Freight forwarders seek answers over Thai Airways cargo backlog
The airline plans additional staff and warehouse connectivity upgrades after more than 1,000 shipment sets were reportedly delayed at Suvarnabhumi.
The Thai Airfreight Forwarders Association has requested an explanation and apology from THAI Cargo over warehouse delays at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. More than 1,000 shipment sets were reportedly held up, with importers and exporters reporting delivery disruptions and business losses.
Than Settakij reported on November 5 that Airports of Thailand had brought together cargo operators, customs officials and industry associations to address the problems. Thai Airways’ cargo team subsequently planned to expand staffing, install additional Wi-Fi signal distributors and develop an application for real-time shipment tracking.
The airline said shipments received before October 23 would be given priority. It also said a more effective system would handle incoming cargo.
According to Than Settakij, the disruption started in late September and continued despite attempts to reduce the backlog. Staffing and warehouse management problems hampered progress: workers could not locate goods, and large volumes of cargo still needed unloading from containers or pallets.
Incorrect location and status information in the AOT Cargo Clearhouse system reportedly prevented forwarders from completing payments and organising deliveries. Some importers said shipments received on October 10 remained unreleased. A woman reported that a factory had suspended production because required parts were stuck in the warehouse.
The association sought urgent updates for individual shipments so companies could inform customers. It also requested a social media group for shipment enquiries and reports of problems.
