THAI temporarily cancels flights to Europe after Pakistan closes airspace

[webfact]

THAI temporarily cancels flights to Europe after Pakistan closes airspace

By The Nation

 

 

Thai Airways International on Wednesday announced the cancellation of all flights to and from Pakistan and Europe after Pakistan closed its airspace amid rising tensions with India.
 

The flights cancelled on Wednesday night were TG341 and TG342 on the Bangkok-Karachi-Bangkok route, the TG345 and TG 346 Bangkok-Lahore-Bangkok flights and TG349 and TG350 Bangkok-Islamabad-Bangkok flights.

 

THAI also cancelled fights to Europe that fly over Pakistan airspace, namely Bangkok-London (TG916), Bangkok-Moscow (TG974) and Bangkok-Phuket-Frankfurt (TG926).

 

 

All flights have now returned to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. 

 

Due to safety concerns, the airline has also cancelled all 11 flights from Bangkok to Europe for passengers checking in on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. The cancelled flights are: Bangkok-Frankfurt, Bangkok –London, Bangkok –Munich, Bangkok- Paris, Bangkok – Brussels, Bangkok- Milan, Bangkok-Vienna, Bangkok-Stockholm, Bangkok-Zurich, Bangkok-Copenhagen and Bangkok-Oslo.

 

Inbound flights from the above European cities, including Rome, were also cancelled for Wednesday. 

 

THAI said it was closely monitoring the situation and plans to re-route its flights. 

 

Passengers can call THAI at +662 356 1111 24 hours or visit www.thaiairways.com for updates on the flight schedule.

 

THAI passengers who hold tickets on routes affected by flight cancellation may change their itinerary. Fees and charges will be exempted, and conditions apply.

 

THAI operates flights to three destinations in Pakistan:  one flight per day to Karachi and Lahore and four flights per week to Islamabad on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30364929

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-28

 

 

Affected flights are:

- Flights at TG 341 and TG 342, Bangkok-Karachi route (round-trip)

- Flights at TG 345 and TG 346, Bangkok-Lahore route (round-trip)

- Flights at TG 349 and TG 350, Bangkok-Islamabad route (round-trip)

- Flight TG 916, Bangkok-London, United Kingdom route

- Flights at TG 974, Bangkok-Moscow route, Russian Federation

- Flights at TG 926, Bangkok-Phuket-Frankfurt route, Federal Republic of Germany

 

- Flight at TG 920, Bangkok-Frankfurt route
- Flight at TG 910, Bangkok-London route

- Flight at TG 924, Bangkok-Munich route

- Flights at TG 930, Bangkok-Paris route

- Flights at TG 934, Bangkok-Brussels route

- Flights at TG 940, Bangkok-Milan route

- Flights at TG 936, Bangkok-Vienna route

- Flights at TG 960, Bangkok-Stockholm route

- Flight at TG 970, Bangkok-Zurich route

- Flight at TG 950, Bangkok-Copenhagen route

- Flights at TG 954, Bangkok-Oslo route

- Flight at TG 911, London-Bangkok route

- Flights at TG 921, Frankfurt route - Bangkok

- Flights at TG 931, Paris-Bangkok route

- Flights at TG 941, Milan-Bangkok route

- Flights at TG 945, Rome-Bangkok route

- Flights at TG 971, Zurich-Bangkok route

- Flights at TG 951, Copenhagen route - Bangkok

- Flights at TG 961, Stockholm-Bangkok route

- Flights at TG 955, Route Oslo - Bangkok

- Flights at TG 925, Munich route - Bangkok

 

[leeneeds]

Safety first,  all goes well if this safety action would permeate through other industries in Thailand.

Remember the MH17 with 283 people shot down, and still no one is accountable,

a good call Thai airways.

 

[roamer]

Only took you 6 hours after the event to get this up and you haven't even mentioned EVA, their London bound flight turned around just off India and was back at BKK by 19.00.

 

" Due to safety concerns, the airline has also cancelled all 11 flights from Bangkok to Europe for passengers checking in on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning." 

