Thailand has helped more than 40,000 stranded tourists return home after flight disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, Bangkok Post reports. The emergency response has included hundreds of Nordic travellers.
The disruptions began after the conflict erupted on 28 February, leaving many tourists unable to fly home on scheduled routes. In response, Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority gave temporary approval for empty charter flights to enter the country and pick up stranded passengers.
One of the cases involved 315 tourists from Nordic countries. They had been stranded for more than a week across several destinations in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean before Sunclass Airlines, part of the Spies Group, flew them back on 8 March. The passengers arrived in Copenhagen the following day.
Thai tourism officials said the full number of stranded travellers is still unclear, as some tourists are travelling independently and have not contacted authorities. Hotels in tourist areas have meanwhile offered discounted stays and more flexible cancellation terms as they adjust to continued uncertainty.
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