The Ministry of Transport has urged Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (SET: THAI) to convene an urgent board meeting to address the accumulation of delayed passenger baggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport, after the airline attributed the disruption to a severe manpower shortage caused by flooding.
Siripong Angkasakulkiat, Deputy Minister of Transport, said on Tuesday that THAI Chief Executive Officer Chai Eamsiri had explained that the airline was facing a significant shortage of staff, as many employees had been affected by flooding and were unable to report for work, disrupting normal operations.
THAI has accepted assistance from relevant agencies and pledged to clear the backlog of passenger baggage by the end of Tuesday, Siripong said.
However, the Ministry of Transport has proposed that THAI’s board convene an urgent meeting to consider solutions to the problem and establish measures to improve its operational management going forward.
Siripong noted that while complaints over delayed baggage had primarily involved THAI, the airline also provides baggage-handling services for partner airlines within its network under service-level agreements (SLAs). As a result, THAI may need to prioritize the handling of baggage for its own passengers, he said.
The Ministry of Transport, through Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (SET: AOT), has coordinated with the Royal Thai Air Force and Thailand Post to deploy additional personnel to assist with baggage transportation and handling at full capacity.
For the large volume of delayed baggage, THAI is using several methods to return items to passengers. Baggage belonging to passengers who have requested delivery will be sent to the names and addresses provided, while passengers who have opted to collect their baggage in person will have their belongings sorted and consolidated for later pickup.
Regarding compensation for affected passengers, Siripong said the matter falls directly under THAI’s responsibility as the service provider, while the Ministry of Transport acts in its capacity as the regulator.
The ministry also expressed concern over THAI’s handling of the situation, saying the government should receive better answers and cooperation from the airline.
Despite the assistance, Siripong said the response from THAI had raised concerns over its operational management and level of responsibility toward passengers, particularly regarding the need for clear and transparent communication with customers.
The baggage disruption follows heavy rain and flooding in Bangkok and surrounding areas, which affected the availability of THAI’s ground-service personnel and contributed to delays in baggage handling at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
