Pilot protest forces Nok Air to cancel nine flights

A protest by a small group of pilots has forced Nok Air to cancel nine flights on Sunday causing hundreds of passengers to be stranded at Don Meuang international airport.

Nok Air CEO Pathee Sarasin said that he had not talked with about 4-5 protesting pilots yet about the reason of their protest but he reckoned that it stemmed from their dissatisfaction with the company’s upgrading of the standard of aviation inspection management to be in line with EASA standard.

Mr Pathee admitted that he was totally unaware of the protest in advance and when he learned about it at about 3 pm he ordered officials concerned to inform the passengers and, at the same time, contacted the other airlines to help accommodate the affected passengers.

He further said that the protesting pilots chose to stop working on Sunday because they knew that most planes were fully booked.

He said that the company had offered options for the affected passengers: if they are unable to fly, the company will arrange for hotel accommodation for them; they can get refund for their tickets if they don’t want to fly; the company will try to find seats in the other airlines or arrange for cars to send them home.

The company will hold a meeting on Monday to discuss the problem with the protesting pilots, said Mr Pathee as he assured that there would be no abrupt cancellation of flights.

Earlier, the company attributed technical problem for causing the cancellation of nine flights which include the followings: Don Meuang-Khon Kaen-Don Meuang, Don Meuang-Hat Yai-Don Meuang, Don Meuang-Nakhon Si Thammarat-Don Meuang, Don Meuang-Surat Thani-Don Meuang, Don Meuang-Phitsanuloke-Don Meuang, Don Meuang-Phuket-Don Meuang and Don Meuang-Ubon-Don Meuang.

Thai PBS

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