The government has joined forces with Thai Airways, Airports of Thailand, and the Royal Thai Air Force to set up a special operations centre, or War Room, to resolve the crisis of stranded passenger baggage from Thai Airways. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the accumulated backlog of baggage exceeds 10,000 pieces, and that roughly 1,800 pieces have recently been sorted and returned to passengers, leaving a target of about 8,000 pieces still to be cleared. Some of these are piled up in the area in front of the apron, while about 4,000 more are in the transfer baggage, or TBT, area inside. The goal is to finish between the 1st and 2nd of this month. Thai Airways and AOT have been ordered to report progress to the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand every 8 hours, with an additional 100 personnel from the Royal Thai Air Force and 12 more sets of cargo-handling machinery brought in. Chai Eamsiri, Chief Executive Officer of Thai Airways, said staffing on site has returned to about 90% and operational personnel to 80%. Outbound flights will increase to 105 on October 2, with a target of restoring normal levels of 115 flights within 7 days. Thai Airways confirmed it will take responsibility for all damages, both for lost baggage and for passengers who miss flights, and confirmed it will not close its cargo warehouse.
Thai Airways International Public Company LimitedThai Airways faces a stranded-baggage crisis with ~8,000 pieces still to clear, government-mandated 8-hour progress reports, and liability for all damages and missed flights.
Airports Of Thailand PCLAOT is part of the government-led War Room ordered to report baggage-clearance progress every 8 hours, a regulatory/oversight burden rather than a clear business gain.
