Thai Airways exec quits over $6000 excess baggage rort

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This was published 14 years ago

Thai Airways exec quits over $6000 excess baggage rort

The executive chairman of Thai Airways has resigned over allegations that he avoided more than $US5,600 ($A6,141) in excess baggage charges on a flight from Japan, the flag carrier said yesterday.

Wallop Bhukkanasut was accused of exploiting his position by transporting 30 pieces of luggage weighing 398kg with his wife and a friend from Narita Airport in Tokyo to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport in November.

He tendered his resignation on Tuesday, said the airline's chairman Ampon Kittiampon, following widespread coverage of the case in the Thai media in recent weeks.

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"He resigned all his positions at Thai Airways to take responsibility for the excess baggage case," Ampon told reporters, adding that the positions also included his role as chairman of low-cost subsidiary Nok Air.

Documents showed Wallop had travelled with his wife and a friend on first class tickets, which would only have permitted them to carry luggage weighing 150kg for free.

The baggage was then delivered to the airline's "lost and found" office, bypassing usual customs procedures, without Wallop paying the full excess fee, which would have been more than $US5,600 ($A6,141).

Wallop has admitted the baggage belonged to him but denies he sought to transport the goods for commercial gain.

Thai media reported that Wallop claimed to have been carrying fruit in the luggage on behalf of a friend based in Japan which was to be donated to a Bangkok temple.

An independent commission has been set up by the airline to investigate the case and is due to reveal its findings on January 15.

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Thai Airways posted a loss of 21.3 billion baht ($A707.39 million) in 2008 and was hit hard by the global financial crisis and political protests that closed Bangkok's airports in November-December 2008.

The airline's president, Piyasvasti Amranand, said last year that he wanted to end freeloading by current and former executives of the airline, many of whom claimed free first class seats as a matter of course.

AFP

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