THAI AIRWAYS International (THAI) today (June 4) apologised after passengers departing on its flights during the current long weekend had to wait for hours to check in Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday morning, Thansettakij newspaper said.
The airline said the hours-long queue was due to there being more passengers than usual at the start of the long weekend and the process of checking documents online in keeping with the screening measures of the destination country.
THAI added that no passenger missed their flight despite the extra long wait to check in and the airline had taken urgent measures to help them.
The company confirmed that It is committed to providing service to all passengers in accordance with international standards and practices as well as compliance with relevant laws.
Some passengers had taken video clips of their lengthy wait and shared them online with a few saying even though they had arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport three hours in advance this did not seem enough to check in and that they were stressed out at missing their flight.
One Facebook member whose username is Fah Walaiphan and real name is Ms Walaiphan Chanmitkul posted a short video clip in which she is holding a conversation with a THAI staff member as follows:
“Came three hours early but unlikely to make it.
“Went and talked to the only staff member in charge of controlling the queue.
“Asked her, ‘Have you seen the tailend, it’s out there.’
“She replied, ‘Please record this video clip, the management only assigned this many staff members but the country has reopened and there are thousands of people waiting, but only this many staff’ (18 counters).
“‘They dismissed all the workers, no one working, the management never takes care, they stay in their ivory tower, people in the office go through day by day but have never come to take care of us.’
“She then moaned.
“I then asked, ‘Will we be able to get on the plane in time.’
“She replied, ‘Don’t think you will make it.’
“I asked, ‘If we get delayed will the plane wait for us.’
“She replied, ‘Don’t think so because they would have to pay extra airport charges.’
The THAI staff member then asked Walaiphan to spread this news, who added that she felt sorry for THAI workers who were stressed out but had to cope with it.
However, she complained that it seemed she was going to miss the flight because the queue was so long and that coming two and half hours ahead of departure was now no longer enough with passengers having to be in five hours earlier.
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The hours-long queue of THAI passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday morning. Photos: Thansettakij
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