Thai Airways Ordered to Clear Baggage Backlog, Compensate Passengers
Thai Airways faces orders to clear a massive baggage backlog at Suvarnabhumi Airport and compensate affected passengers, with staff shortages from flooding cited as the main cause.
On September 29, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angsukulkiarti addressed the accumulation of Thai Airways passenger baggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport and delayed luggage cases. Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiree explained that the main cause was severe staff shortages after many employees were affected by flooding and unable to work normally. Thai Airways is now receiving help from multiple agencies and said it would expedite clearing the backlog by end of day. The Transport Ministry believes an urgent Thai Airways board meeting should be convened to review the problem, establish corrective measures, and put in place safeguards to prevent recurrence.
Siripong noted that Thai Airways experiences more baggage delays than other airlines partly because it also handles baggage for alliance carriers under service-level agreements, requiring proper priority management, especially for its own passengers. As an immediate solution, Airports of Thailand (AOT) coordinated with the Royal Thai Air Force and Thai Post to deploy personnel to actively transport and sort baggage.
For unclaimed baggage, if passengers request delivery, staff will send it to the address provided. Passengers wishing to collect themselves will have baggage sorted and held for later pickup. Siripong stated that passenger compensation is the direct responsibility of Thai Airways, with the Transport Ministry acting as the regulator overseeing pricing and safety standards, while service level, marketing, and customer care remain the airline's responsibility.
"If Thai Airways chooses not to care for passengers, the business impact and damage will come back to the company itself," Siripong said. He expressed concern about Thai Airways' crisis management, noting that the government and relevant agencies have provided full support, including AOT providing food for air force personnel, and sending vehicles and pumps to employees' housing areas so staff could return to work.
However, the ministry wants to see faster management, accountability to passengers, and transparent communication, especially given the large number of people directly affected by the serious baggage delays and backlog.
