THAI denies flights will be cancelled for 4 months after May 31

[webfact]

THAI denies flights will be cancelled for 4 months after May 31

By THE NATION

 

 

Thai Airways International (THAI) on Wednesday (April 29) dismissed rumours that its operations will be suspended for another four months from the end of May.

 

THAI intends to immediately resume international flights as soon as the Covid-19 situation improves, and services have not been suspended for another four months as has been reported on social media, Squadron Leader Soradej Namruangsri said in his capacity as the airline’s executive vice president for operations. Soradej is also acting executive vice president of THAI’s corporate strategy and sustainable development.

 

THAI has temporarily suspended operations from April 1 to May 31 in line with measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

 

Lockdowns in many countries, Thailand’s state of emergency and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand’s decision to ban all passenger flights until May 31 has put an end to international travel for the time being.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30387008

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-30

 

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[YetAnother]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai Airways International (THAI) on Wednesday (April 29) dismissed rumours that its operations will be suspended for another four months from the end of May.

ahhh the pure thainess of it; predeny it wont happen, then , at some later point in time, 'well things have changed'; land of chameleon

[RichardColeman]

Personally I think 4 months is still very, VERY optimistic about flights beginning.

 

And maybe longer if Thailand keeps their demands of insurance and certain tests/certificates which you cannot get

[Salerno]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

THAI has temporarily suspended operations from April 1 to May 31 in line with measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

 

Guess that explains why when I queried them about my cancelled flights (scheduled for June - they cancelled them on 23 March) they informed me:

 

"As THAI have suspended flights from Australia until 30 June ..."

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by Salerno

[lkv]

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

 

Guess that explains why when I queried them about my cancelled flights (scheduled for June - they cancelled them on 23 March) they informed me:

 

"As THAI have suspended flights from Australia until 30 June ..."

 

Yeah, they will reopen some routes to begin with, not all.

 

Some other routes where they don't estimate a good profit, they might not reopen again at all.

 

Plus, it's also to do with the estimated schedules of lifting heavy restrictions in the respective countries.

 

UK has no restriction to give an example, so flights there will likely begin much sooner than say Australia.

Edited April 29, 2020 by lkv

[Salerno]

2 minutes ago, lkv said:

UK has no restriction to give an example, so flights there will likely begin much sooner than say Australia.

Possibly, but possibly not given the amount of people being hit with the virus in UK. Issue for Australians is more one of the Aussie government not restarting international travel. Point was though, how come they decided in March flights from Australia where cancelled until 30 June?

[ezzra]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Squadron Leader 

Gives you the impression that Thai is part of the air force and we are all flying in some type of a military planes...

[lkv]

18 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 Point was though, how come they decided in March flights from Australia where cancelled until 30 June?

Most likely they did not estimate a large enough air traffic to justify opening before that date on this particular route.

 

They have models for every route that try to take into account all the variables.

Edited April 29, 2020 by lkv

[Creasy]

Aussie government is talking about no international flights before October .

so no flights to Oz until then

[lkv]

2 minutes ago, Creasy said:

Aussie government is talking about no international flights before October .

so no flights to Oz until then

Says the health guy, if I am not mistaken.

 

People working in healthcare have a bias sometimes towards medicine and they forget about economics.

[Salerno]

41 minutes ago, Creasy said:

Aussie government is talking about no international flights before October .

so no flights to Oz until then

I would be happy with that compared to other reports - domestic October, possibly a further 12 months before international. 

[cornishcarlos]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Gives you the impression that Thai is part of the air force and we are all flying in some type of a military planes...

 

More like Thunderbirds...

[DoctorG]

The China routes will be the first to open up and my feeling is that it will be relatively soon.

[OKF]

yeah so what? What is the problem to open up? I am a very strong criticist of T politics and yes maybe or most likely figures are twisted. However this is not a killer virus, it's 'figures' are well below the influenza epedemic 2017, so what r we talking about?

 

The reason they extended to end May is a totally different one.....I think it is more about the protests that will start......... but by this behaviour there may be more ppl to join that idea, ppl in T suffer more then ever, they r not to political but that scenario now will make some ppl political...for sure....wait, watch and see, hunger makes a difference...

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by OKF

[jaiyen]

32 minutes ago, Salerno said:

I would be happy with that compared to other reports - domestic October, possibly a further 12 months before international. 

And if there is still a 2 week isolation it wont be worth going anywhere.

 

[mrfill]

Acting executive vice president sounds a very dramatic and yet, inconsequential job.

[FNQ]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Gives you the impression that Thai is part of the air force and we are all flying in some type of a military planes...

Biggles ?

[sahibji]

a lot will depend on the prevailing covid-19 situation world wide as that will determine which countries will allow flights to land. that situation will allow thai to decide when their flights can commence, unless you are talking of domestic flights of course, which can be decided by the thai authorities.

[Cadan]

Totally makes sense. If Australia or New Zealand is closed how can you resume flights. Who wants to fly to Italy anyway ? Cut off loss making routes. Convert all inland flights to thai smiles that have lower operation costs. Reduce staff by 30%. Profitable again by Q3/2021. BUT BUT too much Internal politics involved 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Squadron Leader Soradej Namruangsri said in his capacity as the airline’s executive vice president for operations. Soradej is also acting executive vice president of THAI’s corporate strategy and sustainable development

In charge of a private enterprise.

