Some 2,000 travelers still stranded in Bangkok after flights disrupted

[snoop1130]

Some 2,000 travelers still stranded in Bangkok after flights disrupted

by Chayut Setboonsarng

 

Passengers pass their time after Thai Airway cancelled all the flights to and from Europe at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand February 28, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - About 2,000 travelers were still stranded in the Thai capital Bangkok on Friday and it will take a few more days to get them home after flights were disrupted by the latest conflict between Pakistan and India, airline officials said.

 

Thai Airways International canceled more than a dozen flights to European cities — including London, Paris, Milan, Zurich and Frankfurt — after Pakistan closed its airspace on Wednesday amid rising tensions with India.

 

“There are still about 2,000 passengers,” Thai Airways President Sumeth Damrongchaitham told reporters at a briefing to announce the company’s financial results.

 

The backlog would be cleared over the next two or three days, he said.

 

Nearly 5,000 passengers - most of them flying on Thai Airways and Taiwan’s EVA Airways - scrambled to find alternative flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport after Pakistan closed its airspace on Wednesday.

 

World powers urged restraint as tensions escalated following a suicide attack that killed at least 40 Indian police in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Feb. 14, triggering tit-for-tat air strikes by both countries.

 

Pakistan said its airspace would re-open to commercial flights at 4 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) on Friday.

 

Thailand is among the world’s most popular tourist destinations, drawing more than 38 million visitors last year, about 6.8 million of them from Europe.

 

Rival carriers like Singapore Airlines re-routed their European flights to avoid the affected airspace, but Thai Airways did not have routes over Iranian or Turkish airspace, Sumeth said.

 

Thailand’s national carrier eventually gained permission from China to use its airspace and resumed flights to Europe on Thursday evening.

 

The financial cost of the flight disruptions was still being assessed and could be covered by insurance, Sumeth said.

 

Investors pushed Thai Airways stock down over 3 percent on Friday after the state-owned airline reported a wider loss of 11.6 billion baht ($367.2 million) in 2018 due to higher fuel expenses.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-01

[Youlike]

37 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Nearly 5,000 passengers - most of them flying on Thai Airways and Taiwan’s EVA Airways - scrambled to find alternative flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport after Pakistan closed its airspace on Wednesday.

 

I learned something here...

[ChipButty]

It's ok they will get it back on overstay  fines

[jethro69]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

It's ok they will get it back on overstay  fines

Very sarcastic, but probably true.

[jethro69]

Just figured out how hard it's actually to get to contact Thai Airways. Wanted to take a flight in near time to Europe, I don't have a problem with Chinese airspace. I spend my best 5 years in China, but that means from there they going into Russian airspace???? I'm not yet 50 years old, but the only two civilian aircraft's I remember shot down were by Russians. Ask Korean Air, and the other over Ukraine not so long ago was a Malaysian flight???

[jethro69]

2 minutes ago, jethro69 said:

Just figured out how hard it's actually to get to contact Thai Airways. Wanted to take a flight in near time to Europe, I don't have a problem with Chinese airspace. I spend my best 5 years in China, but that means from there they going into Russian airspace???? I'm not yet 50 years old, but the only two civilian aircraft's I remember shot down were by Russians. Ask Korean Air, and the other over Ukraine not so long ago was a Malaysian flight???

Reservation & Ticketing

Thai Airways BANGKOK(Suvarnabhumi) Airport Office 
Domestic & International 4th Floor, 
Departure Hall (Open 24 hours) 

Phone: - Telephone
Fax: - Fax -
Email: -

 

You see nothing, right on the website there is <deleted> nothing right now, no worries I'm gonna pestering the destination offices.

Edited March 1, 2019 by jethro69

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Pakistan said its airspace would re-open to commercial flights at 4 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) on Friday.

Nothing changed. A handful of domestic planes all else going round.

[geordie]

I started travelling on Wednesday from Amsterdam and have just arrived in Bangkok this evening at 6pm.

This has been a right carry on.

Edited March 1, 2019 by geordie
Spelling

[Youlike]

15 minutes ago, geordie said:

I started travelling on Wednesday from Amsterdam and have just arrived in Bangkok this evening at 6pm.

This has been a right carry on.

