Thai Airways International has become another victim of COVID-19, as the loss-ridden national flag carrier immediately suspends all operations until May 31st.
THAI acting president Mr. Chakkrit Parapanthukul said yesterday that the suspension is necessary because the global pandemic has prompted many countries to impose border closures and lockdowns, forcing many THAI offices abroad to close temporarily and making it impossible for the national flag carrier to operate to those destinations.
Compounded by a sharp reduction in passenger numbers, he added that the continuation of operations will increase the airline’s losses.
According to THAI’s public relations department:
- Starting today (March 25th), all THAI flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Yangon, Singapore, Jakarta, Denpasar, Kunming, Xiamen, Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Karachi, Kathmandu, Lahore, Dhaka, Islamabad and Colombo are suspended.
- Domestically, flights to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi will be operated by Thai Smile, a subsidiary of THAI.
- Starting March 27th, THAI flights to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth will be suspended.
- From April 1st, THAI will cease all flights to Europe, which includes London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Copenhagen, Oslo, Moscow and Stockholm.
THAI has already suspended services to Sendai, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Pusan, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Rome, Milan, Vienna, New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Genai, Hyderabad, Muscat Dubai, Oakland and Bengaluru.
Passengers who bought THAI tickets, or joint tickets with Thai Smile before March 25th, can exchange their tickets for travel vouchers, which are valid for one year without extra charge, on flights scheduled between March 25th and May 31st for Asian routes, and between April 1st and May 31st for European routes, as well as routes to New Zealand and Australia.
Alternatively, passengers can use the thaiairways.com website to changes their flight plans.
