Transfer of Betong Airport acting director ‘nothing to do with Nok Air flight cancellations’
The Department of Airports issued an announcement on Wednesday stating that its recent order to transfer the acting director of Betong International Airport to an inactive post at the Airports Standard Control Division had nothing to do with Nok Air’s cancellation of flights to the southern airport.
Acting director Duangporn Suvanmanee was previously Narathiwat Airport director before she was tasked with taking charge of Betong Airport.
Nok Air cancelled its flights on March 16, just one day after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his Cabinet flew in to officially open the new airport. The airline subsequently came out to say that it “needed more time to adjust its marketing plans” due to the energy crisis and the Covid-19 situation.
Nok Air was initially scheduled to fly into Betong from Don Mueang on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“The order aimed to ensure efficient personnel allocation and also ensure that administration of the department’s airport can continue seamlessly while achieving our goals and missions,” the Department of Airports said. “It has nothing to do with Nok Air’s cancellation of flights to Betong International Airport as some have speculated.”
The department added that it was also investigating an incident in which unauthorised personnel had been using the airport’s aircraft parking area to park their vans, which was a clear violation of airport safety regulations.