 

Sure. Zero to do with the increased refuelling costs via Middle East or Eastern Europe or more expensive airspace over Russia. Safety concerns have nothing whatsoever to do with it, insurance has been withdrawn for that route and airspace closed, couldn't fly it if you wanted to. Any money you like other airlines will be re-routing long before Thai.

[donmuang2]

What???

All other airlines are flying via UAE.

Why is that not possible for Thai Airways?

Their lawyers will have hard times to explain if somebody claims acc. flight compensation regulation 261/2004

[Ossy]

Other airlines, meanwhile, get their brains together and discuss and resolve ways of flying AROUND Pakistan, including arranging new stop-overs and fueling requirements. But that needs people to think, plan and arrange . . . way over THAI's heads, it would seem, as they set about cutting SE Asia off from the western world.

[webfact]

Thousands affected as airport authorities and tourist police help stranded passengers

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport authorities and regional tourist police descended on Bangkok's largest airport last night as thousands faced flight chaos from the sudden closure of Pakistani airspace. 

 

Thai Rath reported that 5,000 people would be affected overnight with more unable to fly today after rising tensions between Pakistan and India caused Thai Airways to cancel more than a dozen flights to Pakistan and Europe. 

 

The media said that many passengers had arrived at the airport late last night unaware that they would be unable to fly. 

 

Kittipong Kittikhajorn deputy chief at Suvarnabhumi and Pol Col Amnat Chamchai led contingents from early evening to help stranded Thai and foreign tourists. 

 

Channel 3 reported separately that 10,000 people would be initially affected in Thailand from the closure of the airspace.

 

Kittipong urged passengers to check with THAI on 02 356 1111 for latest advice to avoid being stranded at the airport. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-02-28

[samsensam]

2 hours ago, leeneeds said:

Safety first,  all goes well if this safety action would permeate through other industries in Thailand.

Remember the MH17 with 283 people shot down, and still no one is accountable,

a good call Thai airways.

 

 

no one is suggesting thai fly over the conflict area, but they should do a risk assessment and make appropriate changes to their operations, e.g. re-route around the conflict area - as other airlines have done. as you say; safety first.

[arithai12]

As of early Friday morning, there is no special announcement on the Thai Airlines web site so I suspect that the cancelled flights were only those of that one night/day when tensions suddendly escalated in Pakistan. It was a necessary move.

Note that the "news" here are mostly a copy and paste from other outlets, often very delayed. And those from some outlets which are in fact newspapers are already based on facts from a day before.

[jackdd]

22 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

As of early Friday morning, there is no special announcement on the Thai Airlines web site so I suspect that the cancelled flights were only those of that one night/day when tensions suddendly escalated in Pakistan. It was a necessary move.

Note that the "news" here are mostly a copy and paste from other outlets, often very delayed. And those from some outlets which are in fact newspapers are already based on facts from a day before.

If you go on https://www.flightradar24.com and set a filter for THA there are no flights between Europe in Thailand, so looks like they are still not flying

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed. 

[Cadbury]

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

THAI temporarily cancels flights to Europe......

with the horrific losses Thai Airways suffers each month these cancellations should count as a big saving to them.

[steve187]

2 hours ago, roamer said:

Only took you 6 hours after the event to get this up and you haven't even mentioned EVA, their London bound flight turned around just off India and was back at BKK by 19.00.

 

" Due to safety concerns, the airline has also cancelled all 11 flights from Bangkok to Europe for passengers checking in on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning." 

 

Sure. Zero to do with the increased refuelling costs via Middle East or Eastern Europe or more expensive airspace over Russia. Safety concerns have nothing whatsoever to do with it, insurance has been withdrawn for that route and airspace closed, couldn't fly it if you wanted to. Any money you like other airlines will be re-routing long before Thai.

other thread from last night here - 

 

[A Skeptic]

I am an ex intercontinental airline captain (B747) with considerable experience of flying from/to SE Asia and Europe. There is not a single reason why Thai International Airways could not re-route around Pakistan and northern India. It's even quite possible, if you want, to avoid India completely. I've done it, usually at the planning stage, but once in mid flight. Other airlines on that route must be rubbing their hands together with glee

[wreckingcountry]

Safety first,  all goes well if this safety action would permeate through other industries in Thailand.

