Argentina Retains FAA Category 1 Air Safety Rating After Major Overhaul

Argentina has successfully retained its Category 1 Air Safety Rating, the highest classification granted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This achievement follows an intense evaluation process that verified the country’s compliance with all required technical and operational aviation standards. 

The effort to avoid a downgrade to Category 2 was spearheaded by the National Government, which initiated a full-scale intervention of the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) due to years of mismanagement under previous administrations. Under the guidance of the Transport Secretariat of the Ministry of Economy, a comprehensive restructuring programme was launched to restore the integrity of Argentina’s civil aviation oversight. 

With the technical support of the ICAO’s South American Regional Office, ANAC worked tirelessly to address the findings raised during the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) audit conducted in April 2024. 

The initial FAA audit uncovered 82 deficiencies in critical areas such as airworthiness, pilot licensing, and operational oversight issues that threatened Argentina’s ability to maintain direct air links with the United States. Notably, previous administrations had delayed engagement with U.S. regulators, compounding the urgency of the reforms. 

Thanks to an accelerated recovery effort, ANAC resolved 92% of the issues ahead of a second FAA inspection in October 2024, prompting the FAA to grant a final extension through December to address the remaining seven findings. 

Before the extended deadline, ANAC submitted comprehensive documentation demonstrating the correction of all outstanding issues. After a thorough review, the FAA confirmed that all 82 findings had been satisfactorily addressed, thereby allowing Argentina to retain its coveted Category 1 rating. 

What This Means for Argentine Aviation 

Maintaining Category 1 status has critical implications for the future of Argentine commercial aviation. It ensures that local airlines can continue operating direct flights to the U.S., expand their route networks, add aircraft, and enter into codeshare agreements with North American carriers. 

This validation by the FAA marks a turning point for Argentina’s aviation sector, strengthening its global connectivity and credibility. Furthermore, the country’s recent reform of its Aeronautical Code, bringing it in line with international standards, was instrumental in securing this outcome, laying the foundation for a more compliant, and competitive aviation industry.