BANGKOK: Thai Airways is cutting about 30 flights from Bangkok as severe flooding continues to disrupt operations, with thousands of bags stranded at the capital’s main airport and authorities expecting floodwaters to recede within three days if no further heavy rain falls.
The airline will reduce departures from Bangkok by about 30% on Tuesday, with the cuts expected to continue for at least three days, Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri told reporters. Several flights to and from Bangkok have also been canceled for Tuesday and Wednesday, including services to Singapore, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt, Munich and Brussels.
“Almost 100% of flights over the past two days were delayed, with fewer than 3% on schedule as operational capacity could not be sustained,” Chai said.
While Bangkok’s major airports remained operational during the flooding, baggage handling at Suvarnabhumi Airport was severely affected. About 5,600 bags from Thai Airways flights remain at the airport, and the airline expects to clear the backlog within 72 hours.
Sixty-nine Thai Air Force personnel were deployed Monday to help with the airline’s ground operations and baggage handling.
The disruption follows intense rainfall that dumped about 320 millimeters (12.6 inches) of rain on Bangkok over two to three days last week nearly the amount the city normally receives throughout September.
Flooding has affected 40 provinces and disrupted businesses across the country. Thailand’s Industry Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said 1,267 businesses had been affected, including 52 factories and 1,162 small and medium-sized enterprises.
The nationwide economic damage from the flooding has been estimated at more than $320 million. Thailand’s cabinet has also approved more than 4 billion baht ($119 million) for flood-related recovery and mitigation efforts, while a 160 billion baht long-term drainage project has received approval.
Despite the disruption, the Thai government said Bangkok’s floodwaters were expected to recede within two to three days if additional rainfall does not occur. Authorities are continuing recovery and drainage efforts as the capital and other affected areas deal with the aftermath of the heavy rains.
