Thai Airways backlog reportedly exceeds 1,000 lots at Suvarnabhumi

Grace Kim

More than 1,000 cargo lots were reportedly awaiting release from Thai Airways’ warehouse at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, alongside 700–800 pallets awaiting unpacking, according to accounts circulating among airlines. Thansettakij reported on November 5, 2026 that congestion continued through the high season despite easing floods and the resolution of Thai Airways’ earlier baggage backlogs, flight delays and cancellations.

The two estimates describe different stages and should not be added together; the report did not reconcile them or publish a release rate. Some shipments remained inaccessible long after their flights arrived, contributing to congestion outside the warehouse in the airport’s free zone.

Airports of Thailand (AOT) has coordinated talks with government agencies, cargo operators and freight forwarders to clear the persistent backlog. AOT’s Suvarnabhumi Airport team, Thai Airways’ cargo division, Bangkok Flight Services’ cargo operation, the Customs Department, transport associations and the Thai National Shippers’ Council took part.

What is blocking cargo release?

The Thai Airfreight Forwarders Association (TAFA) said congestion remained severe despite some progress in releasing shipments. TAFA identified the absence of recorded storage locations as the central problem, leaving staff unable to find goods even after their arrival.

Large quantities also remained on unit load devices, the containers and pallets used to carry air freight, awaiting the unpacking process known as “breakdown.” According to TAFA, the AOT Cargo Clearhouse system, developed by AOT and Thai Airways, was failing to display shipment status and storage locations as intended.

That failure prevented freight forwarders and customs brokers from completing payment and release procedures for their consignments, creating a digital bottleneck alongside the physical one. A digital map is of limited use when it cannot locate the stock it is meant to map.

What has Thai Airways changed?

Thai Airways outlined additional personnel and equipment from November 1, installation of 100 more Wi-Fi access points across the warehouse, and an application to scan and record cargo locations in real time. The measures cover staffing, connectivity and data capture; the third addresses the central problem TAFA identified.

They are announced interventions, not demonstrated outcomes; the report supplied no release totals or system-performance data after November 1. The airline is prioritizing shipments that arrived before October 23 while continuing to handle new arrivals, a choice that protects older inventory but does not reduce the incoming flow.

Bangkok Flight Services has introduced a dashboard for its FEMS truck-queue system at the warehouse frontage. It shows truck waiting status and sends automatic alerts when a vehicle has waited more than two hours. A queue, however visible, does not release the cargo behind it.

What are forwarders asking for?

TAFA wants four changes before normal warehouse service returns. Each proposal targets accountability, inventory visibility, coordination or import flow.

• A “formal explanation and apology” from Thai Airways’ cargo division, which freight forwarders and customs brokers could present to smaller customers and factories when explaining delays.
• Revised handling of “F2” status, which identifies cargo awaiting breakdown; after unpacking, staff should enter actual storage locations clearly in AOT Cargo Clearhouse.
• A command centre or central communication channel for inbound cargo, allowing Thai Airways and freight agents to coordinate, track shipments and resolve problems quickly.
• Restrictions on selected non-urgent imports if an embargo becomes necessary, while factory raw materials, perishables and express shipments continue to be accepted normally.

TAFA argues that a blanket import suspension would cause serious economic damage. Clear location updates would also help importers, exporters and freight forwarders avoid the time and expense of sending trucks to collect shipments that remain unavailable.

What will clear the backlog?

TAFA pledged to represent freight forwarders and other businesses. It will present conditions on the ground and press for urgent operational measures and policy changes to clear the backlog and restore normal warehouse services.

The immediate test is whether AOT and Thai Airways can make stored cargo visible, unpack it faster than new freight accumulates and translate the November 1 measures into released consignments. If they cannot, Suvarnabhumi’s high-season congestion will continue to impose avoidable truck journeys and pressure on smaller customers and factories.