Two flights that left Thailand for Tel Aviv yesterday were forced to turn back, landing at Suvarnabhumi amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
One of the flights operated by El Al Israel Airlines had originally departed from Suvarnabhumi, while the other had left from Phuket. LY82 from Suvarnabhumi to Tel Aviv was carrying 275 people, while LY88, from Phuket to Tel Aviv, had 290 people on board.
With Israel closing its airspace in response to Iran’s attack, and Iraq and Jordan doing the same, both flights were turned back and landed at Suvarnabhumi at 5.20am and 5.50am respectively.
According to Choengron Rimpadeesaid, commander of the airport immigration police, passengers would normally have to remain at the airport in this situation, due to them having already been stamped out of Thailand.
On this occasion however, the Immigration Bureau adopted a more lenient stance, allowing them to stay at hotels arranged for by the airline, in particular in the case of very young or elderly travellers.
Choengron says the airline will keep the passengers’ passports, preventing them from remaining in Thailand illegally. He adds that if passengers wish to remain at the airport so they can keep their passports, they can do so.
Thai Airways has announced, in response, that it is making small diversions around the trouble spots to avoid any potential danger at this time.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
