Resumption of International Flights

[oompie69]

International flights to resume in the very near future? If an article covering the financial woes of a certain national airline is anything to go by, then the answer is no.

The article mentions a post-recovery-plan approval period of two or more months being needed for implementation of the plan. If this information is correct, then international flights might not be happening before November. 

Not sure if I am allowed to mention the source so have omitted it, but I am sure other members would also have read this article.

Any thoughts?

 

[kelboy]

Hope so 

[HerbyJFlash]

I think this is a separate issue . They said last week they have three scenarios in mind for the resumption of travel and the best case doesn’t even start until 2021.

[geriatrickid]

What was the point of this thread?

 

International flights have been ongoing for months. What do you think the flights with Jeju, Austrian, Oman Air, Air france, Indigo,  emirates, Etihad, BhutanAir, China Airlines, EVA, Qatar, KLM and Lufthansa aircraft are doing  when they land and depart from BKK?

 

Tourists are not flying out of their home countries because they must usually self isolate  at destination and when they return. Also, there is an inadequate volume of  potential customers to  support increased flight activity. Yes, 25+ people on TVF wish to  fly internationally. Charter an aircraft because it is not economically viable for airlines to do so.

 

[oompie69]

As International flights are not allowed to disembark passengers at any Thailand airport, those flights will not be normal international flights.  Probably repatriation or cargo flights, which are not available to everyone.  Unless, of course, geriatrickkid is privy to information not available to the other members of TVF. If so, please share. 

The point of this thread was to get a discussion going as to whether members thought that normal airline traffic would resume before the (unnamed) airline mentioned in the original post started flying internationally again.

It's not only tourists that want to get in. TVF posts have contained stories of various long-stay expats desperate to get back to their, businesses, homes and loved ones. I venture this is a number far bigger than the numbers mentioned by the previous poster.  

 

[torturedsole]

4 hours ago, oompie69 said:

International flights to resume in the very near future?

Not seeing it.  Mid-2021 is speculative on my part.  

[UKresonant]

Someone on the phone to Dad earlier had apparently heard from somewhere over there today, that it may be the end of March 2021 before tourist type flights may be happening.

Lot's of Flights yes, Tourists on them (From Europe) No ????

Everyone will just have to enjoy the Snow, this winter.....❄️

[Phillip9]

6 hours ago, oompie69 said:

International flights to resume in the very near future?

No.  There has been no talk of normal international flights with tourists.  Only special “repatriation” flights will continue for a long time.

 

It seems impossible Thailand will allow normal flights before there is a vaccine widely distributed in Thailand.  Late 2021 at the earliest.

[cubism001]

However, beware of your own weakness of character.  If, like me, you have excellent reasons for getting out & back into Asia, I'd advise not paying much attention to to speculation.  People with a comfortable life can speculate, 'so sorry to say this, but...'  Keep working like you're in training, so when a safe country finally opens, you can leave.  Keep your eyes on the prize. 

 

 

[RichardColeman]

32 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

It seems impossible Thailand will allow normal flights before there is a vaccine widely distributed in Thailand.  Late 2021 at the earliest.

If that date held true, then Thailand is in for a whole world of financial pain. I believe a lot of business are using up their savings and bank loans to get through to high season and chinese new year - if they are not open by then, I can see 33% of all tourist based businesses gone  by end 2021. Thailand I think cannot cope with a 25%-30% gdp drop and get out of it in months after.

 

Airlines will be pushing way before then as they will go broke long before another 14 months of inactivity. 14 months more of job losses, redundancies and homelessness will push the world to near financial destruction.

 

And God forbid after seeing the great destruction they have caused and the total world economy collapse the Chinese release covid 20

[oompie69]

If last year's US CDC stats, which are readily accessible on the Internet, are anything to go by, ("flu vaccine found to be effective in less that 50% of those who received it") then the chances of any vaccine under research and development now being more effective are very slim indeed. So, the argument that a vaccine is required first before the world can get back to normal in spurious. How governments are going to maneuver themselves out of the corner they have painted themselves into will make for interesting reading.

