An accurate determination of electron density, temperature, and velocity distributions is of primary interest for the characterization of steady-state thermal plasma spray jets. Our diagnostic capabilities based on optical emission spectroscopy include measurements of absolute emission coefficients and Stark broadening. In addition, enthalpy probe diagnostics has also been used for temperature and velocity measurements. Observation of large discrepancies between temperatures derived from absolute emission coefficients Stark broadening and from enthalpy probe measurements indicate that severe deviations from LTE (local thermal equilibrium) exist in various regimes of plasma spray jets. Nonequilibrium characterization of such turbulent thermal plasma jets suggests that diffusion of high-energy electrons into the fringes of plasma jets and deviations from chemical equilibrium due to high velocities in the core of plasma jets and entrainement of cold gas, are the main reasons for these discrepancies. The establishment of a reliable data base, taking these nonequilibrium effects into account, is a prerequisite for meaningful modeling of real plasma jets.