Thailand: Further relief awarded to Covid-battered airlines

A relief package for Covid 19-battered airlines was yesterday extended by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). The extension was granted at CAAT's first board meeting of the year, chaired by Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, and was the third approved by the board since the onset of the pandemic in late March last year. Seven local airlines -- Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Smile Airways, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet Air -- have sought 14b baht in soft loans (easier terms and conditions) to sustain their operations. Even that sum was a substantial reduction on the 24b baht they requested last year. The board decided that relief measures for the airlines be reviewed every quarter. It announced that relief for the current quarter ending in March would incorporate assistance in four areas -- it extended a 50% discount on landing charges for domestic and international flights; a continued waiver of parking charges for airlines that have suspended operations due to the pandemic; keeping the 50% reduction on parking charges for both domestic and international airlines; and extending the 50% discount on air navigation service charges for domestic flights and 20% for international flights.<br/>