BANGKOK — Thai Airways International Plc has notified ticket agents that it will significantly reduce flight frequencies in May 2026 across domestic routes and services to Asia and Europe, citing sharply higher fuel costs and softer passenger demand during the traditional low-season travel period.

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In a notice issued on Friday, the national carrier said it has prepared options to help agents and passengers manage the changes, which will affect a wide swath of its network from the first day of May through the end of the month. The reductions come as airlines worldwide grapple with volatile oil prices and shifting travel patterns in the post-pandemic era, with many carriers scaling back capacity during the slower months between the peak Songkran holiday and the start of the European summer travel season.

On the domestic front, Thai Airways will cut frequencies on several key routes from the Northeast. Flights to Khon Kaen will be reduced from four per day to three per day throughout May, while service to Udon Thani will drop from three daily flights to two. Ubon Ratchathani will see a more modest reduction, falling from two daily flights, or 14 flights per week, to 12 flights per week between May 5 and May 28. The cuts reflect softer demand on routes serving the agricultural heartland of Isan, where travel tends to slow after the Songkran exodus.

International reductions are more extensive, spanning ASEAN neighbours, North Asia, South Asia and Europe. Within the region, flights to Phnom Penh will be cut from two daily flights, or 14 per week, to 11 flights per week between May 2 and May 30. Service to Singapore will drop from five daily flights to four for the entire month of May.

Thai Airways announced major flight cuts on domestic & intl routes for May 2026, citing high fuel costs & weak tourism demand affecting Asia & Europe.

Domestic svc to KK, UDT & UBR cut from May 1. Intl routes to SIN, TYO & LHR see lower freq; Kaohsiung flights suspended temp.… pic.twitter.com/DtXktKz4ol

— Personal Thailand (@PersonalThai) April 18, 2026

North Asia sees some of the deepest cuts. Tokyo’s Narita airport will see service reduced from three daily flights to two between May 11 and May 31, excluding May 29. Beijing and Shanghai will each drop from two daily flights to one for most of May, while Seoul’s Incheon airport will see a dramatic reduction from three daily flights to just one between May 8 and May 31. Taipei will drop from three daily flights to two between May 6 and May 31, and Hong Kong will fall from four daily flights to three over the same period. The route to Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan will be suspended entirely from May 8 to May 31, having previously operated one flight daily.

South Asia services are also being trimmed. Flights to Hyderabad will drop from daily, or seven flights per week, to five flights per week between May 4 and May 27. Mumbai will see service cut from two daily flights to one for the entire month of May, while Delhi will see a more modest reduction from 22 flights per week to 21 between May 1 and May 29.

European routes, which are typically the most fuel-intensive and therefore most vulnerable to rising oil prices, will see significant frequency cuts during the latter half of May. Istanbul will drop from daily service to five flights per week between May 11 and May 27. Frankfurt will fall from two daily flights, or 14 per week, to 12 flights per week between May 18 and May 27. Munich, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm will each be reduced from daily service to five flights per week during similar late-May windows.

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The airline’s decision to trim capacity during what is traditionally a softer demand period makes strategic sense, but the breadth of the cuts suggests that Thai Airways is feeling significant pressure from rising fuel costs. With the Middle East conflict showing no signs of resolution and global energy prices remaining volatile, the national carrier is taking preemptive action to protect its bottom line. Passengers booked on affected flights are being advised to contact their ticket agents or the airline directly for rebooking options. Whether the cuts will be extended beyond May will likely depend on how fuel prices and demand trends evolve in the coming weeks.

-Thailand News (TN)