More interesting will be to what extent citizens are going to hold their public representative accountable for this mess. I think Trump is not resting easy on his throne, not that he should be the only one to blame.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6907a1.htm

[Phillip9]

9 minutes ago, oompie69 said:

flu vaccine found to be effective in less that 50% of those who received it") then the chances of any vaccine under research and development now being more effective are very slim indeed

Not true at all.  A corona virus is completely different than an influenza virus.  You shouldn’t make any comparisons between the two.  
 

Some of the vaccines in development are showing a strong antibody and T cell response and scientists now believe that a very effective vaccine will eventually be developed.  It will just take time.
 

 

[Mattd]

5 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

International flights have been ongoing for months. What do you think the flights with Jeju, Austrian, Oman Air, Air france, Indigo,  emirates, Etihad, BhutanAir, China Airlines, EVA, Qatar, KLM and Lufthansa aircraft are doing  when they land and depart from BKK?

Indeed these flights are landing and taking off from BKK, however, they are not commercially available to book flying to Thailand, these are repatriation flights inwards and commercial flights out of Thailand.

[mtls2005]

Flying out of Thailand is one issue.

 

Flying into Thailand is a completely separate issue.

 

Which one prompted the OP to post?

 

Or is it about TG's woes?

 

Or is it about the general aviation industry?

 

 

 

Very easy to fly out of Thailand; there are 15-20 daily departures, closer to 30 on any given Sunday.

 

 

[Kelsall]

We are at least 2-3 years away from travel to Thailand without quarantine and the other restrictions.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

We are at least 2-3 years away from travel to Thailand without quarantine and the other restrictions.

I don't feel it will be so long..... ever the optimist I hope a vaccine will suppress it and shorten that time-frame. A vaccination certificate or one showing a person has antibodies, may be requirements that linger. Quarantine is not compatible with tourism. 

[simple1]

5 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I don't feel it will be so long..... ever the optimist I hope a vaccine will suppress it and shorten that time-frame. A vaccination certificate or one showing a person has antibodies, may be requirements that linger. Quarantine is not compatible with tourism. 

 

Personally I presume vaccine for Covid-19 will require, at least, annual revaccination, similar to flu vaccine, as it mutates, for risk mitigation.

[ubonjoe]

Not directly visa related. Moved to here.

[mike787]

2020 is a write off...NO tourist flights planned.  Hoping 2021 is better but very little optimism.  Covid has destroyed everything.

[bkk6060]

7 minutes ago, mike787 said:

Covid has destroyed everything.

Certainly for many businesses very sad.

But, it hasn't destroyed my life living as before in fact just has made my lifestyle less expensive.

[watso63]

The need to visit temple's and rocky island's sticking up out of the sea is strong it appears. Relax, until the Thai authorities announce something official.

[MJKT2014]

6 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

What was the point of this thread?

My take on it was the importance of using correct punctuation in writing thread titles. Other than that nothing really.

[sanuk711]

Headline---Resumption of International Flights

 

Article--the answer is no

 

 

Can I put you down for the  TV most misleading headline for this week........

 

[thedemon]

7 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

What was the point of this thread?

 

International flights have been ongoing for months. What do you think the flights with Jeju, Austrian, Oman Air, Air france, Indigo,  emirates, Etihad, BhutanAir, China Airlines, EVA, Qatar, KLM and Lufthansa aircraft are doing  when they land and depart from BKK?

 

Tourists are not flying out of their home countries because they must usually self isolate  at destination and when they return. Also, there is an inadequate volume of  potential customers to  support increased flight activity. Yes, 25+ people on TVF wish to  fly internationally. Charter an aircraft because it is not economically viable for airlines to do so.

 

 

Seems to me the op is trying to suggest there is a conspiracy whereby the government won't open the borders until THAI airways is ready to fly again.

 

That is even though THAI have continued operating cargo and repatriation flights all along. Since their base is Thailand it isn't going to be viable to restart scheduled flights until there is enough 2 way traffic and that isn't going to happen until entry restrictions are eased.

[mtls2005]

17 minutes ago, thedemon said:

That is even though THAI have continued operating cargo and repatriation flights all along.