Nuff said...

[aussienam]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Personally I think 4 months is still very, VERY optimistic about flights beginning.

 

And maybe longer if Thailand keeps their demands of insurance and certain tests/certificates which you cannot get

Not sure which country you are from, but prior to the closures, I had rushed to get a COVID19 test in Australia, albeit having to pay about 2000 Baht equivalent at the time.  I also found an international expat insurer that covers for COVID19 as part of its health insurance cover.  Not cheap and adds a very significant cost to being an expat in Thailand.  I missed the close-off date unfortunately.  

But it seems that it is the only way to come back for me.  I hope that it Thailand allows expats back who have proof of living in Thailand - soon.  Such as proof of rental lease contract.  Sick of living out of a suitcase with 3 weeks worth of clothes! Would make sense that the next stage would be to do that.  I am sure the Thai government have plans in place when that time comes.  

Edited April 30, 2020 by aussienam

[TheFishman1]

Our domestic flights starting on May 1

[soi3eddie]

THAI cancelled my 28th April flight from BKK-LHR. Rebooked for 2nd June and that got cancelled by them last week too. Now rebooked for earliest scheduled flight which is 1st July. All other THAI european flights are cancelled until July too. I won't be surprised if they dont start flying again until October (the THAI agent mentioned something about 27th October for getting back to "normal").

[5633572526]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Gives you the impression that Thai is part of the air force and we are all flying in some type of a military planes...

It is after all a state owned enterprise and since the current government is military based military language would be normal for them.

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, DoctorG said:

The China routes will be the first to open up and my feeling is that it will be relatively soon.

Yes indeed, with possibly investors coming to buy up all the "for sale" businesses in Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok!! Chinese Special Economic Zones on the horizon????

[HuaHinHim]

3 hours ago, mrfill said:

Acting executive vice president sounds a very dramatic and yet, inconsequential job.

Just says the actual vice president didn't want to be the one to say it. Putting Acting executive vice president in front of his name was the carrot and the stick will come later

[EvetsKram]

Saw an interview last week with Alan Joyce,  he says at least 6 to 9 months before Qantas international starts back up

[RemyDog]

I had THAI flights BKK-Oz for our family of 3 on 23 March returning from Brisbane (Oz) on 12 April. These were booked directly with THAI Sales Centre in person on 27 January 2020 and paid for in full on Visa card at the time direct to THAI (no booking platform or travel agent involved).

Five days before travel (18 March) THAI cancelled the outbound flight and a few days later cancelled the return flights.

What is very damaging to THAI's reputation is that in an email to me on 9 April THAI (replying to my email of 18 March after they had cancelled the flight) said "the refund to the Visa card will be credited within at least 6 months" (amazing!!)

They can put through a charge to your card for many thousands of Baht in less than a minute while you stand there, BUT to reverse the same transaction will take them "at least 6 months" more than the 3 weeks after they already known that they had cancelled the flights.

 My concern is that THAI may well be bankrupt before they get to do the refund and down the black hole goes my cash paid to them in January for services in both directions that they cancelled in March.

The business principle I quoted to THAI in my reply email of 9 April is "do the right or good thing by your customers and you build a good reputation; do the wrong thing by one customer and letting that fester, means they will tell the world their story and that causes immense damage to your reputation".

It is now three weeks since my reply of 9 April with no acknowledgement OR refund - THAI have let the matter fester and effectively elected to incur damage to their reputation.

Moral of the story - BEWARE OF THAI AIRWAYS AND DEAL AT YOUR OWN RISK.    (In years past, they were quite good.) 

.  

[fredwiggy]

I live here and am planning to visit relatives in the United States the end of October to beginning of November. I wouldn't mind being quarantined 2 weeks when I get there as I'll be staying a month, if that's what it takes to go "home" for awhile.

[fredwiggy]

Just now, RemyDog said:

I had THAI flights BKK-Oz for our family of 3 on 23 March returning from Brisbane (Oz) on 12 April. These were booked directly with THAI Sales Centre in person on 27 January 2020 and paid for in full on Visa card at the time direct to THAI (no booking platform or travel agent involved).

Five days before travel (18 March) THAI cancelled the outbound flight and a few days later cancelled the return flights.

What is very damaging to THAI's reputation is that in an email to me on 9 April THAI (replying to my email of 18 March after they had cancelled the flight) said "the refund to the Visa card will be credited within at least 6 months" (amazing!!)

They can put through a charge to your card for many thousands of Baht in less than a minute while you stand there, BUT to reverse the same transaction will take them "at least 6 months" more than the 3 weeks after they already known that they had cancelled the flights.

 My concern is that THAI may well be bankrupt before they get to do the refund and down the black hole goes my cash paid to them in January for services in both directions that they cancelled in March.

The business principle I quoted to THAI in my reply email of 9 April is "do the right or good thing by your customers and you build a good reputation; do the wrong thing by one customer and letting that fester, means they will tell the world their story and that causes immense damage to your reputation".

It is now three weeks since my reply of 9 April with no acknowledgement OR refund - THAI have let the matter fester and effectively elected to incur damage to their reputation.

Moral of the story - BEWARE OF THAI AIRWAYS AND DEAL AT YOUR OWN RISK.    (In years past, they were quite good.) 

.  

Only thing I've thought about the slow refunding was the longer it stays in their bank, the more interest gained.