BANGKOK, October 2, 2026 — Update to our October 1 story. Thai officials say every stranded passenger at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) has now been moved on, and they have set new deadlines for the baggage backlog: bags returned by Saturday night, October 3, and the pile fully cleared by Sunday, October 4.
What changed since yesterday
- Stranded passengers cleared. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the last were processed at about 1:00 a.m. on October 1, with “no passengers stuck in the system.”
- New baggage deadlines. The earlier target of October 2 has slipped. Bags are now due back with passengers by the night of Saturday, October 3, with final clearance on Sunday, October 4. Anything left after October 3 goes to Thai Airways for passengers to collect.
- Full Thai Airways schedule sooner. Ministers now expect the full schedule back by October 3. The airline’s chief executive had earlier said recovery would take up to seven days.
- More help on the ramp. The Royal Thai Air Force contingent has grown to 123 personnel with lifting equipment, the airline has rented extra forklifts, and Airports of Thailand has provided more storage space.
- Cargo. New imports and exports are being processed normally. Cargo held up from September 26 to 30 is due for delivery within five days.
Background
Flooding in Bangkok from September 26 kept many Thai Airways ground staff from reaching work, and more than 10,000 bags piled up. About 8,000 were still waiting on October 1. The airline says it can process up to 2,000 bags a day at full strength. Ground-service staffing is back to about 90%, and ramp staffing to about 80%.
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Thai Airways flights
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| October 1 | 15 flights cut from the normal 115 |
| October 2 | 105 flights planned; Bangkok–Seoul service resuming October 2–3 |
| October 1–3 | Cancellations or retimings reported on routes including Singapore, Penang, Taipei, Hong Kong, Osaka, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, New Delhi, Mumbai, Hanoi and several domestic cities |
| October 3 | Full schedule expected, per the Transport Ministry |
What it means for non-revs
- Do not check a bag on Thai Airways through BKK before October 4. Carry on only until the backlog is confirmed cleared.
- Standby on Thai Airways stays tight through at least October 3. Trimmed schedules mean fewer seats, and displaced revenue passengers come first.
- Other airlines at BKK are less affected. The problem sits with Thai Airways’ ground handling, so check which handler your carrier uses before you list.
- If your bag was caught up between September 26 and 28, those passengers are being prioritised. After October 3, unclaimed bags are held by Thai Airways for collection.
- Transit passengers were hit hardest. Leave a long connection or use a different hub until the airline confirms normal operations.
Sources
- The Thaiger — “Suvarnabhumi clears stranded passengers, sets Saturday deadline for bags”: thethaiger.com
- The Nation — “Thai Airways plans 105 flights on October 2 as staff return”: nationthailand.com
- The Nation — “Suvarnabhumi Cargo Terminal Stays Open as Thai Airways Clears 8,000 Delayed Bags”: nationthailand.com
- The Star — “Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi airport baggage backlog expected to clear within 3-4 days”: thestar.com.my
- ASEAN NOW — “Thai Airways cuts more flights as Suvarnabhumi recovers”: aseannow.com
