Aviation authority allows airlines to cancel scheduled summer flights
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has allowed airlines to cancel their summer flights (March to October) in 2020 without the risk of losing their slots in 2021, but has offered the open slots to other airlines.
Chula Sukmanop, director-general of CAAT, said that 33,898 flights had been cancelled as several countries are still concerned about the Covid-19 situation.
The CAAT said that from April 19-25, the number of international passengers rose 6.7 per cent over the previous week to 7,710. The number of domestic passengers was 18,495, 6.9 per cent higher than the previous week.
On April 27, only Nok Air and VietJet were available for domestic flights.
This week four airports -- Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Mae Fah Luang -- are available to receive Thais stranded in India, Vietnam and Japan and also let foreigners in Thailand leave.
Since the pandemic began, 178,099 flights have been cancelled, or 33.2 per cent of flights on the 2020 summer schedule. Recent cancellations are 33,898 flights.
A total of 12,683 tonnes of products were exported last week, down 0.8 per cent while 83 tonnes of domestic products have been transported, up 16.6 per cent.