SINGAPORE, 25 July 2022: British Airways has dropped plans to revive direct flights to Bangkok from its London base this coming October, having informed tour operators the suspension will continue to the end of March 2023 at the earliest.
The news has prompted officials at Thai Airways International to consider offering charter flights to UK tour operators to ensure there are enough flights to meet leisure travel demand between the UK and popular Thai destinations; Bangkok and Phuket.
Earlier, TTG Media UK said continuing the suspension of BA flights to Thailand during the winter timetable from October 2022 to March 2023 had dealt a blow to tour operators hoping to use BA flights to serve their holiday clients during the winter peak season.
However, at the weekend, THAI officials were exploring options to offer charter flights to tour operators planning to sell holiday packages to Thailand during the winter.
British Airways announced earlier in the year that it would resume direct flights from Heathrow to Thailand by late October but has since decided to extend the suspension possibly until March 2023.
Last week, British Airways announced that 10,300 flights would be cancelled between now and the end of October. According to a Times report, the airline has already taken close to 1,000 flights off its schedule for July, affecting up to 170,000 passengers.
UK holidaymakers can still buy flights on the BA website but that will involve a stop in Doha in Qatar, where they will transfer to a Qatar Airways flight to either Bangkok or Phuket.
Thai Airways International and EVA Air are the only airlines offering direct flights from Bangkok to Heathrow London.
Thailand will also lose another service out of London to Bangkok offered by Singapore’s low-cost airline Scoot. It has been flying from its Singapore base to Gatwick London with a stop in Bangkok in both directions since March. Popular with budget travellers, the Gatwick – Bangkok – Gatwick sectors will drop out of its website’s booking options on 17 August but should be bookable at the end of October.
