Suvarnabhumi Airport has apologised after a group of Chinese fans caused a disruption that affected a Thai Airways International flight to Beijing, resulting in 22 passengers being denied boarding over safety and security concerns.
The incident occurred at about 11pm on July 29 on Thai Airways flight TG674 from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Beijing.
According to the airport, the group followed a Chinese actor into a passenger lounge where they were not authorised to enter. Airline staff subsequently requested assistance from security personnel to restore order and escort the group from the restricted area.
Fans bypass checks, prompting security response
The airport said the group continued following the actor into the boarding area and failed to cooperate with ticket inspection procedures before attempting to board the aircraft at the same time as the celebrity.
As a precaution, Thai Airways temporarily closed the aircraft door to prevent passengers who had not completed the required security checks from entering the plane.
The airline later refused boarding to 22 members of the group after determining that they had not complied with security procedures and airline regulations.
According to the airline, there were concerns that the group’s behaviour could continue during the flight, potentially affecting onboard safety and causing further delays.
Some passengers refused baggage removal
The airport said 12 of the affected passengers agreed to have their checked baggage removed from the flight.
However, another 10 passengers refused and became dissatisfied with the decision, leading to further confrontation with security personnel. Videos of the incident were later widely circulated on social media.
Airport orders review after incident
Suvarnabhumi Airport acknowledged that some security officers displayed inappropriate behaviour while responding to the situation.
It said disciplinary action had been taken against the personnel involved, while a review of existing procedures had also been ordered to improve incident management and ensure staff maintain appropriate conduct when enforcing security measures.
The airport added that security operations must be carried out alongside proper passenger service standards and reaffirmed its commitment to preventing similar incidents in the future.
According to the report, the celebrities involved were Chinese actors Sun Zheng and Lu Sitong. The fans were described as exhibiting “sasaeng”-style behaviour by closely following the actors, taking photographs and attempting to bypass airport security barriers.
