BANGKOK, THAILAND – A wave of sudden flight cancellations left thousands of passengers stranded at major Thai airports, disrupting key domestic and international routes.
Domestic link from Udon Thani to Bangkok cancelled
At Udon Thani airport, flight TVJ201 to Bangkok was cancelled, even though the Airbus A320 had been scheduled to depart at 10:10 a.m. For many travellers from the northeast, this was the most important connection to the capital, and alternative options were scarce.
“The passengers were left behind and had to either switch to travelling by road or wait for newly scheduled departures,”
said eyewitnesses.
Phuket–Mumbai service abruptly cut
International traffic was also affected. In Phuket, flight SEJ82 to Mumbai was cancelled. The Boeing 737-800 had been due to leave in the evening at 8:05 p.m. for Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in India. The sudden cancellation hit many travellers who had planned to use Phuket as a springboard to destinations in South Asia.
Suvarnabhumi sees mounting international disruptions
At Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, problems accumulated as two important international routes were scrapped. Flight MAS775 to Kuala Lumpur was cancelled, as was flight SBI6310 to Irkutsk in Russia. Both services, operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, had been key connections for regional and international air travel.
Strategic routes severed across the network
The cancellations were particularly serious because they affected strategically important routes. The Irkutsk service was one of the few direct connections between Thailand and eastern Russia. The Kuala Lumpur route functioned as a major regional hub link for transit passengers across Southeast Asia. The consequences for business travellers and holidaymakers were severe, with many forced to completely rearrange their travel plans.
Stranded passengers face stress and delays
For affected passengers, the chaos meant missed connections, lost time and rising stress levels. Airlines generally offered rebookings, but limited availability – especially at smaller airports such as Udon Thani – made this difficult. Experts suspected technical issues, staff shortages or weather disruptions as possible causes, but there were no official statements from the carriers or authorities.