Background Story

Airline to use military airport to bring home S.Koreans from Thailand

SEOUL - SOUTH Korea's main flag carrier Korean Air was set to use a military airport later on Thursday to bring stranded nationals home after protesters overran the two civilian airports in the Thai capital. The airline said it has about 700 passengers waiting to return to Seoul and another 300-seat plane would be sent to the military airport on Friday to fly more of them home.

In all, nearly 2,000 South Korean tourists, many of them honeymooners, are stranded in Thailand. South Korea's number two carrier Asiana is awaiting approval from the Thai Air Force to use the same military facility. It has 360 passengers waiting to return to Seoul.

The two carriers were forced to cancel a total of six flights back to South Korea on Wednesday, and four more were cancelled on Thursday. -- AFP

Close window