Thai Airways International President Sumeth Damrongchaitham has described the situation as an emergency and called an urgent meeting of top airline officials.
He said one obvious stopgap measure was to change the routing of flights between Thailand and Europe. (See story here.)
“In this situation, the airline must directly inform their clients about flight changes,” an AoT public relations staffer told The Phuket News this morning.
“But if a passenger is unable to get though to contact the airline, Phuket International Airport operators can help and transfer them through to the airline office inside the airport. Please call 076 317230-5,” the staffer said.
“Phuket International Airport does not yet have an official notice for passengers. Thanee Chuangchoo, General Manger of Phuket International Airport, is the only person who is authorised to give official statements,” the staffer explained.
Attempts by The Phuket News to contact Mr Thanee this morning so far have been unsuccessful.
A statement posted on the official THAI Airways International website reads as follows:
THAI Cancels Flights to Pakistan and all European Routes Due to Pakistani Airspace Closure
27 February 2019
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) announced that its flights to Pakistan have been cancelled due to sudden closure of Pakistani airspace as a result of tension between India and Pakistan.
Flight Lieutenant PratanaPatanasiri, THAI Vice President, Aviation Safety, Security and Standards Department, said that Pakistani airspace closed suddenly due to tension between India and Pakistan. Therefore, THAI has cancelled its flights to Pakistan and flights operated through Pakistani airspace on 27 February 2019, as follows:
- Flights TG341 and TG342 to and from Bangkok-Karachi
- Flights TG345 and TG346 to and from Bangkok-Lahore
- Flights TG349 and TG350 to and from Bangkok-Islamabad
Three flights operate though Pakistani airspace today areas follows:
- Flight TG916 from Bangkok-London
- Flight TG974 from Bangkok-Moscow
- Flight TG926 from Bangkok-Frankfurt
The above-mentioned flights were returned to Bangkok and arrived safely at Suvarnabhumi Airport today. THAI has looked after passengers affected by flight cancellations, in accordance to international standards.
Furthermore, THAI has cancelled the following 11 flights to destinations in Europe that were operated on 27 and 28 February 2019, in order to maintain the highest passenger and operational safety standards:
On 27 February 2019:
- Flight TG920 from Bangkok-Frankfurt
On 28 February 2019:
- Flight TG910 from Bangkok-London
- Flight TG924 from Bangkok-Munich
- Flight TG930 from Bangkok-Paris
- Flight TG934fromBangkok-Brussels
- Flight TG940 from Bangkok-Milan
- Flight TG936 fromBangkok-Vienna
- Flight TG960 fromBangkok-Stockholm
- Flight TG970 fromBangkok-Zurich
- Flight TG950 fromBangkok-Copenhagen
- Flight TG954 fromBangkok-Oslo
The following flights from destinations in Europe to Bangkok on 27 February 2019 have been cancelled:
- Flight TG911 from London-Bangkok
- Flight TG921 from Frankfurt-Bangkok
- Flight TG931 from Paris-Bangkok
- Flight TG941 from Milan-Bangkok
- Flight TG945 from Rome-Bangkok
- Flight TG971 from Zurich-Bangkok
- Flight TG951 from Copenhagen-Bangkok
- Flight TG961 from Stockholm-Bangkok
- Flight TG955 from Oslo-Bangkok
- Flight TG925 from Munich-Bangkok
THAI is monitoring the situation closely in order to properly assess the situation and plans to operate flights on an alternative route that does not pass Pakistan and is now awaiting for airspace authorization.
THAI advises all passengers traveling on the afore-mentioned flights to check the Company’s announcements and keep abreast of all related news. For information on flight schedules, passengers may check at thaiairways.com or THAI Contact Center at Tel. 0-356-1111, 24-hours a day.
THAI passengers who hold tickets on routes affected by flight cancellation may change their itinerary. Fees and charges will be exempted, and conditions apply.
THAI operates flights to three destinations in Pakistan: one flight per day to Karachi and Lahore and four flights per week to Islamabad on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.