Airport adjusts flights for safety during Yi Peng Lantern festival

[webfact]

Airport adjusts flights for safety during Yi Peng Lantern festival

By The Nation

 

 

Chiang Mai International Airport has rescheduled and cancelled some flights between Friday and Saturday as a safety measure during the Yi Peng Lantern festival, the airport’s director said on Monday.

 

The festival is usually held during the full moon period when people release sky lanterns as a symbolic gesture to free themselves of the ills and misfortune of the previous year. However, the large number of lanterns in the sky could be a danger to aviation.

 

The festival is held at the same time as Loi Krathong Day on Friday.

 

Director Monthanik Rakngam said 157 flights had been affected by the measures.

 

“As of today, 78 flights, comprising 58 domestic and 20 international flights, have been cancelled while 79 others, 53 domestic and 26 international flights, have been rescheduled,” Monthanik said.

 

He said the measure would not affect services and passengers as airlines had been advised in advance and alternative arrangements were made.

 

Monthanik said the airport had also strengthened security measures during the festival.

 

Random searches will be made on vehicles coming into the airport compound, and the airport authority will increase the frequency of runway checks for lanterns that have fallen into the compound.

 

“We have asked for cooperation from government agencies and the private sector about guidelines for the safe release of lanterns,” he said.

 

Chiang Mai authorities’ have announced that fire lanterns can only be released during Yi Peng and Loy Krathong festivals between 7pm and 1am. Smoke lanterns can be released on Friday between 10am and noon.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30330400

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-30

[connda]

Better to reroute the aircraft to fit the festival than restrict the festival to accommodate the aircraft.  Wow.  Sensible planning.  Amazing!  

Edited October 30, 2017 by connda

[Ruffian Dick]

3 hours ago, connda said:

Better to reroute the aircraft to fit the festival than restrict the festival to accommodate the aircraft.  Wow.  Sensible planning.  Amazing!  

More like "realistic"...

[webfact]

Airlines cancel 90 Chiang Mai flights to avoid sky lanterns

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Photo: John Shedrick/ Wikimedia Commons

 

Plans to release thousands of lanterns into the sky during this week’s Loy Krathong Festival have seen airlines cancel or reschedule nearly 200 flights in and out of Chiang Mai.

 

From Nov. 2-4, 90 flights to and from the popular northern Thailand tourist destination have been canceled, with another 97 flights rescheduled due to safety oncerns, Prachachart reported.

 

This year’s Loy Krathong night falls tomorrow (Nov. 3), with festivities ending on Sunday. Chiang Mai will hold celebrations across the city, but locals will only be allowed to release their lanterns from 7pm on Nov. 3 until 1am the next day.

 

Source: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/airlines-cancel-90-chiang-mai-flights-avoid-sky-lanterns/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-11-02

[thaimelody]

Ground hog day hits again! Whatever next... lantern lands and burns house down or huge clean up of kratongs?

[Bangkok Barry]

Nice to know that Thailand has its priorities right. Cancel hundreds of flights involving thousands of passengers so that juvenile adults can send flaming lanterns into the sky, which may then fall to earth and set fire to wooden houses or at the very least set fire to crops. Brilliant. 

[IAMHERE]

I never seen a ' Smoke lanterns' .  

[farcanell]

6 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

I never seen a ' Smoke lanterns' .  

Which reminds me... no lighting up on beaches from yesterday

 

i wonder at the disparity.... and wether One would be able to sneak in a quick dart whilst launching a lantern from kata beach

[farcanell]

On 10/30/2017 at 3:43 PM, webfact said:

We have asked for cooperation from government agencies and the private sector about guidelines for the safe release of lanterns

I got ya.... don’t launch them at all!

 

thats free advise because I don’t want to be done for working without a visa

[heybruce]

15 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Nice to know that Thailand has its priorities right. Cancel hundreds of flights involving thousands of passengers so that juvenile adults can send flaming lanterns into the sky, which may then fall to earth and set fire to wooden houses or at the very least set fire to crops. Brilliant. 

The date of Loy Krathong has been known for many months and flight schedules adjusted well in advance.  This is far less of an inconvenience than a bad thunderstorm over the airport.

 

Lanterns stay in the air until the fire burns out and the air inside cools.  Sometimes people are foolish enough to release lanterns where they will get caught in trees on the way up, but since the festival is held at the end of the rainy season this rarely causes problems.  This will be my eleventh Loy Krathong and I've never heard of a significant fire being started by the lanterns.

[natway09]

They just do not realize that it is the 21st century do they ?

Very good article in the Bangkok Post on that very subject today. Suggest you take a look

[MaeJoMTB]

18 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Nice to know that Thailand has its priorities right. Cancel hundreds of flights involving thousands of passengers so that juvenile adults can send flaming lanterns into the sky, which may then fall to earth and set fire to wooden houses or at the very least set fire to crops. Brilliant. 

Some people see tradition more important then the inconvenience of a few tourists.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Some people see tradition more important then the inconvenience of a few tourists.

Only tourists use planes?