The latest in a series of delays for Thailand’s flag carrier comes as Covid-19 outbreaks flare up in countries that previously contained the virus.
Photo: Thai Airways International
Air passenger numbers within Thailand may be showing signs of a rebound, but the outlook for overseas travel to and from the kingdom is less rosy. According to a recent statement, Thai Airways’ plans to restart international services have now been delayed for another two months. Citing the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and continued entry restrictions put in place by governments around the world, Thailand’s national carrier “has been forced to extend the temporary suspension of its international operations until the end of September 2020.”
In response, Thai Airways is waiving the change fee for any booking made before July 10. Affected passengers can either rebook right away or extend the validity of their ticket and rebook later, so long as travel is completed by December 31, 2021. Customers will not be charged for changing their travel dates on the same route and in the same booking class, but fare differences, taxes, and surcharges are applicable should a higher fare class be chosen instead. Those who have reserved flights through a travel agent are being advised to contact them directly.
Thai Airways is also waiving rerouting and reissuing fees on all existing bookings, with customers allowed to reroute their trips through the end of next year. Alternatively, passengers are able to request a refund in the form of a travel voucher at the same value as their unused ticket. These will be valid for one year from the date of issue, and can be used as credit toward future journeys on any of Thai or Thai Smile’s routes worldwide.
Come October, Thai Airways hopes to relaunch flights to the following 37 destinations:
Southeast Asia: Denpasar, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Phnom Penh, Singapore, Vientiane, Yangon
East Asia: Beijing Capital, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Nagoya, Osaka Kansai, Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai Pudong, Taipei Taoyuan, Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita
Australasia: Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
South Asia: Delhi, Dhaka, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore
Europe: Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Munich, Paris CDG, Zürich
More information here.
