Bangkok--1 Dec--Thai Airways International
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited will operate an additional special flight for Thai — Muslim pilgrims to join their annual haj pilgrimage from Hat Yai Airport.
Due to the Airports of Thailand (AOT)’s announcement on the closure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports since 25 November 2008, a number of Thai-Muslim pilgrims were unable to join their annual haj pilgrimage.
THAI had requested authorization from the General Administration of Civil Aviation (GACA), Kingdom Saudi Arabia to operate an additional flight to accommodate 500 stranded Thai-Muslim pilgrims to join the haj pilgrimage on Monday, 1 December 2008, flight TG 8544, on the route Hat Yai — Jeddah, utilizing Airbus A300-600 aircraft, departing Hat Yai Airport at 10.45 hrs and arriving Jeddah at 17.28 hrs (local time). In addition to previous authorized flight by the GACA, THAI will operate flight TG 8540 on Tuesday, 2 December 2008, on the route Hat Yai — Jeddah, departing Hat Yai at 00.30 hrs and arriving Jeddah at 07.07 hrs (local time).
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had authorized commercial airlines to operate flights for the haj pilgrims since 30 October 2008. Since then, THAI operated a total of 15 special haj flights, of which 13 flights departed from Hat Yai to Jeddah and 2 flights departed from Phuket to Jeddah. In addition to the two special flights for the 500 stranded Thai-Muslim during 1-2 December 2008, THAI will carry a total of 4,250 haj passengers.
Issue No. 21
Released at 22.00 hrs on 30 Nov 2008
M.L.Ajcharaporn Na Songkhla
For more information please contact
THAI’s Contact Center at tel. 0-2356-1111 or at
www.thaiairways.com