 TG is operating 'normal' international departures. By 'normal' I mean anyone can fly out. Granted there are very few flights. They did have a departure to CPH over the weekend.

 

They have a daily to HKG, TG 606. And had a departure yesterday to ICN.

 

 

Still not clear on the OP's point though?

 

The country remains closed to tourists because of COVID, as do nine out of ten ASEAN countries.

 

 

 

 

[sezze]

Basically the OP question is pointless . You want us to gamble on a date , in a international context , because not Thailand alone is involved . I will tell you the exact date ... 31 November at 23:59:99 ( ????) . All jokes aside , there is no answer at close sight , in Thailand as well as international . In Europe , there is travel , with regulations from region to region , changing on daily basis . Forget travel outside of Europe , not even any mentioning about it to be able to do soon . In Thailand it is even worse , but expect this year to open for travellers from close by countries , like China , Cambodia , Vietnam , Laos ... Further away , who knows ... not even politicians know , so asking us is looking in a crystal ball and for the moment it is nothing more then a piece of glass .

[geriatrickid]

7 hours ago, oompie69 said:

As International flights are not allowed to disembark passengers at any Thailand airport, those flights will not be normal international flights.  Probably repatriation or cargo flights, which are not available to everyone.  Unless, of course, geriatrickkid is privy to information not available to the other members of TVF. If so, please share. 

 

The point of this thread was to get a discussion going as to whether members thought that normal airline traffic would resume before the (unnamed) airline mentioned in the original post started flying internationally again.

It's not only tourists that want to get in. TVF posts have contained stories of various long-stay expats desperate to get back to their, businesses, homes and loved ones. I venture this is a number far bigger than the numbers mentioned by the previous poster.  

 

If your intent was in respect to general tourism flights, you should have stated that.

The answer has already been provided multiple times: Not likely before  Q1 2021.

 

What are you on about with this statement?

It's not only tourists that want to get in. TVF posts have contained stories of various long-stay expats desperate to get back to their, businesses, homes and loved ones. I venture this is a number far bigger than the numbers mentioned by the previous poster.  

 

Foreigners are allowed entry, subject to the criteria. The qualified people include;

- Non-Thai nationals who hold a valid certificate of permanent residency in the Kingdom, or permission to take up residence in the Kingdom;

- Non-Thai nationals who have work permit or have been granted permission from government agencies to work in the Kingdom, including their spouse or children;

- Non-Thai nationals who are students of educational institutions approved by Thai authorities, including the parents or guardians of the students; and

- Non-Thai nationals who are permitted to enter the Kingdom under a special arrangement with a foreign country. (Thailand has already announced its measures to accommodate the foreign purchasing agents such as those from China essential to the sale of Thai produce. The same applies to the medical supplies  sector.)

 

Your comment  about business isn't accurate. If the foreigner has a legal business, they can apply to enter.  In respect to "loved ones", family reunification is a priority. If it is domestic  friendships, that gets treated as leisure  travel just as it is elsewhere.

 

The issue of  leisure travel has been discussed multiple times on the forum and most people understand that it is not going to be allowed for months because the authorities deem it to present too high a risk. It is not just Thailand. Other countries do not want their nationals traveling and creating repatriation problems. The existing Thai regulations are sufficient to allow the reunification of families. Let those people return first. They are the priority. If  people cannot meet the entry criteria, Thailand is protecting them from themselves and likely from becoming a burden to others.  Thailand has been  pretty decent with its position here and is no different than most other countries.

[Katipo]

It's all crystal ball gazing at this point. Unless you have legitimate need to get back to Thailand (employment or family), then I'd look at other options closer to home.

[jacko45k]

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

in fact just has made my lifestyle less expensive.

It has knocked a lot of the style out of my life.....

[JusticeGB]

Apparently the covid19 virus is mutating quite quickly so even as the vaccines are being developed they are not being developed to cope with the mutations. The chances of the skies being fully opened to international travellers even next year are remote. Planes can't afford to fly nearly empty so prices for available flights will skyrocket. As far as I am aware flights are available to leave Bangkok but travellers must check on the day of departure to make sure that their flights haven't been cancelled.