BANGKOK, Oct 21 – The licence of private low-cost airline PC Air may be revoked if an in-depth investigation into the case of hundreds of Thai tourists stranded at South Korea’s Incheon airport, determines it was the fault of the airline, according to Transport Ministry.
After some affected passengers filed complaints to the police regarding the airline leaving them stranded at Incheon Airport last week, the Transport Ministry, which regulates the Civil Aviation Department, the agency responsible for issuing licences to airlines, ordered an in-depth probe into the case, said Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sittipan.
Mr Chatchart said if the investigation indicated that PC Air’s was at fault, the department will then consider the matter for further action, including possible revocation of the airline’s licence.
PC Air normally offers charter flight services. It was allowed to obtain two licences for aviation in 2010-2015 and for charter services, which is to expire on Oct 31.
For the charter service licence, PC Air has recently notified the authority about a temporary halt for aircraft’s maintenance check.
The Civil Aviation Department director-general was assigned to fly to South Korea to investigate the matter with all parties concerned including Incheon Airport and the agency which the airline claimed was supposed to settle payments on behalf of the airline, including the airport charges in question.
The director-general will return with a report to the Transport Ministry and it will be determined if further action will be taken on whether or not the airline’s licence should be revoked.
Some 200 Thai tourists, clients of nine travel agencies, arrived at Incheon Airport to board a Bangkok-bound PC Air flight last week. They were told the aircraft was banned from taking off due to unpaid fuel and airport charges.
Some passengers made their own arrangements to return to Bangkok via a Thai Airways international flight, while PC Air later sent an aircraft to bring the remaining stranded passengers back home.
