BANGKOK, THAILAND – A distant war sent shockwaves through Thailand’s skies as soaring fuel costs turned air travel into an expensive ordeal and forced widespread flight cancellations.
Fuel prices jolt Thailand’s aviation sector
For two months, the conflict between the United States and Iran had shaken the oil market and more than doubled the price of jet fuel. These costs wiped out the already slim profits of many airlines.
Fuel normally accounted for around 30 percent of operating expenses, but the surge pushed business models to the brink. Routes that had previously been profitable now generated deep losses for carriers.
Thai AirAsia cuts capacity sharply
Low‑cost airlines in the “Land of Smiles” were hit particularly hard. According to experts, Thai AirAsia ranked among the five airlines worldwide that had to scale back their schedules the most.
For May alone, the carrier reduced capacity by almost 15 percentage points compared with its original plan. The cuts meant fewer holidaymakers, lower revenues and intense stress for passengers facing disrupted travel plans.
Passenger slump at Phuket Airport
The crisis was already visible at airport terminals. At the popular beach destination Phuket, passenger numbers in April fell by almost seven percent compared with the previous year.
Airport director Monchai Tanode now pinned his hopes on the upcoming cool season to bring relief. No airline had yet surrendered its fixed take‑off and landing rights, but the situation remained extremely tense.
Nok Air and Vietjet push ahead
Despite the dark clouds over the industry, some carriers refused to back down. Nok Air stuck to its plan to add two new aircraft to its fleet by the end of the year.
In the third quarter, the company planned to increase international services again. Rival Vietjet also relied on modern Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in an effort to cope with the high fuel costs.
Government urged to throw a lifeline
The national aviation authority entered urgent talks on support measures for the struggling sector. Proposals included cuts to jet fuel taxes and lower fees for aircraft parking and navigation services.
Officials aimed to prevent further cancellations at almost any cost and to avoid destroying people’s desire to travel. Airlines were fighting for their very survival in a world of record prices.
Your rights when flights are cancelled
When a flight was cancelled, airlines were obliged to provide an alternative connection or a refund. This obligation applied only if passengers were informed of the cancellation at very short notice.
If travellers were notified more than three days before domestic flights or more than seven days before international flights, carriers did not have to pay compensation. Passengers were therefore advised to check their email inbox carefully in the days leading up to departure.
Your opinion
The report raised the question of whether passengers felt abandoned when holidays were cancelled because of high fuel costs. Readers were invited to share their views and experiences in the comments and to join the discussion about how airlines were handling the crisis.