25-1-2025 (BANGKOK) A major system failure at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport triggered widespread disruption during the early hours of Saturday morning, leaving thousands of travellers stranded in lengthy queues as staff scrambled to process check-ins manually.
The airport’s passenger processing system crashed at approximately 3am, forcing airport personnel to abandon automated check-in procedures at both kiosks and airline counters. The technical breakdown lasted more than four hours, significantly impacting both domestic and international operations at Thailand’s second-busiest airport.
Airport authorities deployed additional staff to manage the crisis, implementing manual check-in procedures to maintain operations. However, passengers reported waiting times exceeding one hour, with queues snaking through the terminal building as dawn broke over the Thai capital.
“We had to switch to manual processing immediately when the system went down,” a senior airport official told reporters. “Our priority was to minimise disruption whilst ensuring all security protocols remained in place.”
The airport issued public announcements throughout the morning, advising travellers to factor in extra time for their journey and to monitor their respective airlines’ social media channels for real-time updates.
Normal service resumed at 7:30am when technicians successfully restored the automated system. Airport management issued a formal apology to affected passengers, though no official explanation for the technical failure has been provided.
