Inflight catering ban on domestic flights in Thailand amid Covid-19 surge

Damn. I was looking forward to another stale sandwich wrapped in 7 layers of plastic, unable to open it for fear of elbowing the lady next to me, on my flight today.

Airlines flying domestic routes within Thailand have been instructed to not serve inflight meals or drinks from today. The ban has been introduced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand in a bid to mitigate the current surge in Covid-19 infections. Saran Benjanirat from the CAAT says that, while an exception can be made in the event of an emergency need, food or beverages will only be served in a separate zone, away from other passengers.

“If necessary, the airline operator can provide food or drink in a separated area to passengers who need it, away from other passengers as much as possible.”

“In addition, airlines can no longer provide magazines or newspapers, or any other reading material, with the exception of safety cards, in order to limit the number of surfaces or items passengers come into contact with. The new measures remain in place until further notice.” (Ummm, when was the last time you were offered a newspaper or magazine on a flight in Thailand?)

“Airlines will need to strictly adhere to other Covid-19 preventive measures announced by government agencies.”

SOURCE: Nation Thailand