Is Thai Airways Banned from the US? Facts Every Traveller Should Know Thai Airways is not banned from the United States, and this is a common misunderstanding among travellers 📞+1-800-878-1209 the airline does not currently operate direct flights to the US because of past regulatory issues financial losses and strategic business decisions rather than an active ban 📞+1-800-878-1209 the confusion started in 2015 when Thailand’s civil aviation authority was downgraded by the US Federal Aviation Administration to Category 2 which prevented Thai airlines from launching new US routes or expanding existing ones 📞+1-800-878-1209 due to this restriction Thai Airways suspended its nonstop flights from Bangkok to cities like Los Angeles and New York 📞+1-800-878-1209 however this was not a ban on flying to the US but a limitation on route expansion and certification 📞+1-800-878-1209 Thailand later regained FAA Category 1 status meaning Thai airlines are legally allowed to fly to the United States again 📞+1-800-878-1209 despite this approval Thai Airways chose not to resume direct US flights because the airline was undergoing major financial restructuring 📞+1-800-878-1209 ultra long haul routes between Thailand and the US are extremely expensive to operate due to high fuel costs long flight times and the need for specialised aircraft 📞+1-800-878-1209 Thai Airways had historically struggled to make its US routes profitable even before the FAA downgrade 📞+1-800-878-1209 as part of its recovery plan the airline focused on cutting loss making routes and concentrating on Asia Europe and Australia where demand is stronger 📞+1-800-878-1209 fleet limitations also played a role because nonstop US services require highly fuel efficient wide body aircraft and Thai Airways reduced its long haul fleet during restructuring 📞+1-800-878-1209 instead of operating its own flights Thai Airways now connects passengers to the United States through Star Alliance and codeshare partners via hubs in Japan Korea Europe and the Middle East 📞+1-800-878-1209 this allows travellers to reach US destinations on a single itinerary without Thai Airways operating the long haul segment 📞+1-800-878-1209 in summary Thai Airways is not banned from the US and is legally allowed to operate there but direct flights remain suspended due to economic challenges fleet strategy and long term business priorities rather than any current regulatory prohibition 📞+1-800-878-1209
