Thai Lion Air Set to Restart Domestic Flights from May 1

On Wednesday (April 22), Thai Lion Air (SL) has announced that it is ready to resume flights operation with one daily flight to destinations including Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Surat Thani, Hat Yai and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Thai Lion Air, a Thai low cost carrier and operate with Thai partners as an associate company of Lion Air of Indonesia, will be one of the first airlines to restart its operations for domestic flights from May 1 as airlines had suspended their operations in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

However, passengers will be asked to wear face masks on board the plane, food and beverages will not be served during the flight and seating arrangements will be set by leaving empty seats to create safe distance for passengers as according to the requirements set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.

On Tuesday (April 21), the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said that it will meet with domestic airlines to check and discuss health and safety measures before granting the permission to the domestic carriers to restart local flight operations from May 1. All commercial airlines have to follow strict anti-disease transmission rules.

Many Thai airlines such as Thai Airways International, THAI Smile, Thai Air Asia, Thai Air Asia X and Nok Air had already suspended their flight operations since March 25 to follow all the directives, advisories and guidelines which are issued by the government to control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

The ban on foreign flights is scheduled to be lifted after April 30 but the CAAT is looking into whether a ban on foreign flights should be extended or not.

Mr. Chula Sukmanop, the CAAT director-general, said “All airlines will be required to only allow every other seat to be occupied and passengers will have to wear masks at all times while on board. Moreover, all airlines will also be prohibited from serving food and drinks on board.”

He also said that despite the Covid-19 curve hitting the downward trend, ensuring that imported Covid-19 infections do not emerge in Thailand is the country’s main priority in containing the pandemic.

As of April 23, Thailand has reported 2,839 confirmed cases and total 50 deaths caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.