THAI steps up service to several European cities
Thai Airways International has increased flights to Rome and Madrid to assist passengers stranded by the closure of most other European airports.
Piyasvasti: Hotels asked to accommodate stranded passengers at special rates
A massive cloud of volcanic ash rising from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier has forced the airspace closures across Scandinavia and Northern Europe.
THAI president Piyasvasti Amranand said yesterday the airline's executive board had agreed to increase its inbound and outbound flights to Rome and Madrid to help about 15,000 THAI passengers left stranded as a result of the cancelled flights.
Half of the 15,000 stranded THAI passengers were grounded at Suvarnabhumi, Mr Piyasvasti said.
He said Eurocontrol, Europe's air traffic control agency, was expected to extend the ban on air traffic over large parts of Europe as it could not predict when the situation would return to normal.
Inbound and outbound flights between Bangkok and Rome will be increased from four to 11 flights a week, starting today.
Inbound and outbound flights between Bangkok and Madrid will be increased from three to seven flights a week, starting on Friday.
Mr Piyasvasti said that THAI flies to 13 European cities, but now could only land at four airports - Rome, Madrid, Athens and Moscow - because of the ash plume.
Flights between Bangkok and Athens as well as Bangkok and Moscow will continue three times weekly.
He said THAI had agreed to shoulder accommodation costs for affected customers on the first day of flight cancellations.
The airline is now asking hotels to accommodate stranded passengers at special rates and is trying to arrange for them to fly on other routes that are not affected by the air traffic ban.
Passengers can contact the THAI call centre around the clock at 02-356-1111.
Mr Piyasvasti said THAI had already cancelled around 22 flights each day, stranding 6,000 customers. The cancellations have cost the airline about 100 million baht a day, he said.
Suvarnabhumi director Niran Thiranartsin said 99 flights from Suvarnabhumi to Europe had been cancelled.
Mr Niran said areas on the B1 floor of the passenger terminal building have been prepared for stranded passengers to rest while waiting to leave the country. The areas offer computers with internet connections, refreshments and blankets free of charge.
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