Thailand's PC Air ordered to suspend flights

PC air, the Thai airline that launched last year amid publicity for transgender employees of the flight, is ordered to flights by the Civil Aviation Department after the Thai tourists for two days in South Korea when it could not pay its fuel bill stranded stop.

After being stranded at the Seoul Incheon International Airport since Tuesday, the Thais back to Bangkok yesterday after PC Air paid his outstanding fuel and airport taxes.

Civil Aviation chief Voradej Harnprasert said that his Department needs a week to investigate what happened and warned that PC air could be stripped of his license if such an incident happened again.

The PC Air flight back to Bangkok at 4 o'clock yesterday morning with 228 passengers. It left about 170 more passengers with accommodation and meals were assisted by the Thai Embassy, tour agencies and Thai Airways International. They were to return to Bangkok on about 10 last night.

PC Air President Peter Chan apologized for the inconvenience and assured that the airline had paid the cost of the fuel. He said he would go to South Korea to further investigate the problem.

Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan said that he would discuss the issue with Voradej today.

PC Air has a raison d ' être charter flights to Seoul and Hong Kong from 1 October to 30.

Chatchart said he wanted to determine whether the airline had violated regulations and as her aviation license need to be repealed or not.

When the license has expired on 31 October, authorities would reevaluate whether it needs to be renewed, he added.

The Office for prevention and assistance in tourist set registration fraud points at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports collect the affected tourists complaints. The Tourist Bureau of Tourism Business and guide registration would inspect the tour agencies permits.

In addition to the stranding tourists in South Korea, PC Air flight delay also left 32 Thai rooted in Bangkok. They had bought South Korean tour packages and had to leave on Tuesday night.

The tourists and representatives of nine affected tour agencies yesterday sued the crime suppression police to negotiate for compensation with PC air.

A passenger who asked not to be named said they bought a five-day tour package worth 21,900 baht (US $ 713) and allowed to depart from Don Mueang on Tuesday night but could not because of PC Air fuel-bill problem. She said she later learned that the airline has only one plane. She said the agencies helped arrange accommodation for the traveler of upcountry tour.

Police interviewed the tourists and tour agencies and have coordinated with PC air to send representatives to talk to the people involved. The tour agencies have also issued refunds to some customers who no longer wished to take the trip.