Thai Airways Trims Bangkok Flights as Flooding Snarls Baggage Operations

Thai Airways is scaling back its Bangkok flight schedule after days of heavy rain and flooding disrupted operations at the city's main airport, the carrier's chief executive said on Tuesday.

The airline plans to cut roughly 30 departures from Bangkok — about 30% of its planned services — with the reduction set to last at least three days. Chief Executive Chai Eamsiri said operational capacity could not keep pace with demand, noting that almost every flight over the previous two days had been delayed and fewer than 3% ran on schedule.

Bangkok's airports stayed open through the weekend's rain and flooding, but baggage handling at Suvarnabhumi Airport was hit hard. About 69 Thai Air Force personnel were brought in on Monday to assist the flag carrier's ground operations. Around 5,600 bags from Thai Airways flights remain stuck at the airport, and Chai said they should be cleared within 72 hours.

The capital received roughly 320 mm (12.6 inches) of rain over two to three days last week — nearly the amount Bangkok typically records for the entire month of September. The government said floodwater in the city should recede within three days if no further rain falls.

Recovery efforts are widening beyond the airport. The cabinet was due to discuss long-term flood mitigation and recovery measures on Tuesday, a government spokesperson said. Industry Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said 1,267 businesses across 40 provinces have been affected, including 52 factories and 1,162 small and medium enterprises. Nationwide economic damage from the flooding is estimated at more than $320 million.