Times Online
December 4, 2008
Foreign Office says don't fly to Bangkok
Suvarnabhumi airport reopens
(reuters)
Ginny McGrath
Conflicting advice over Bangkok airport is causing confusion for
Britons heading to Thailand.
Flights are set to resume from Bangkok=92s two major airports this
weekend, ahead of the peak holiday season in Thailand, but current
Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice tells Britons to stay away
indefinitely.
Although protestors have withdrawn from Bangkok=92s Don Mueang and
Suvarnabhumi airports, the ongoing threat of political unrest means
Britons should continue to avoid the airports unless their trip is
essential, says the FCO.
Its new advice on the Foreign Office website reads: =93=85 given the
protestors=92 continuing threat of disruption to the airports and
transport network, we advise that you continue to avoid air travel
into or through Bangkok for the foreseeable future.=94
Thailand's airports re-open
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* Thailand's airports re-open
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However, if airlines including British Airways resume flights to
Bangkok in the coming days, as they are expected to, passengers are
likely to be subject to normal booking conditions.
This means that customers booked on non-refundable tickets to Bangkok
will lose their money if they cancel their flight.
A spokesman for BA said he could not confirm what booking conditions
would be, but that if flights were back to normal, he would expect
booking conditions to be the same.
He added: =93There is no talk of not flying to Bangkok on the basis of
the current Foreign Office advice. As far as BA is concerned there is
no security issue.=94
BA will resume flights once Suvarnabhumi airport gets the all clear on
safety and computer grounds =96 =93we need to make sure none of our
equipment has been tampered with by the protestors,=94 the spokesman
told Times Online.
Some holidaymakers who wish to cancel Thailand holidays departing in
the coming days can switch destinations without penalty. Tour operator
Kuoni says clients with flights booked to Bangkok before Monday
December 8 who do not wish to travel can rebook an alternative holiday
with no amendment fee.
Domestic flights from Don Mueang Airport resumed at 6am Bangkok time
today and operations at Suvarnabhumi are expected to resume on
December 6, but it is up to the individual airlines when to recommence
flights.
The temporary flights check-in area at the Bangkok International Trade
& Exhibition Centre, which has served flights leaving U-Tapao airport,
has closed this evening.
Some Britons are still stranded in Bangkok. The Association of British
Travel Agents estimates that up to 800 package holidaymakers are still
on a extended stay in Thailand, while countless more independent
travellers are also yet to fly home.
However, according to Abta, flights are leaving Bangkok with empty
seats.
=93The problem is that independent travellers can=92t always be contacted
so they=92re not finding out about the flights,=94 Abta spokeswoman
Frances Tuke told Times Online.
BA's Boeing 777 relief flight that will leave Phuket on Friday morning
is one example.
A spokesman told Times Online: "Despite having advertised the flight
and worked with government officials in Bangkok for the past 48 hours
we think that the 272 seat aircraft will come back around half full,
as many customers in the past few days have already been flown to
Singapore by Qantas for onward BA flights."
For those Britons still stuck in Bangkok, the Thai Ministry of Tourism
says it will continue to offer assistance with accommodation and
meals, up to the value of Bht 2,000 (=A338) a day, until December 9.
Anyone thinking of travelling to, or through, Bangkok airports in the
coming weeks should check with their airline or tour operator before
travelling, according to the Foreign Office.
For those who plan to travel in spite of the Foreign Office advice,
their travel insurance policy should still be valid, but it's worth
check with the insurance provider before travelling.
A spokesman for Trailfinders told Times Online: "From our point of
view, our customers are covered as normal. This would only change if
the Foreign Office upped its overall advice for the city, or the
country." |