Thai Airways forward bookings and short-term outlook plummet due to Bangkok floods

Thai Airways International is facing a challenging November and December as tourists reconsider travelling to Bangkok in the aftermath of the recent floods. The flag carrier, which had been banking on a profitable 4Q2011 to offset year-to-date losses, now faces the prospect of a full-year loss for 2011.

Thai Airways president, Piyasvasti Amranand, says international forward bookings are down significantly, with Asian routes the most impacted. Domestically, Thailand's carriers have been recording high load factors since the floods began late last month. Most Thai carriers have been operating additional flights over the last two weeks in response to a surge in demand as roads connecting Bangkok with northern Thailand have closed, making bus travel to major domestic destinations such as Chang Mai impossible.