Remember the MH17 with 283 people shot down, and still no one is accountable,

a good call Thai airways.

 

Nonsense ! Highlights Thaiairways pathetic organisation ! Other airlines running ok !

Going to be be a long time before the airspace opens again .. a very long time when the India Pakistan war commences!

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[mtls2005]

On the plus side, TG chose not to spray-paint a map of Kashmir black.

 

What a mess, for all airlines, will take weeks to sort out.

[Youlike]

1 hour ago, Ossy said:

Other airlines, meanwhile, get their brains together and discuss and resolve ways of flying AROUND Pakistan, including arranging new stop-overs and fueling requirements. But that needs people to think, plan and arrange . . . way over THAI's heads, it would seem, as they set about cutting SE Asia off from the western world.

Think of all the money they can make out of this, 5000 meals/drinks sold at the airport...

[varun]

Typical Thai knee-jerk-shoot-self-in-the-foot mentality.

 

There is no reason why the planes can't re-route to a new flight vector,

but that would involve  'think too mutt'

 

 

[tso310]

As I stated last night in the swampy thread plenty of airlines are still flying on the airlane which is well to the south of Pakistan. Some flights are leaving from Karachi. These are the relevant NOTAMS affecting airlines.

 

Relevant Notam from Pakistan

OPKR Karachi | OPLR Lahore
A0200/19 (Issued for OPKR OPLR) – PAKISTAN AIRSPACE IS CLOSED. 27 FEB 07:30 2019 UNTIL 28 FEB 23:59 2019 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 27 FEB 07:32 2019

Relevant Notam from India

VIDF Delhi
A0185/19 – PAKISTAN AIRSPACE IS CLOSED, REFERENCE NOTAM NUMBER OPKR A0200/19 ISSUED BY KARACHI. ACCORDINGLY, ALL FLIGHTS TRANSITING DELHI FIR INTO PAKISTAN AIRSPACE ARE ADVISED TO FLIGHT PLAN THROUGH ANTERNATE ROUTE AVOIDING PAKISTAN AIRSPACE. 27 FEB 08:50 2019 UNTIL 28 FEB 23:59 2019 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 27 FEB 09:12 2019

Relevant Notam from Afghanistan

OAKX   KABUL (ACC/FIC)
G0440/19 – KABUL FIR NOT ACCEPTING ANY OVERFLIGHT TRAFFIC VIA ALL AIRWAYS DUE TO PAKISTAN AIRSPACE BEING CLOSED. EXPECT AIRSPACE OPENING WHEN PAKISTAN BEGINS ACCEPTING AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT LANDING IN KABUL FIR ARE PERMITTED ENTRY. 27 FEB 08:00 2019 UNTIL 27 MAY 23:59 2019. CREATED: 27 FEB 07:48 2019

[tso310]

India NOTAM on delays

A0189/19 - SOUTH BOUND FLIGHTS FROM DELHI FIR TO MIDDLE EAST AND EUROPE MAY EXPECT 15 MIN LONGITUDINAL SEPARATION DUE ANTICIPATED TFC CONGESTION ON ATS RTE L301 AND N571.

 

[faraday]

45 minutes ago, A Skeptic said:

I am an ex intercontinental airline captain (B747) with considerable experience of flying from/to SE Asia and Europe. There is not a single reason why Thai International Airways could not re-route around Pakistan and northern India. It's even quite possible, if you want, to avoid India completely. I've done it, usually at the planning stage, but once in mid flight. Other airlines on that route must be rubbing their hands together with glee

Why do you think Thai have done this though?

