Washington, Nov 12 (IANS): The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has downgraded the air safety rating of its Malaysia counterpart, barring the country's carriers from opening up new service to America.

The FAA on Monday downgraded the safety rating of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) from Category 1 to 2, saying that the CAAM is "deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping, and/or inspection procedures", Xinhua news agency reported.

With a Category 2 rating, Malaysian carriers can continue existing service to the US but will not be allowed to establish new service to America, the FAA said in a statement.

The FAA said it made the decision based on an in-country reassessment in April and the assessment was not targeted at any individual airline operating inside or outside of Malaysia.

The CAAM, which have enjoyed Category 1 status since 2003, said in a statement that it "regrets" the U.S. decision, which is "unilateral in nature".

"CAAM has requested the FAA to conduct a reassessment within the next 12 months with the intention of having its Category 1 status restored," it added.