Home > News > Flights For Passengers Stranded In Bangkok 4740

Flights for passengers stranded in Bangkok

Helpline issued by the Foreign Office is: +66 (0) 2305 8333

[November 28th 2008]

Airport chaos

Two airlines have announced flights for passengers stranded in the Bangkok airport siege.

Both Cathay Pacific and Etihad are offering flights from Utapao airport near Pattaya, which is about a two hour drive from Bangkok. Passengers will of course have to make their own way from Bangkok to Utapao.

Cathay Pacific is operating flights from Utapao airport to Hong Kong, replacing flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong which have all been cancelled for today and tomorrow. The first flight from Hong Kong landed at Utapao airport this morning.

Tomorrow (Saturday) a Cathay Pacific flight will leave Hong Kong at 0000 GMT and return from Utapao at 0500 GMT. Priority on the flights is being given to Cathay Pacific crew and staff and Cathay Pacific ticket holders. But other passengers will be allowed to fly subject to availability and payment in cash.

Further flights may be added over the weekend if there is sufficient demand says Cathay Pacific. Etihad Airways has also decided to use Utapao airport to rescue passengers still stranded in Bangkok.

The airline, which is based in the United Arab Emirates, will operate a flight for stranded passengers from Utapao airport to Abu Dhabi using a Boeing 777. Etihad normally operates two flights a day between Abu Dhabi and Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, but like all other airlines has been forced to suspend flights until Bangkok airport reopens.

The Bangkok airport siege, which started on Tuesday, still shows no signs of ending. Anti-government protestors occupying the airport say they will not leave until Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigns.

The domestic airport in Bangkok, Don Muang, has also been occupied by protestors and all flights cancelled making it impossible for tourists to leave the Thai capital by air. This has led to travel chaos in Bangkok as people seek alternative transport to flee the area.

British Airways, Thai Airways and Qantas all operate flights to and from Bangkok airport and Heathrow. All airlines are monitoring the situation closely to see when flights to Bangkok resume.

The Helpline issued by the Foreign office is: +66 (0) 2305 8333

A number other useful contacts are available from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand website.