Some airlines resume Suvarnabhumi operations

More flights will be available to and from the airport in the coming days.

Thai Airway International's TG 2109 - a Boeing B747400 carrying 375 passengers from Phuket - was the first commercial flight to land, at 2pm. The flight was originally scheduled to go to Utapao Airport, but was diverted to Suvarnabhumi.

THAI also operated six international flights yesterday to Japan, Australia, India, Germany, South Korea and Denmark.

The carrier has requested all passengers with confirmed flights departing from Suvarnbhumi Airport to check in at the Bangkok International Trade and exhibition Centre in Bang Na at least five hours before their scheduled departure.

Five THAI flights also arrived from Phuket yesterday.

Royal Jordanian Airlines RJ180 with 60 passengers from Amman was the second flight to land at Suvarnabhumi, at 3.25pm.

Immigration and Customs services were provided at THAI's Crew Centre.

Bangkok Airways, Thailand's largest private airline, said its first commercial flight landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 4.20pm from Samui. Bangkok Airways flight PG 171 left Bangkok at 5pm, arriving in Samui at 6.05pm.

A spokesperson for the airline said the company was now in full gear to operate its normal schedules as soon as possible.

Budget airline Nok Air also announced it would resume operations at Don Mueang Airport this morning.

Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia, said the airline would resume all 90 daily flights to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport from tomorrow.

The first flight, FD 3232, will depart at 6.20am for Chiang Mai.

Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive officer of OneTwoGo, said the airline would also resume operations at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports on Friday.

He said the first flight would depart from Don Mueang at 7.50am for Chiang Mai. It will also operate two flights between Chiang Mai and Don Mueang, two from Don Mueang to Chiang Mai and Phuket to Don Mueang on the same day.

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has so far flown more than 2,000 passengers on five relief flights out of Utapao to its home base in Abu Dhabi and onwards to Europe, Africa and other parts of the Middle East. More passengers will travel early today on another six special flights.

 "We've flown in extra staff from our Abu Dhabi headquarters to Thailand to help our full time team based there to try and help run the operation more smoothly and efficiently for travellers, who understandably are keen to return home as soon as possible to see their loved ones," said Captain Richard Hill, the airline's executive vice president for operations.

All passengers whose flights have been cancelled are advised to contact Etihad to confirm the flights they will be on by calling (02) 253 0099, or by visiting the intown office on the 11th Floor of Tonson Tower, Ploenchit Road, for updated flight and logistics details. Passengers should not proceed to Utapao without first confirming their flights.

Like yesterday, India's Jet Airways will today operate two flights - one from Utapao and the other from Kolkata.

Since yesterday, Jet Airways has operated relief flights in and out of Utapao using a Boeing 737800. The carrier has airlifted close to 1,000 passengers to date, and is currently reviewing the situation in order to plan subsequent flights in the coming days.

For the convenience of its customers, Jet Airways has also set up a coordination cell for managing ticket bookings and handling stranded travellers. Customers wanting to travel out of Thailand can call the Bangkok city office to register on (02) 696 8980 or (02) 696 89758.

In addition, Jet Airways has waived cancellation/reissue charges on all confirmed tickets issued for travel in and out of Bangkok on its flights scheduled until December 5, and will allow involuntary rerouting without any penalties/additional charges for customers affected by its cancelled flights.

The airline will further assist stranded customers in Bangkok who were able to travel out of airports such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Hong Kong, by accepting their BangkokIndia flight coupons for use on those flights. However, any transfer costs from Bangkok to those airports will be for their account.