New regulations from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand have officially come into effect, forcing airlines to compensate and provide assistance to passengers when flights are delayed or canceled.
This is considered an important step forward in protecting consumer rights in the aviation sector in Southeast Asia, where flight delays and cancellations are still common. For international flights, airlines must provide assistance or compensation to passengers when flights are delayed or canceled without prior notice.
Thailand asks airlines to increase compensation for passengers with delayed and canceled flights
If the flight is delayed for more than two hours, the airline is responsible for providing free food and drinks and free access to communication services. In case the flight is delayed for more than five hours, in addition to basic support, passengers are compensated 1,500 baht (about 1.2 million VND) in cash or equivalent within 14 days from the incident.
For flights delayed for more than 10 hours, the compensation will increase according to the distance, from 2,000 to 4,500 baht (1.6 - 3.6 million VND). For flights canceled without at least seven days' notice, the compensation is equivalent to the case of a delay of more than 10 hours.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced new passenger protection regulations under Civil Aviation Council Notice No. 101.
However, the airline will be exempted from compensation if it can arrange an alternative flight to the same destination within three hours before or after the scheduled time, or if the flight is cancelled due to force majeure such as extreme weather.
For domestic flights, compensation for flight delays has also been increased to 1,500 baht. If passengers are already on board and the flight is delayed, the airline must ensure that the cabin is ventilated, has a suitable temperature, and has access to toilets and emergency medical services.
The new regulations, approved by the Civil Aviation Council chaired by Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, are designed to enhance passenger rights on both domestic and international flights.
Passengers who cancel their travel plans may choose to get a refund or board other flights or other modes of transport to the same or nearby destinations.
Since 2004, the European Union has been a pioneer in protecting air passengers’ rights through the adoption of Regulation EU261. This is widely recognised as one of the strongest passenger protection regulations in the world, setting high standards for airline liability. When a flight is delayed by three hours or more, cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled departure time, or a passenger is denied boarding due to overbooking, passengers are entitled to substantial compensation, which can be up to €600, equivalent to approximately VND17.5 million. This provides significant peace of mind and financial security for those affected by a flight incident.
Regulations are in place to protect the interests of customers.
In the current context, Karolina Wojtal, Director of the European Consumer Centre, stressed that passengers are increasingly faced with flight cancellations or delays. Data from Skycop shows an alarming figure: nearly 2% of flights departing from European Union airports in 2024 were delayed or canceled. The total estimated compensation for these cases could reach 2 billion euros, showing the wide-ranging impact and significant costs for airlines.
It is worth noting that according to the latest figures from Cirium, the Asia-Pacific region recorded more than 19,000 flight cancellations in April 2025. This is much higher than the 6,645 flights in North America and 5,311 flights in Europe, showing the great challenge that the Asian aviation industry is facing in maintaining a stable flight schedule.
