Thailand: Airlines ordered to draw up crisis contingency plans

The Transport Ministry Monday ordered all 14 Thai-registered carriers to submit flight cancellation contingency plans to prevent a repeat of a Nok Air incident Sunday in which 9 of its flights were suddenly cancelled, leaving more than 1,400 passengers in the lurch. Deputy transport minister Ormsin Chivapruck warned that any airline that failed to prevent a similar cancellation could have its aviation licence suspended and subsequently revoked. Plans must be submitted to the ministry within 30 days. Ormsin said that any sudden flight-service changes that affected passengers could result in a warning being issued to the airline in question. A second "offence" would result in suspension of its commercial aviation licence, which would be revoked on the third offence. <br/>