Bangkok airport chaos as Qantas flight to Sydney is cancelled. Passengers forced to hand over passports under Thai immigration rules or stay overnight. Hundreds stranded, videos show passports piled in a box, sparking outrage on personal security grounds.
Chaos erupted at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport after a Qantas flight to Sydney was suddenly cancelled, leaving hundreds of furious passengers stranded and scrambling for answers. The leading Australian airline had to act fast, organising hotel rooms in the Thai capital. But before passengers could leave the terminal, they were hit with an unexpected demand: Hand over your passports. Under Thailand’s strict immigration laws, travellers were told they couldn’t exit the airport without surrendering their documents. Many were stunned. Some flat-out refused.
Videos shared online showed a cardboard box on the terminal floor, passports piled inside. The image sparked outrage, with travellers calling it a serious security risk if the box were lost or stolen.
Qantas staff and airport liaisons tried to manage the chaos as passengers demanded explanations. In the end, faced with the choice of sleeping on cold airport floors or escaping to a hotel, most reluctantly gave up their passports.
Australian travellers were left stranded in Bangkok after their Qantas flight to Sydney was cancelled late on Monday night. The service from Suvarnabhumi International Airport had already been delayed for six hours. Then, just before midnight, the airline informed passengers the flight was cancelled.
Passengers told to hand over passports or stay overnight as confusion deepened at Bangkok airport
Many passengers were confused. Some were travelling with children. Others had connecting flights in Australia. All were left in limbo as airport staff struggled to manage the situation.
Soon after the cancellation, passengers were given an unusual choice. Either hand over their passports or remain in the airport overnight. Videos posted online showed the chaos that followed. In one clip, a cardboard box filled with Australian passports sat on the floor. Around it, dozens of tired passengers stood waiting. Thai airport staff were also on the floor, filling out paperwork.
The footage quickly went viral. Many online viewers expressed shock. One social media user asked, “Is this normal? Never heard of anything like that!” Another wrote, “They’d have to cut my arm off to take my passport.”
Despite the outcry, there was an explanation. According to a Qantas spokesperson, Thai immigration rules require authorities to hold passengers’ passports during major delays. This allows travellers to legally leave the airport and reach hotel accommodation. The spokesperson stressed, however, that collecting passports is not standard Qantas policy.
Travellers shocked as passports boxed on floor, but Qantas cites Thai immigration law for the measure
Still, the situation left many feeling uneasy. Australian mum and blogger Ramya had flown to Thailand earlier in July with her two young children. On their return flight, she noticed something odd. The aircraft was not Qantas-branded but from Finnair. The delays began soon after check-in.
“We were delayed every 30 minutes for seven hours,” she said. “Then the flight was cancelled, and everything became confusing.”
In a video posted online, Ramya captured the moment when passengers were asked to give up their passports. A staff member instructed a man to place his passport in the cardboard box. Later, the video showed the box full of passports and boarding passes.
“Apparently, keeping your passport is an immigration concern in Thailand when your international flight is cancelled,” she wrote. “It’s been 18 hours and we still don’t know when we will leave. It could be tonight or in 2–3 days.”
Travel blogger among stranded flyers captures video of handover as delays stretch beyond 18 hours
According to reports, around 300 passengers were affected. Some were forced to wait in the airport for hours without clear guidance. Others were eventually transported to nearby hotels. However, they had to do so without their passports.
The sight of passports being handled this way raised serious concerns. Many travellers were worried about security. Others simply felt helpless. One passenger said, “I wouldn’t have let them take my passport; that’s not standard practice.”
Qantas later issued an apology. “We sincerely apologise to customers for the disruption,” the airline said. “We understand the inconvenience this would have caused. Our teams worked hard to get passengers on their way as quickly as possible. All affected travellers have now arrived in Sydney.”
Even so, the footage and the experience left many rattled. Passengers were left wondering whether such a procedure is really necessary. Some asked why better communication was not provided. Others demanded more transparency from both the airline and Thai authorities.
Qantas issues apology as passengers question security, communication and accountability in the ordeal
While handing over passports to immigration officials is not unusual in some countries, the way it was handled in Bangkok drew criticism. Travel experts say that in cases of mass flight cancellations, local immigration often needs to process foreign nationals who must legally exit a secure airport zone.
In Thailand, this means authorities sometimes temporarily hold passports until travellers are rechecked through immigration. However, many feel that this process should be explained more clearly—and managed with more care.
As of July 24, there has been no official statement from Suvarnabhumi Airport. However, the incident has raised wider questions about international travel and passengers’ rights during unexpected delays.
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Many travellers now want clear guidelines on what happens when a flight is cancelled overseas. Some are calling for airlines to better coordinate with local immigration departments. Others say passengers should be informed of their rights before handing over vital documents.
For now, the viral video of passports in a box remains a symbol of what can go wrong when communication breaks down during air travel. It also shows how fast a routine delay can spiral into a travel nightmare—especially when passengers are kept in the dark.
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