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Bangkok airports closed to flights

Published: 26/11/2008 - Filed under: News »

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The Thai capital’s main Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports are currently closed, putting the travel plans of many thousands of passengers in turmoil.

Thousands of PAD (People’s Alliance for Democracy) anti-government protesters have occupied the terminals of both airports, forcing the authorities to close the airport.

British Airways and Qantas, who fly every day to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport from London en route for Sydney, Australia, say they are monitoring the situation closely. In the short term both carriers will reroute their flights.

Tonight’s flights BA9 and QF 1 will stop in Singapore rather than Bangkok while tomorrow’s BA10 (out of Sydney) will take the same routing.

BA says that Bangkok-bound passengers can fly to Singapore instead but onward travel (to Bangkok) will be their own responsibility.

BA flights departing from London or Sydney on and after November 27 are shown as stopping in Bangkok but a cautionary message on the BA website says that “The situation is under constant review and changes to these services may take place at short notice.”

Qantas recommends that “Because we are unsure of the duration of this unrest we recommend that all non-urgent travel to Thailand be deferred.”

The PAD rallies and protests have been taking place for a number of months. They have already impacted on tourist arrivals, with visitor numbers last September 16.5 per cent lower than the same month last year.

It’s unclear when the volatile situation at the airport will be resolved. It could be a matter of hours or even days before the facility reopens.

For more flight information visit ba.com, qantas.com, and for more general news on the situation in Thailand visit bbc.co.uk/news, bangkokpost.com.

Report by Alex McWhirter

COMMENTS » 

Moraspelo49 - 28/11/2008 05:17

I have just read the above news of the closure of all airports in Bangkok, Thailand. To what extent do you anticipate this will affect the yuletide homecoming celebrations, especially, air cargoes that pass through this Asian transit air hub?

Thanks for your time.

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