PC Air abruptly suspends flights for fortnight

BANGKOK, Oct 21 (TNA) - Thailand’s troubled private low-cost airline PC Air has abruptly suspended its commercial flights for two weeks, starting Saturday, causing its passengers to be unable to travel to South Korea while the Transport Ministry has set up an investigative committee to probe on last week’s incidents in which the airline’s passengers were left stranded in that country. Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said PC Air has obtained two operating licences – for one month and for five years. As for the one-month licence, the airline company late last week informed that it would stop its flights temporarily, as it had to check its fleet required by aviation safety regulations, making this licence which expires this October 31, suspended automatically. For the five-year operating licence which expires in 2015, according to Mr. Chadchart, the Department of Civil Aviation has set up a committee to investigate on last Tuesday and Wednesday’s incidents, in which some 400 passengers of PC Air were left stranded at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport. If the problems were caused by the airline company, its licence could be revoked, Mr. Chadchart said. Pol. Maj. Gen. Nipon Charoenpol, commander of Consumer Protection Police Division, said PC Air has 90 days to compensate for damages inflicted on stranded passengers. If not, legal action would be taken against the company under the Consumer Protection Law. (TNA)