Thai Airways under pressure
Rising jet‑fuel prices tied to Middle East instability are forcing Thai Airways to scramble on airfares and operations—officials warn this could dent inbound tourism and food‑tourism flows to Bangkok. (travelandtourworld.com) The piece flags the risk that higher fares or reduced schedules would ripple straight into restaurant bookings and city‑tour planning. (travelandtourworld.com)
Thai Airways has implemented fare increases of roughly 10–15% this month to offset surging jet‑fuel costs. (nationthailand.com) U.S. Jet‑A averaged about $6.86 per gallon in March 2026, up 13 cents from February and 24 cents year‑on‑year, reflecting a broader global rise in aviation fuel. (aviationweek.com) Commodity trackers report unusually large jet‑fuel premiums in Europe — Argus put the Northwest Europe jet‑fuel premium near $97 per barrel, an historic spike that raises refining and transport costs on top of crude prices. (alphabizkr.com) Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry warned a protracted Middle East airspace disruption could wipe out more than 40 billion baht in tourism revenue and as many as 600,000 inbound visitors if it lasted eight weeks. (bangkokpost.com) Thai Airways still plans to expand to a 102‑aircraft fleet in 2026, but the carrier has flagged potential delays to non‑essential investments and said it may impose additional fuel surcharges if the price shock persists. (nationthailand.com) Bangkok is also moving on policy relief and targets: a temporary cut to excise on domestic jet fuel has been proposed and the Tourism Authority of Thailand is recalibrating arrival and revenue expectations for 2026. (traveltrade.today) Regional carriers are already passing costs to customers — Hong Kong Airlines raised fuel surcharges by as much as 35.2% — while traders report record highs for physical oil and fuel cargo prices that underpin the squeeze on fares. (alphabiz.co.kr)
