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Thai Airways International suspends flights to Kuwait and Bahrain

Travel News Asia 18 March 2003

Thai Airways International has arranged contingency plans in case of emergency due to the imminent war between the U.S. and Iraq, and has announced that it will temporarily suspend flight operations from Bangkok to Kuwait and Bahrain from 20 March 2003 onwards.

Mr. Tasnai Sudasna, THAI’s Executive Vice President for Commercial, said that THAI has been closely monitoring market trends and passenger reservations made on all flights and routes THAI operates. Mr. Sudasna stated that THAI  has experienced passenger flight cancellations, for flights to be operated within the next 2 weeks, at approximately 10 percent. However, since April is considered to be Thailand’s travel peak season due to the Songkran Festival, THAI anticipates that there will be a steady flow of passengers traveling to and from Thailand during this period.

THAI’s contingency plans include rerouting flights routed Bangkok to Europe v.v. to 5 alternative routes, to ensure maximum passenger safety in the event of war. Currently, THAI operates to 5 destinations in the Middle East, which are: Kuwait, Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat.

THAI also plans to assist in the evacuation of approximately 1,200 Thai citizens residing in Kuwait to Thailand, in case of war.

On 19 March 2003, the last flight to Kuwait will be TG 519 on the route Bangkok – Dubai – Kuwait departing Bangkok at 12.10 hours and arriving in Kuwait at 18.10 hours (local time). Flight TG 520 on the route Kuwait – Dubai  – Bangkok will depart from Kuwait at 19.20 hours (local time) and arrive in Bangkok at 08.10 hours the following day. The last flight operating to Bahrain will be flight TG 515 on the route Bangkok – Abu Dhabi – Bahrain will depart from Bangkok at 17.25 hours and arrive in Bahrain at 22.40 hours (local time). Flight TG 516 on the route Bahrain – Bangkok will depart from Bahrain at 23.45 hours (local time) and arrive in Bangkok at 10.15 hours the following day.

As for flights to other Middle Eastern destinations, THAI has rescheduled its flight operations as follows:

- Flight TG 517 and TG 519 on the route Bangkok-Dubai v.v. will depart Bangkok at 17.50 hours and will arrive in Dubai at 21.50 hours (local time). Flight TG 518 and 520 will depart from Dubai at 23.00 hours (local time) and will arrive in Bangkok at 08.10 hours the following day. THAI operates daily flights to Dubai.

- Flight TG 515 on the route Bangkok-Abu Dhabi v.v. will depart Bangkok at 17.25 hours and will arrive in Abu Dhabi at 21.25 hours (local time). Flight TG 516 will depart Abu Dhabi at 22.25 hours (local time) and will arrive in Bangkok at 07.10 hours the following day. THAI operates 3 flights per week to Abu Dhabi every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

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