Thai AirAsia is making significant adjustments to its 2026 summer schedule. The price of aviation fuel has risen so sharply that the airline is temporarily cancelling or reducing various international routes. This primarily concerns flights from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, under flight code FD.
For travelers, this means that scheduled connections to Nepal, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and India, among others, will temporarily disappear. Some routes will be suspended for a few weeks, while others are being removed from the schedule until well into October. The airline is attempting to keep operational costs manageable in a turbulent global aviation fuel market.
Multiple routes from Don Mueang temporarily suspended
Thai AirAsia is cancelling several international routes from Don Mueang Airport starting in late April and throughout May. The Bangkok Don Mueang–Kathmandu route will be suspended from April 28 through August 1. Previously, the airline operated four to three flights per week.
The daily flight to Denpasar on Bali is also temporarily disappearing from the schedule, from May 1 to June 30. The route to Singapore, which was previously operated twice a day, will be suspended from May 12 to June 30. This may have immediate consequences for travelers connecting via Bangkok in Southeast Asia.
Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Indian cities also affected
The daily flight from Don Mueang to Hong Kong will be suspended from May 11 to June 30. The route to Kuala Lumpur is also temporarily disappearing from the summer schedule. That daily connection will not operate from April 29 to October 24.
In addition, the measure affects multiple Indian destinations. The Don Mueang–Ahmedabad route, with five flights per week, will be cancelled from May 27 to October 25. Guwahati, normally four times a week, will be suspended from April 28 to October 24. Jaipur will be suspended from May 11 to October 24, and Lucknow from June 2 to October 24.
Previous cancellations remain in effect
The new measures are in addition to routes that had already been removed from the schedule. Flights FD4252 and FD4253 between Suvarnabhumi and Narathiwat remain suspended from April 21 through October 24, 2026. The Don Mueang–Xi'an route, with flights FD588 and FD589, is also suspended from May 11 through October 23.
Furthermore, flights FD518 and FD519 between Hong Kong and Okinawa have been cancelled from May 7 through October 24. From Phuket, flights FD192 and FD193 to Chennai have been suspended. For FD192, this applies from April 13 through October 24; for FD193, from April 14 through October 25.
Fuel prices force airlines to take action
The pressure on Thai AirAsia is due to the sharp rise in the price of Jet A-1. That aviation fuel is said to have become two to three times more expensive than before the conflict in the Middle East. According to reports, the price rose from approximately 80 dollars per barrel to more than 140 dollars per barrel.
This affects airlines directly. Fuel previously accounted for about 30 percent of flight costs. If that item rises so rapidly, airlines will have to re-evaluate routes, occupancy, and profitability. Medium- and long-haul flights are particularly vulnerable, as fuel accounts for a larger share of total costs on these routes.
Domestic flights are also feeling the pressure.
The heaviest blows are currently being felt on international routes, but the consequences are not limited to abroad. The effects are also becoming noticeable on some domestic routes within Thailand. The suspension of the Suvarnabhumi–Narathiwat connection shows that airlines are also critically reviewing their networks within Thailand.
It is therefore advisable for travelers to carefully check bookings. Those flying with Thai AirAsia this summer via Bangkok, Phuket, or Hong Kong should expect changes, alternative flights, or longer travel times. The airline is adjusting the schedule as long as the fuel market remains uncertain.
The route changes show how quickly international tensions impact daily air traffic in Thailand. For Thai AirAsia, it is a cost-saving measure; for travelers, it is primarily a practical warning: check your flight well in advance of departure and take the modified summer schedule into account.
Source: The Nation
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