Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, the world’s 18th largest, is currently closed, after anti-government demonstrators swarmed the airport last night.
According to Sky News, flights already in the air have been diverted, and other airlines have already canceled flights. No word on when the government can re-establish control and open the airport.
At time of posting, neither Thai Airways nor Bangkok Airways have posted information on their sites. Travelers who incur additional costs due to this situation should as always keep any receipts for additional costs to help sort it out later.
United Airlines has already announced that passengers ticketed for the next few days will be allowed one free change. (I have a passenger in Cambodia who I have rerouted through Singapore.) Airports in Chiang Mai and Phuket also remain open.
For travelers planning to fly through Bangkok in the near future, call your airline or travel agent for options. But for other travelers in Asia, this means an additional reason to check in promptly for flights, as diverted passengers from Bangkok will put an additional strain on the system.
