FAA Announces Aviation Safety Rating for Vietnam

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On February 15th U.S. Ambassador Daniel J. Kritenbrink met with the Minister of Transport, Nguyễn Văn Thể, and Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Đinh Việt Thắng, to congratulate Vietnam on achieving a Category 1 aviation safety rating. 

The Category 1 status is based on an August 2018 FAA assessment of the safety oversight provided by Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority.  The Category 1 determination is a substantial achievement.  It is the result of years of diligent work by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and the Ministry of Transportation.  

With Category 1 status Vietnamese air carriers will be able to establish direct service to the United States and carry the code of U.S. carriers upon completion of the necessary remaining steps, including Vietnamese airports earning approvals to comply with ICAO security standards and recommended practices from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, and Vietnamese airlines earning economic authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

U.S. Ambassador Daniel J. Kritenbrink met with the Minister of Transport, Nguyễn Văn Thể, and Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Đinh Việt Thắng, to congratulate Vietnam on achieving a Category 1 aviation safety rating.

As part of the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, the agency assesses the civil aviation authorities of all countries with air carriers that have applied to fly to the United States, currently conduct operations to the United States, or participate in code sharing arrangements with U.S. partner airlines, and makes that information available to the public.  The assessments determine whether foreign civil aviation authorities are meeting ICAO safety standards, not FAA regulations.

In order to maintain a Category 1 rating, a country must adhere to the safety standards of ICAO, the United Nations’ technical agency for aviation that establishes international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance.