BANGKOK, THAILAND – The escalating Middle East conflict disrupted air traffic at Thai airports, affecting 328 flights and nearly 50,000 passengers in just five days.
328 flights affected in five days
According to Airports of Thailand (AOT), between 28 February and 4 March a total of 328 flights were hit by cancellations and delays. In that period, 327 flights were cancelled and one flight was handled with a delay.
AOT said the disruptions were triggered by tightened security situations and subsequent NOTAMs (official aviation notices). These led to airspace closures in several countries and forced airlines to make short-notice changes to their schedules.
Suvarnabhumi and Phuket hardest hit
At Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, AOT recorded the highest number of affected travelers. A total of 33,029 passengers there were impacted by the disruptions.
At Phuket Airport, the number of affected passengers reached 16,062. Chiang Mai reported 312 impacted travelers, while Don Mueang recorded 285, showing significantly lower effects at these airports.
Routes and airlines most impacted
Paweena Jariyathitipong, president of AOT, said that flights between Thailand and the Middle East, as well as transit services, had been particularly affected.
“Connections between Thailand and the Middle East, as well as transit flights, were mainly impacted.”
said Paweena Jariyathitipong, AOT president.
AOT listed several key airlines among those affected. These included EL AL Israel Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air and Thai AirAsia X.
Rebookings and relief measures on the ground
Some passengers whose trips had been planned via the Middle East as a transit route were rebooked to alternative connections. AOT said these replacement flights were on routes not affected by the airspace restrictions.
At the same time, AOT stressed that all six AOT-operated airports remained open and functioned normally. The allocation of aircraft parking stands had not affected regular mainline services, according to the operator.
AOT sets up command centre and boosts staffing
To support affected travelers, an Operations Command Centre (OCC) was established at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The OCC was set up to coordinate procedures with the relevant authorities.
AOT deployed additional PR teams and Airport Ambassadors and provided more drinking water and waiting areas for passengers. The operator also coordinated with the Immigration Bureau to speed up checks, reduce congestion and tightened security measures around the clock with real-time monitoring of the flight situation.
Guidance and 24-hour contact for passengers
AOT advised passengers on Middle East routes or related itineraries to check their flight status directly with their airline before travelling to the airport. It also recommended following updates via airline communication channels and the “AOT official” Facebook page.
According to AOT, further information was available through the AOT Contact Centre 1722, which operated 24 hours a day.
Thai Airways adjusts Europe routes
Separately, Chai Eamsiri, CEO of Thai Airways International (THAI), said airspace closures in Israel, Iran and other areas had not directly affected the carrier. The airline was currently not operating routes passing through the airspace of those two countries.
“Airspace closures in Israel, Iran and other regions have not affected THAI at present, as the airline is not currently operating routes through those airspaces.”
said Chai Eamsiri, CEO of Thai Airways International.
However, he noted that the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan was relevant for Europe-bound flights. For safety reasons, THAI adjusted its routes, adding around 20 minutes of flight time on several European services without significantly increasing overall fuel costs.