Bangkok--3 Dec--Thai Airways
The political demonstrations which caused the Airports of Thailand to close Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports on 26th November 2008, until today and subsequent cancellation of all inbound and outbound passenger and cargo flights by national carrier Thai Airways International and dozens of other international airlines, resulted in an estimated 150,000 foreign visitors being stranded throughout the country, plus tens of thousands of Thais and others unable to return to Bangkok from countries around the world.
Response to this unprecedented emergency by the combined forces of Thailand’s tourism associations, Thai Airways International, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, hotels, tour operators and transportation organisations was immediate and dynamic. Top priority was directed towards providing urgent assistance, including provision of food, transportation and accommodation, for passengers stranded in Bangkok and other tourist destinations.
Thai Airways International set up a number of crisis management centres throughout Bangkok to help travellers and to reassure them that every effort would be made to repatriate them as soon as possible. These emergency centres were located at THAI’s Vibhavadi Rangsit Head Office, Larn Luang and Silom Road (now located on Suriwongse Road) ticket offices. An additional service centre was also established at the Centara Grand at Central World Hotel, (Rachaprasong Road) until December 2, 2008 and the BITEC Bang-na Exhibition Center, on the Bang-na Trat Highway which has became Thai Airways International’s major base of flight operations until Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang are available again.
These centres were manned by hundreds of Thai Airways International staff, volunteers from all functions and departments, who worked literally round the clock to help anxious travellers. Their devotion to duty and the welfare of their passengers best expresses the true warmth of Thailand’s traditional hospitality.
Starting from Thursday November 27th Thai Airways International’s Head Office Crisis Centre received several thousand visitors daily, with over thirty reservations and ticketing service desks being set up to facilitate rebooking and other assistance for passengers. Visitors were provided with refreshments, advice on accommodation and local transportation, refunds and a multi-lingual translation service for those not speaking Thai or English. Medical staff were also on hand to help anyone requiring assistance.
From the time the airports were closed, Thai Airways International’s Operations Department started to organise as many as possible priority non-scheduled flights to repatriate the maximum number of passengers to gateway cities as close as possible to their ultimate destinations throughout Europe, Australia, Japan, China and other points throughout Asia and the Middle East. Special priority was extended to Thai Muslim passengers undertaking the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca. Close cooperation was also maintained with foreign embassies in Bangkok, to provide maximum assistance for the effective repatriation of their citizens.
THAI’s Cargo and Mail Commercial Department is also making maximum efforts to move as much as possible of Thailand’s export goods, especially perishable shipments to markets worldwide.
Following the closure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, Thai Airways International’s emergency response flight operations were initially centred on the Royal Thai military base of U-Tapao, but this facility has very limited resources for passenger handling, so the number of flights which could be operated was limited.
The following Thai Airways International’s outbound and inbound flights have so far been operated by Thai Airways International’s through U-Tapao:
Date Inbound (no. of flights) Outbound (no. of flights)
28thNovember 7 -
29thNovember 4 2
30thNovember 13 18
1stDecember 15 13
2ndDecember 17 17
3rdDecember 12 15
In addition, Thai Airways International has been able to operate a limited number of domestic and international flights from Chiang Mai and Phuket airports.
During the day of December 1st, it was possible for Thai Airways International to remove a number of its jets from Suvarnabhumi, which had been prevented from flying due to the airport having been closed to passengers and flight crew. These aircraft have been relocated to other airports in Thailand where they can provide extra capacity for international and domestic services to assist the tens of thousands of passengers still awaiting flights home.
As a further concession to help passengers, Thai Airways International has announced that the validity of tickets and travel related documents already issued, plus Royal Orchid Plus award ticket period will be extended until January 31, 2009.
Advice for passengers:
Telephone hot-lines for Thai Airways International passenger enquiries: 02-356-1111 and 02-545-4000
From December 2, 2008, Thai Airways International has established a temporary City Passenger Terminal operation at: The lobby area, 1st Floor, Building EH106, BITEC Bang-na Exhibition Center, Bang-na Trat Highway, north of Bangkok.
At this facility, passengers with confirmed reservations and ticketing will be checked-in and passed through airport formality. Thai Airways International provides transfer service to U-Tapao airport.
Issue No. 33Released at 13.05 hrs. on 3 December, 2008
M.L.Ajcharaporn Na Songkhla