UPDATE: Thai Airways service almost fully restored as board probes Suvarnabhumi baggage crisis

Nation Thailand reported on 5 October 2026 that Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) service was almost fully restored after flood-related cancellations and a baggage disruption at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Citing the Ministry of Transport, it said all 122 inbound and 123 outbound flights operated as planned after THAI extended schedule changes through 3 October to stabilise ground operations.

The same report said the outbound and transit backlog had fallen to 150 bags from a peak of 7,175. The inbound backlog had fallen to 712 bags from a peak of 5,423; passengers had made contact to collect 300 of those bags, leaving 412 still requiring handling. The cargo backlog had been eliminated, with no items remaining in the warehouse, although space was still needed for shippers collecting cargo that had already been broken down. Staff attendance reached 105.48% of the planned level, with 1,348 employees reporting against a target of 1,278.

The return of flight operations did not mean that every delayed bag had been delivered. The outbound and transit figures and the inbound figures were separate categories, while the earlier backlog reports referred to different dates and stages of the operation.

Leadership change and fact-finding review

The Phuket News, citing AFP, reported that THAI had dismissed its chief executive on Friday, 2 October 2026, as flight delays and baggage backlogs linked to flooding in Bangkok continued. The report did not name the executive.

Nation Thailand subsequently reported that the board had suspended Chai Eamsiri from performing his duties as chief executive pending a fact-finding review and an assessment of the airline’s crisis-management procedures. The board appointed director Sumrid Sumneing as acting chief executive, while Chai remained a member of the board. On the supplied evidence, the formal board action was a suspension rather than a confirmed dismissal.

Earlier THAI updates on 29 September identified Chai as chief executive, while a PostToday report published on 3 October referred to him as a former Thai Airways CEO. Those reports establish the timing of the leadership change but do not establish that the executive described in the earlier AFP report as dismissed was Chai.

Nation Thailand reported on 5 October that THAI was preparing a 30-day fact-finding committee to examine the baggage backlog, flight cancellations and the airline’s handling of ground operations during the flood crisis. Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police and a THAI director, was assigned to chair the committee.

The inquiry is expected to examine the causes of the disruption, the management response, the adequacy of ground staffing and the use of outsourced personnel through WingSpan Services Company Limited. The committee is expected to report progress to the THAI board within 30 days of its formal appointment. Its findings may cover operational damage and potential legal issues before the board considers disciplinary action or measures to prevent a recurrence.

The new inquiry is separate from an earlier committee investigating the procurement of 860,000 bottles of wine involving a former Thai Airways chief executive.

Baggage backlog and outsourced ground staff

Nation Thailand reported on 1 October that THAI was working through a backlog of approximately 8,000 delayed bags at Suvarnabhumi. About 1,800 bags had been processed and returned during the preceding 24 hours, with complete resolution targeted for 2 October. The airport’s cargo terminal and air-freight services remained operational with minor procedural adjustments.

The approximately 8,000-bag figure described the later backlog being worked through, not 8,000 bags already cleared. It is also not directly comparable with the approximately 5,600 bags that Chai said were still waiting on 29 September. The figures were reported on different dates and referred to different stages of the operation, so they should not be treated as a direct before-and-after count or added to the later inbound and outbound figures.

Nation TV reported that THAI had subcontracted ground-handling work under its Suvarnabhumi concession to a company established in 2010 to provide personnel and outsourced services for airline operations. That report described the contractor as owned 49% by Thai Airways International Plc and 51% by Phuket Air Catering Co Ltd (PACCO).

The 5 October Nation Thailand report, however, said THAI’s financial statements identified WingSpan Services Company Limited as a wholly owned subsidiary providing specialised personnel services to the airline. This conflicts with the source-specific shareholding reports, and the supplied evidence does not resolve whether the descriptions reflect different reporting or entities.

PostToday previously identified the contractor as Wingspan and reported that Phuket Catering Company Limited held 51%, representing 102,000 shares. Bangkok Biz News described Wingspan as a Thai Airways subsidiary and reported that Phuket Catering held 51%, THAI held 49% and Chai Eamsiri held one share, without explaining how the one share fitted within the stated percentages.

A PostToday report published on 3 October identified the legal name as Wingspan Services Co Ltd and said it was registered on 2 December 2010. The report gave the share allocation as 102,000 of 200,000 shares held by Phuket Air Catering, 97,999 held by THAI and one held by Chai Eamsiri. THAI’s 97,999 shares and Chai’s one share total 98,000 shares, explaining the rounded 49% combined holding, while Phuket Air Catering’s 102,000 shares represent 51%.

The reports use different English names for the 51% shareholder: Phuket Air Catering Co Ltd (PACCO), Phuket Catering Company Limited and Phuket Catering. They do not establish whether these names refer to the same legal entity or to different entities, so the naming difference remains source-specific.

PostToday also reported that Wingspan had seven directors and that most were Thai Airways executives, adding context to the reported management links between the contractor and THAI.

