Thai Airways passengers stranded for 15 hours at Dhaka Airport

Passengers on a Thai Airways (TG-340) flight from Dhaka to Bangkok faced over 15 hours of hardship after their flight was grounded due to a mechanical issue on Wednesday night. Many of the stranded travelers were patients seeking medical treatment in Thailand, intensifying the distress caused by the extended delay.

Flight TG-340 was scheduled to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:45 AM. Most passengers arrived between 9:00 and 10:00 PM to complete immigration and boarding procedures. However, just before boarding, airline officials informed them that the flight could not depart due to a technical malfunction.

As of Thursday afternoon, passengers reported having received no clear communication or support from the airline.

“We were suddenly told that the flight wouldn’t take off. No one explained what the problem was or how long it would take to fix,” said Arifuzzaman Tuhin, one of the affected passengers, informed the media. “They gave us three phone numbers two were switched off, and no one answered the third. People are scattered across the airport with no direction. Even after all this time, no official has come to provide information or alternative travel options.”

Tuhin, who was traveling with his wife for medical treatment, added that they missed a critical appointment scheduled for 10:00 AM Thursday. “We repeatedly asked Thai Airways to arrange an alternative flight, but there was no response. They haven’t communicated anything to us.”

Passengers included elderly individuals and people in wheelchairs, many of whom were physically vulnerable and in urgent need of rest or medical care. Airport facilities reportedly failed to accommodate their needs during the delay.

Attempts made to contact Thai Airways’ station manager in Dhaka was unsuccessful. Repeated calls made between 1:00 PM and 1:45 PM on Thursday either went unanswered or encountered a busy signal.

As of 1:45 PM Thursday, stranded passengers said they had still not received any official updates from the airline.