Foreign carriers are returning slots en masse to Thailand’s airports – that is, they are abandoning flights due to “complete uncertainty”, even despite the formal opening of the borders by the Kingdom on November 1. This assessment was voiced in the Thai media. According to The Tiger, Airports of Thailand Managing Director Nitinai Sirisamatthakarn said that international carriers have returned about 80% of their slots at Thai airports. According to him, this is the period from October 31 to March 26 – that is. about the whole high tourist season for the Kingdom.
“This indicates that airlines are not sure of any rapid recovery in the aviation sector. Airport slots are boarding and alighting permits issued by airport owners to airlines. The cancellation affected all 6 international airports in Thailand – Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Phuket, Hatyai, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai,” said the expert. At Bangkok’s Don Muang airport, the airlines gave up 100% of their slots and returned 70% to Suvarnabhumi.
“Thailand’s aviation sector reached its lowest level between July and September this year, when the government suspended all scheduled flights to take control of the Covid-19 situation. During this period, six international airports received an average of 50 passengers a day,” the Thai aviation official added. At the same time, after the start of lifting restrictions in September, this figure jumped to 30 thousand people a day.
Mr. Nitinai is trying to remain optimistic in his forecasts and hopes that the aviation sector will gradually recover in the next two years. Meanwhile, the “Airports of Thailand” have already suffered losses of 11 billion baht during the first 9 months of 2021.