“Our aim is for the aircraft registered in Lithuania to be able to organise flights to the USA and operate in this country’s market. We have a clear plan, and with its implementation we will be able to increase the competitiveness of the Lithuanian air carriers in the global market,” says Vice-Minister of Transport and Communications Julius Skačkauskas.
In order to assess the way the foreign countries whose carriers intend to operate flights to the US territory implement the standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the US FAA carries out an International Aviation Safety Assessment program. FAA carries out an assessment of the country and assigns it to Category 1 or 2. The right to operate new flights to the US territory is only obtained by the carriers whose countries are assigned to Category 1.
In preparation of the upcoming FAA audit, the Transport Competence Agency has been entrusted with carrying out the preparatory works in accordance with the principles of project management – to prepare and update the necessary procedures, rules, legal acts, to employ and train the necessary personnel, to submit an application for an FAA audit.
Once the project is implemented, it is expected that at least 2 air carriers will start organising flights of aircraft registered in Lithuania to the USA.
To ensure smooth implementation of the project, other state institutions will also be involved in the process.
Flights from Lithuania to the USA are currently organised by the companies whose aircraft are registered in other foreign countries where an FAA audit has been carried out and which have been assigned to Category 1.
