it will approve the airline's application to operate the world's latest commercial air- liner to and from Australia. Industry analysts suggested Austral ian authorities' delay in granting the per- mission to THAI may have to do with the International Civil Aviation Organization 0CAO) red-flagging Thailand for its avia- tion safety shortcomings. One of the main consequences of the action is Thai-registered airlines such as THAI are not allowed to change aircraft types on international routes they are already operating. Australian civil aviation authorities were cited as saying they were "unfamiliar" with this type of aircraft, thus requiring more time to consider THAi's application, though it has allowed a couple of international airlines to fly similar A350 XWBs to some Australian cities already. THAI earlier planned to commence regular flights of its first A350 xWB on the Melbourne route on Sept 16, two weeks after the first of 12 such aircraft was