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Qatar Blockade Could be a Threat to Air Passenger Traffic between Thailand and the Middle East
8th Jun 2017
Speaking at the sidelines at the International Air Travel Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting in Cancun, Mexico, Bangkok Airways President Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said that, while it is still too early to evaluate the impact on Thailand that the blockade of Qatar will have the potential suspension and basically grounding Qatar Airways, Bangkok Airways’ codeshare partner could be significant.
He said:
Qatar Airways is one of the Big Three Gulf carriers, which together deliver nearly a third of overall code-share partners to our network.
Qatar Airways operates five daily flights between Bangkok and Doha, two flights per day between Phuket and Doha and four flights per week between Krabi and Doha. Prior to the blockade, the carrier also had plans to start a non-stop service between Chiang Mai and Doha, with four weekly flights, starting on 31st October this year.
According to the director of Suvarnabhumi Airport Mr. Sirote Duangratana air travel between the two countries for now remain normal and the regular five flights to Doha Airport leave Bangkok every day.
The airline uses three types of aircraft for flights between Thailand and Qatar: Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” and Airbus A380.
Qatar Airways has a large capacity between Qatar and Thailand and the impact of it being grounded or suspended could be significant for either country.
Speaking about the ban imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac said the organization opposes the restriction and calls for restoring air connectivity.
He said:
We are not in favour of the ban. We would like connectivity to be restored as soon as possible. The situation [in Qatar] is different from the laptop ban. It is a political, strategic, military decision. I will not comment on the decision. However, we would like aviation relations and borders to reopen as soon as possible and connectivity restored -- flights to and from Qatar and for all other airlines [operating in Qatar].
Thai Foreign Trade Department Chief Malee Chokelumlert said that shipment of goods between Thailand and Qatar has become impossible following the blockade, but air delivery remains possible. Although in that case, flights would have to go directly to Doha and not via Dubai, adding to the jet fuel costs.
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