So will you get compensation for the delay?

[PoorSucker]

3 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Me too: "wider loss of 11.6 billion baht ($367.2 million) in 2018 due to higher fuel expenses."

 

Fuel was dirt cheap in Q4 2018.

But they bought it in 2011 

[kannot]

I hope  immigration has checked them all for overstay

[impulse]

Just out of curiosity, is this excluded by travel insurance as an "act of war"?

 

[soi3eddie]

I love THAI Airways. Not the cheapest but nice service direct between LHR/BKK twice daily. Only ever book economy flex fares but frequently upgraded at no extra cost. First and business is always well subscribed with well connected freeloading Thai HiSos. I love economy (especially TG916) as more often than not get 3 seats for myself. 

[geordie]

6 hours ago, Youlike said:

So will you get compensation for the delay?

I am not sure about that, my Kim Bangkok flight was cancelled and they booked me on Lufthansa, Munich and then Bangkok on Thursday, Munich flight was cancelled so they then booked me Etihad to Abu Dhabi and then to Bangkok, arrived Bangkok last night 6.30pm and could not fly home to Phitsanulok on air Asia flight in 2 hours.

Luggage never made it last night but they have found it and it will be put on the next flight.

Will check with klm to see if I am entitled to compensation.

[rooster59]

THAI arranging special flights to fly stranded passengers out of Bangkok

By The Nation

 

Stranded tourists whose Thai Airways flights have been canceled, wait for news at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, 28 February 2019. // EPA-EFE

 

Some 2,000 passengers were still stranded at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday after Pakistan closed its airspace due to rising tensions with India.

 

Thai Airways International (THAI) has been trying to speedily transport the stranded passengers to their destinations, the carrier’s president Sumeth Damrongchaitham said on Friday.

 

More than 4,000 passengers were stranded at the airport on Wednesday after Pakistan’s closure of the airspace resulted in almost 40 inbound and outbound flights being cancelled. The flights were either heading to or returning from Europe and Pakistan.

 

THAI should complete the transportation of these passengers through alternative flights within three days, Sumeth said. 

 

Stranded tourists whose Thai Airways flights have been canceled, wait for news at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, 28 February 2019./EPA-EFE

 

The airline arranged two special flights to accommodate 1,512 passengers on Friday alone.

 

 

The first flight, TG9169 on the Bangkok-London route, departed Bangkok at 1.11pm and is expected to arrive in London at 7.40pm (local time). The return flight TG9179 is scheduled to depart London at 9pm (local time) and should arrive in Bangkok at 3.25pm on the following day.

 

The second flight, TG9749 on the Bangkok-Moscow route, left Bangkok at 4.39pm and is expected to arrive in Moscow at 10.58pm (local time). The return flight is scheduled to depart Moscow at midnight (local time) and will arrive in Bangkok at noon the following day. 

 

Stranded tourists whose Thai Airways flights have been canceled, look at information offered by Thai police officers at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, 28 February 2019./EPA-EFE

 

THAI’s Ground Customer Services Department has set up a service areas for stranded passengers, where refreshments are available and airline staff at hand to provide help. 

 

The service areas are located in the departure zone on the fourth floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport, at the THAI ticketing office, the Royal Silk lounge for first-class and business class passengers as well as for holders of Royal Orchid Plus, Star Alliance gold and platinum cards. Economy passengers can also visit the service centre between the premium area and rows H and J. 

 

Passengers can also seek further assistance at the following counters:

 

Counters A15-18 for flight information

 

Counter A19 for reservation

 

Counters B7-B9 for check-in and ticketing services for special flights during the day. 

 

THAI said it is monitoring the situation closely and is advising passengers to check the airline’s announcements on its website, thaiairways.com, to keep abreast of related news.

 

Passengers can also call +66 2356 1111 any time of the day or night for information on flight schedules.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30365063

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-02

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

Well done, Thai Air.  That's the way to do it.  (Cynics carping in 3..2..1..)

[Kadilo]

5 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

I love THAI Airways. Not the cheapest but nice service direct between LHR/BKK twice daily. Only ever book economy flex fares but frequently upgraded at no extra cost. First and business is always well subscribed with well connected freeloading Thai HiSos. I love economy (especially TG916) as more often than not get 3 seats for myself. 