An earlier PostToday report characterised Wingspan as a B1 billion manpower-outsourcing company for THAI. The later report gave its current registered capital as B2 million and said data from Thailand’s Department of Business Development showed 2025 assets of B423,755,547, liabilities of B561,179,237, revenue of B1,501,566,391 and net profit of B70,151,097. PostToday described the profit as the company’s highest in five years. The reports do not establish which metric the earlier B1 billion wording referred to, and it should not be read as the registered-capital figure.

The 5 October report said WingSpan was established following a THAI board resolution to provide outsourced manpower management and recruitment services for THAI and other aviation businesses. It said the company manages ground-service personnel through further outsourcing arrangements, with workers paid on daily and monthly structures. The adequacy of that staffing model during the flooding is among the issues expected to be examined by the new committee.

Nation TV also reported that THAI had reduced permanent staffing during rehabilitation and subsequently used outsourced workers to replace some positions, increasing the work handled by the contractor. It alleged that the contractor increasingly hired workers on daily or freelance terms, in some cases without permanent appointments. The report further said that some temporary workers did not report during the floods, raising questions about employment practices and staffing pressure affecting baggage and cargo handling.

Flight cancellations and operational recovery

During the disruption, the airline said schedule changes were intended to streamline ground operations and aircraft rotations over the coming days. Its extended domestic cancellations included these round-trip services:

• Bangkok–Phuket: TG201/TG202 and TG217/TG218
• Bangkok–Chiang Mai: TG122/TG123 and TG114/TG115

The announcement also covered international cancellations and rescheduled services as THAI worked on its operational recovery. Nation Thailand reported that the recovery measures included government intervention, with military personnel deployed to assist ground crews.

Earlier, most baggage delayed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport since 26 September had arrived at Phuket International Airport by 30 September, according to the Airports of Thailand Phuket branch (AoT Phuket), as THAI continued clearing the baggage backlog.

AoT Phuket said heavy rainfall and flooding in Bangkok and surrounding areas had disrupted ground handling and baggage operations at Suvarnabhumi. It was working with THAI to identify, sort and deliver the remaining delayed baggage. THAI said it would arrange transportation and contact passengers in advance to confirm whether they wanted their luggage delivered or collected in person. The arrival of most of the bags in Phuket indicated progress, but did not establish that all had been delivered to passengers.

THAI had cancelled its Bangkok–Phuket services TG201 and TG202 on Tuesday, 29 September, amid the disruption. The airline said the cancellations were part of wider operational problems that also affected routes between Bangkok and Khon Kaen, Hanoi and Singapore.

THAI later announced a further 37 flight cancellations covering services scheduled between 29 September and 1 October. For Wednesday, 30 September, the list included seven domestic cancellations, among them Bangkok–Phuket services TG201, TG205 and TG217. The same day’s update also listed 21 international cancellations from Bangkok, including services to London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Zurich, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney. THAI also announced cancellations on selected international routes for 1 October.

On 29 September, Chai apologised to affected passengers and admitted fault for the baggage crisis. He set a 72-hour target to clear the backlog. THAI said it had deployed additional staff and resources for baggage sorting, handling and home delivery. Chai separately said about 5,600 bags were still waiting.

To stabilise operations, Chai said THAI would temporarily reduce departures from Bangkok by roughly 30% to 40% in the coming days.

THAI said 34 flights had been delayed on 28 September, while baggage from 52 flights operated between 26 and 27 September was still being sorted and delivered to registered passengers. The later Phuket update concerned baggage reaching the airport and did not mean that passenger delivery was complete.

Passenger assistance

THAI advised ticketed passengers on affected routes not to travel to the airport without first confirming an alternative booking. Its 24-hour Thailand Contact Centre is available on +66 2 356 1111, while the THAI Overseas Contact Centre can be reached on +65 6351 0992.

Passengers collecting baggage in person at Suvarnabhumi can visit the Baggage Services Office on Level 2, in front of the Domestic Arrivals Exit, between 06:30 and 23:30 daily. The office can be reached on +66 2 134 5373–74.

Passengers who registered through THAI’s QR-code system will receive deliveries at their registered residential or hotel addresses after staff verify their details. Other passengers can contact domestic ground operations on +66 2 134 5373–74 or international ground operations on +66 2 134 5466–68.

At Phuket International Airport, passengers who wish to collect delayed baggage can contact the THAI Lost and Found Department in the Arrivals Hall on the first floor of the International Passenger Terminal on 076-351217 or via WhatsApp at +66 864 961707. AoT Phuket said it had provided designated space and facilities for affected passengers and was coordinating with THAI, other airlines and relevant agencies. Passengers arriving from Suvarnabhumi had also been advised to check their baggage status through THAI’s Manage My Bag system.

The Phuket News reported that AirAsia, Nok Air and Thai Vietjet said their flights were operating normally while offering eligible passengers affected by the flooding and heavy rain options including flight changes or credit arrangements. Phuket International Airport apologised for the inconvenience and thanked affected passengers for their patience and cooperation.