Tour operators seek CAAT help as flight cancellations trigger refund crisis
Last week, the association submitted a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) requesting assistance for both tour companies and travellers affected by abrupt flight cancellations, reports the
The Thai Travel Agents Association has asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to step in after abrupt flight cancellations left tour companies and travellers facing refund problems, according to a Bangkok Post report published on April 28, 2026. The appeal has implications for Phuket travel businesses as carriers cut or suspend routes this month in response to rising fuel prices.
In its letter, the association said schedule changes and cancellations are forcing operators to absorb costs with no fair protection mechanism. It said companies must refund customers to protect their credibility even when airlines have not yet returned the money.
Operators say unrecoverable costs are mounting
The association said tour companies are being left with bills already paid for hotels, transport and programme adjustment fees, many of which cannot be recovered. It added that existing passenger-rights rules are not practical enough to compensate for those losses or support operators as business partners.
Airlines have also not clearly explained why flights were cancelled, the letter said, making it difficult for consumers to verify those decisions. The group is asking CAAT and the government to revise refund rules so they also cover extra losses tied to disrupted itineraries.
Route cuts spread across Asian networks
Thai AirAsia X reduced flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Delhi and Almaty, and suspended services to Shanghai and Riyadh. Thai AirAsia also temporarily halted flights to multiple destinations, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Kathmandu.
Vietjet Thailand suspended Fukuoka flights for its summer schedule. China Airlines cancelled Bangkok-Taipei flights for several days in May, while Air Busan dropped some services from Busan to Bangkok and Chiang Mai in the same month.
TTAA vice-president Tassanee Kiatkamchornchai said airlines may need to optimise operations because of surging fuel prices, but tour operators should not be used as a buffer. She said some airlines offered refunds only as credits for future trips, worsening cash flow and leaving some operators with losses on programmes tied to cancelled flights.
Source: https://www.thephuketnews.com/refund-crisis-as-more-flights-are-cancelled-100046.php