“.....and that was an advertisement on behalf of Thai Airways,  now back to the OP........”

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and the replies have been removed. 

[boonrawdcnx]

So the Thai Airways President - who just reported an 11.6 billion loss due to “higher fuel prices” when fuel prices have hardly fluctuated last year and have actually gone down up to 13.5 % and 12% towards the end of the year! But as clever as they are they probably hedged , gambled and bought at inflated prices.

 

He then calls 2000 people stranded at the airport a “backlog” as if it where some cargo that would be cleared in the next few days!

The man - like so many before him- is obviously not able to run an airline and should never be allowed to make public statements because he seems not to have grasped that this “backlog” are his customers who will have the choice to fly on other carriers next time.

 

Singapore airlines arranged alternative routes while Thai Airways canceled it’s flights - says it all - no more comments needed!

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

[colinneil]

The airline arranged 2 special flights to accommodate 1512 passengers?

[mrmicbkktxl]

Why TG can't give those passengers a hotel room or book them on another airline.I find it unbelievable TG let's them sit at the airport for a few nights.What a sh.. airline.

[dick turpin]

10 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

I love THAI Airways. Not the cheapest but nice service direct between LHR/BKK twice daily. Only ever book economy flex fares but frequently upgraded at no extra cost. First and business is always well subscribed with well connected freeloading Thai HiSos. I love economy (especially TG916) as more often than not get 3 seats for myself. 

Three seats to yourself.....doesn't that tell you something.

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, boonrawdcnx said:

So the Thai Airways President - who just reported an 11.6 billion loss due to “higher fuel prices” when fuel prices have hardly fluctuated last year and have actually gone down up to 13.5 % and 12% towards the end of the year! But as clever as they are they probably hedged , gambled and bought at inflated prices.

 

He then calls 2000 people stranded at the airport a “backlog” as if it where some cargo that would be cleared in the next few days!

The man - like so many before him- is obviously not able to run an airline and should never be allowed to make public statements because he seems not to have grasped that this “backlog” are his customers who will have the choice to fly on other carriers next time.

 

Singapore airlines arranged alternative routes while Thai Airways canceled it’s flights - says it all - no more comments needed!

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

A bit het up over a word aren't we?  Seriously, what else is it?  It is a backlog.

And if you read the article you will see that Singapore Airlines already has existing routes over Iranian and Turkish airspace whilst TG does not.  Thai sought permission to use Chinese airspace and when it was granted they rerouted.

What do you think they should have done - just set off and go any which way they like? This is not Google Maps where you can drag your cursor and pick a new route.

[Ulic]

15 hours ago, jethro69 said:

Just figured out how hard it's actually to get to contact Thai Airways. Wanted to take a flight in near time to Europe, I don't have a problem with Chinese airspace. I spend my best 5 years in China, but that means from there they going into Russian airspace???? I'm not yet 50 years old, but the only two civilian aircraft's I remember shot down were by Russians. Ask Korean Air, and the other over Ukraine not so long ago was a Malaysian flight???

How quickly you forget the American shootdown of Iran flight 655. The captain received a medal and the end of his Middle East deployment. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed. 

[overherebc]

I would like to see a report from any tv member at or just been at the airport with a couple of photos that let everyone see what it's like at the moment.

[NoshowJones]

16 hours ago, Youlike said:

So will you get compensation for the delay?

I think that only applies if something interrupts flights in western countries.

[dcnx]

I’ve only had good experiences with Thai Airways. A bit in the expensive end but their service is good. Not great, but good.

[ravip]

4 hours ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

Why TG can't give those passengers a hotel room or book them on another airline.I find it unbelievable TG let's them sit at the airport for a few nights.What a sh.. airline.

On the subject of sh.. airlines, have a look here. You like it?

[Youlike]

17 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

I love THAI Airways. Not the cheapest but nice service direct between LHR/BKK twice daily. Only ever book economy flex fares but frequently upgraded at no extra cost. First and business is always well subscribed with well connected freeloading Thai HiSos. I love economy (especially TG916) as more often than not get 3 seats for myself. 

3 seats for myself that was 10 years ago maybe...since than i've always sat in totally full planes...not in thai air though.