightened entry restrictions after the COVID-19 outbreak, training has not been possible. The government temporarily allowed training using flight simulators for three months, but only Korean Air owns a simulator for this model, and it is only sufficient to meet its own training demands.

Therefore, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reportedly requested that Asiana Airlines pilots be boarded as crew members on cargo flights to Thailand via Vietnam, allowing them to enter Thailand and receive training.

Separately, the Ministry and Asiana Airlines are also discussing conducting takeoff and landing training through "ferry flights" (flights without passengers or cargo). The plan is to conduct takeoff and landing training with some pilots qualified as instructors, and once the COVID-19 situation is resolved, these instructors can train other pilots.

An Asiana Airlines official stated, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is preparing actual training flights with empty aircraft and diplomatically requesting the Thai government, which has training simulators, to temporarily allow entry. A conclusion is expected soon," said Yu Je-hoon. kalamal@

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.