United States FAA confirms Argentina retains Category 1 for aviation safety
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that Argentina retains its Category 1 rating for International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA), the highest level granted by the agency.
According to a statement from Argentina’s National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC), this achievement not only strengthens air connectivity between Argentina and the U.S., but also avoids reputational damage, as the country had previously risked a downgrade due to historical mismanagement.
Following an FAA audit in April 2024, which identified 82 issues, ANAC initiated an urgent corrective action plan that included technical assistance from ICAO, legislative reforms to the Aeronautical Code, and structural reorganizations. “The problems identified in prior audits by international organizations were addressed through a corrective action plan,” ANAC noted.
In a follow-up visit in October 2024, the FAA acknowledged that 92% of the deficiencies had been resolved, granting Argentina additional time to address the remaining issues. In 2025, the FAA confirmed that all findings had been satisfactorily resolved, thus avoiding a downgrade to Category 2.
With all 82 findings corrected, Argentina maintains its ability to increase direct flights to the U.S., engage in codeshare agreements with U.S. carriers, and add new destinations, aircraft, and frequencies. A downgrade would have frozen these opportunities.
Under the IASA program, the FAA assesses the civil aviation authorities of countries whose airlines operate to the United States or maintain codeshare agreements with U.S. airlines. The evaluation measures compliance with ICAO safety standards, not FAA regulations.
To attain and retain Category 1, countries must comply with ICAO’s international safety standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance.
As of the latest FAA report dated April 23, only Venezuela and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (which share a common aviation authority) remain in Category 2 in Latin America and the Caribbean. Mexico was the last major market to be downgraded, from 2021 to 2023.
AUTOR
Contando la aviación desde marzo del año 2000. Fundador y Managing Editor de Aviacionline.
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