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, tso310 said:

As I stated last night in the swampy thread plenty of airlines are still flying on the airlane which is well to the south of Pakistan. Some flights are leaving from Karachi. These are the relevant NOTAMS affecting airlines.

 

Relevant Notam from Pakistan

 

 

Any particular significance to the fact that those notices you posted mostly are due to expire at midnight on the 28th?

 

Or is it just the normal practice to post them for short periods, and then renew/extend them as circumstances dictate?

 

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, donmuang2 said:

What???

All other airlines are flying via UAE.

Why is that not possible for Thai Airways?

Their lawyers will have hard times to explain if somebody claims acc. flight compensation regulation 261/2004

Does 261/2004 apply to non EU airlines?

Serious question.

[tso310]

If you are referring to the Pakistani NOTAM I suspect it may be extended by another 24 hours but who knows. I suspect airlines will still fly outside of Pakistani airspace even if it is opened depending on their governments advice. Whether Thai was told to cancel by The government is a possibility.

[Mattd]

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Does 261/2004 apply to non EU airlines?

Serious question.

Yes for flights that commence from the EU.

 

Regarding the cancellations, checking on Flight Radar, BA9 is flying, it has routed to avoid Pakistan, makes you wonder why Thai and Eva cannot do the same.

[colinneil]

51 minutes ago, A Skeptic said:

I am an ex intercontinental airline captain (B747) with considerable experience of flying from/to SE Asia and Europe. There is not a single reason why Thai International Airways could not re-route around Pakistan and northern India. It's even quite possible, if you want, to avoid India completely. I've done it, usually at the planning stage, but once in mid flight. Other airlines on that route must be rubbing their hands together with glee

You see not a single reason why Thai could not just fly avoiding Pakistani airspace.

Well i do it is PASSENGER SAFETY, many airlines have rerouted causing overloading of other airspace.

In my opinion Thai did the correct thing, until they can arrange suitable routes for their aircraft.

I feel you like many others are just having a go at Thai just for the hell, of it

[tso310]

3 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Does 261/2004 apply to non EU airlines?

Serious question.

From wiki

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a notice filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the safety of the flight.^[1] NOTAMs are unclassified notices or advisories distributed by means of telecommunication that contain information concerning the establishment, conditions or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel and systems concerned with flight operations.^[2] NOTAMs are created and transmitted by government agencies and airport operators under guidelines specified by Annex 15: Aeronautical Information Services of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (CICA). 

A NOTAM is filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft pilots of any hazards en route or at a specific location. The authority in turn provides a means of disseminating relevant NOTAMs to pilots.

 

[tso310]

10 minutes ago, Mattd said:

Yes for flights that commence from the EU.

 

Regarding the cancellations, checking on Flight Radar, BA9 is flying, it has routed to avoid Pakistan, makes you wonder why Thai and Eva cannot do the same.

Apparently yesterdays BA10 had to stop for refueling en route at Bucharest. The flight was over northern India so a large divert. BA9 would be properly fueled for todays flight.

[Mattd]

16 minutes ago, tso310 said:

Apparently yesterdays BA10 had to stop for refueling en route at Bucharest. The flight was over northern India so a large divert. BA9 would be properly fueled for todays flight.

Still doesn't explain why other airlines can't reroute, they can put enough fuel on.

[overherebc]

22 minutes ago, tso310 said:

If you are referring to the Pakistani NOTAM I suspect it may be extended by another 24 hours but who knows. I suspect airlines will still fly outside of Pakistani airspace even if it is opened depending on their governments advice. Whether Thai was told to cancel by The government is a possibility.

No, only asking if the compensation for flight delays applies to flights that are not of EU origin or non EU airlines. 

My own feeling is that Thai Airways flights originating in Thailand and being delayed will not be under 261/2004 as it's an EU ruling. 

[tso310]

Just now, Mattd said:

Still doesn't explain why other airlines can't reroute, they can put enough fuel on.

Its only Thai that has completely stopped. They did say last night that they were trying to get routing via the southern route. Looks like European airline departures to BKK today are still scheduled.