Thai aviation authority says even transit passengers need to have health certificates

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) will enforce a new rule requiring all passengers, even on Thai-owned chartered flights or special flights transitioning through Thailand to have a valid Covid-19 clearance certificate, the Bangkok Post has reported.

CAAT has prohibited all transit flights with Covid-19 infected passengers following China’s temporary ban of two Thai registered airlines after several passengers tested positive upon arrival in China. In both cases the flights only transited through Bangkok, and no passengers disembarked.

The carriers, Thai AirAsia X and Thai Lion Air, were flying from Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur earlier this month and reportedly stopped in Bangkok only to refuel and get the rights to fly on to China. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has announced that no passengers deplaned or were exposed to any ground staff, and that no additional passengers boarded.

The flights were XJ808 and SL117, from Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta via Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport to Tianjin and Guangzhou, China.

China has temporarily banned flights from both airlines for a week, but has reportedly been pleased by Thailand’s swift action. The new rule requires that all passengers who transit through Thailand, regardless whether they disembark or not, will require a Covid-19 free certification.