Thai Airways fires CEO amid flight delays, baggage backlog after floods

BANGKOK: Thailand's flag carrier Thai Airways sacked its chief executive on Friday following flight delays and baggage backlogs linked to Bangkok flooding, local media reported.

The country's tourism minister had slammed the airline's response to the floods, which were declared a city-wide disaster on Saturday.

Thai Airways' chief executive, Chai Eamsiril, had apologised on behalf of the company and pledged to clear more than 5,000 bags from the airline's flights left at Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi airport.

But media including Thai PBS reported that the board removed him on Friday with immediate effect.

The airport had blamed baggage issues on staff being unable to get into work.

Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul suggested Thai Airways management resign if they could not address the delays, arguing they were damaging Thailand's reputation and hurting its key tourism sector.

Bangkok last weekend declared a flood disaster after almost 48 hours of continuous rain, and some parts of the city remained under water Friday.

Four people died, among at least two dozen killed in floods across the Southeast Asian country.

The airline said it cut 24 flights across Thursday and Friday and was preparing to operate its full schedule on Saturday.

It apologised to passengers and pledged to improve management procedures.

Chai joined the carrier in 1985 and became chief executive in February 2023.--AFP