BANGKOK, Thailand – Thai Airways aims to return to normal flight levels within a week as it works through a backlog of roughly 10,000 stranded passenger bags, about 8,000 of which are still awaiting processing, Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said after chairing an urgent meeting.

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The bags were left behind during disruptions between 26 and 28 September, when heavy rain and flooding forced flight cancellations and schedule changes and kept ground-handling staff from reaching work. The pile-up of passengers and luggage overwhelmed the airline’s baggage capacity, leaving thousands of bags waiting to be sorted and delivered. Pipat said clearing the backlog should take another three to four days, with the Transport Ministry arranging 100 Royal Thai Air Force personnel to help move and transport bags while Thai Airways staff handle sorting given their expertise. Passengers are being contacted once their bags are identified and can either collect them at Suvarnabhumi Airport or have them mailed via Thailand Post.

No further backlog has built up since 29 September after the airline adjusted its schedule and baggage operations, Pipat said, while authorities continue assisting those affected by cancelled or rescheduled flights. Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri said about 90 per cent of passenger-facing staff and 80 per cent of operational staff are back at work, though the airline still faces accumulated workload from the disruption. The carrier, which normally runs about 115 flights a day, cut 28 at the height of the problems and plans roughly 100 flights on 1 October and 105 on 2 October.

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Pipat also said the meeting concluded Thai Airways will not suspend inbound and outbound cargo services, reversing an earlier plan to halt them from 1 to 6 October, though some stages may be slowed to manage space and gradually clear the cargo backlog.

-Thailand News (TN)