Premium flights, passenger rights: Your Thai Airways experience
Even established, full-service airlines like Thai Airways (founded in 1960, headquartered in Bangkok, Tailandia) experience operational issues. When you book a flight with a premium carrier, you expect reliability.
If your Thai Airways flight has been disrupted, you are covered by the European EC 261 Regulation. You could be owed up to €600 per passenger. We help you enforce your rights against major airlines without the stress of dealing with their complex legal departments.
If your Thai Airways flight has been disrupted, you are covered by the European EC 261 Regulation. You could be owed up to €600 per passenger. We help you enforce your rights against major airlines without the stress of dealing with their complex legal departments.
Thai Airways Operational Performance
Based on our latest data, out of 2200 recent departures:
- 82% of Thai Airways flights departed on time.
- 2.6% were cancelled.
- 15.4% suffered significant delays.
Your passenger rights with Thai Airways
Under EU and UK law (EC 261), Thai Airways's passengers are entitled to financial compensation in specific scenarios:
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Delayed Flights
If you arrived at your final destination over 3 hours late, you could claim from Thai Airways.
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Cancelled Flights
Thai Airways must compensate you if they cancelled your flight less than 14 days before departure.
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Denied Boarding
If Thai Airways overbooked the flight and denied you boarding against your will, you have full rights to compensation.
How much Thai Airways compensation can you get?
As a legacy carrier, Thai Airways operates many long-haul flights where the maximum €600 compensation applies. The payment tiers are:
- euro_symbol€250: For short flights up to 1,500km.
- euro_symbol€400: For EU flights over 1,500km, and non-EU flights between 1,500km and 3,500km.
- euro_symbol€600: For long-haul Thai Airways flights over 3,500km.
Lost baggage with Thai Airways
If Thai Airways loses or damages your luggage, you must fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) before leaving the airport. You could be entitled to compensation under the Montreal Convention.
How to handle a Thai Airways disruption
Follow these steps if your Thai Airways flight is interrupted:
- 1 Keep your documents: Save your Thai Airways booking reference and boarding pass.
- 2 Ask for the reason: Ask Thai Airways staff at the gate exactly why the flight is delayed or cancelled.
- 3 Request care: Ask Thai Airways for food and drink vouchers during long waits.
- 4 Don't sign waivers: Be careful not to sign away your rights in exchange for Thai Airways air miles or vouchers.
- 5 Keep expense receipts: Keep receipts for any extra expenses incurred.
When Thai Airways cancels your flight
If Thai Airways cancels your flight abruptly, you have the right to either a full refund or an alternative flight to your destination. In addition, if you were informed less than 14 days prior, you can claim up to €600 in cash compensation.
Severe delays with Thai Airways
For flights delayed by more than 3 hours at arrival, Thai Airways is required by European law to pay compensation. The amount depends strictly on the flight distance, not the ticket price.
Bumpped from a Thai Airways flight?
Overbooking is a known practice. If Thai Airways denies you boarding due to overcapacity, you are entitled to the same high levels of compensation as if the flight had been cancelled.
When Thai Airways doesn't have to pay
Compensation is not applicable in 'extraordinary circumstances' – events outside of Thai Airways's control. Examples include severe adverse weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, or medical emergencies. Thai Airways must prove these circumstances to deny your claim.
Can you claim for Thai Airways staff strikes?
Yes. If the strike involves Thai Airways's own employees, such as their pilots or cabin crew, it is considered within their control, and you are eligible for compensation.
Time limits for claiming against Thai Airways
Depending on the jurisdiction, you usually have between 3 to 6 years to submit your claim against Thai Airways for a past flight disruption.
Let us deal with Thai Airways
Don't get bogged down in Thai Airways's customer service queues. We operate on a 'No Win, No Fee' basis, meaning we take all the financial risk.