According to reports, an Emirates Airbus A380 found itself momentarily trapped at Suvarnabhumi Airport, in Bangkok, Thailand, when part of the surface of the taxiway started to crumble following a heavy rainstorm in the vicinity.
The incident took place on the evening of Monday, November 2, 2026, when flight EK373 was about to leave for Dubai. At around 9:11 p.m. local time on that day, the aircraft was unable to proceed along Taxiway E21, the connection from the runway area to the parking space and the terminal.
The airport crew sought assistance from Bangkok Flight Services (BFS), a ground service provider. A towing vehicle was sent to the scene to help move the aircraft. It took almost one hour, and at 10:18 p.m., the A380 had already been moved from the airport. The aircraft left for Dubai at 10:22 p.m.
Heavy Rain Caused Damage to Taxiway
Following the incident, airport specialists inspected Taxiway E21 and found damage to some parts of its surface
According to airport officials, prolonged and heavy rainfall weakened the ground beneath the taxiway. They believe water that has been accumulating in the soil beneath the taxiway for a long time might have affected the quality of the pavement.
Immediate arrangements were made for necessary repairs. It was necessary to repair and resurface the affected sections with asphalt and to give time for the materials to settle prior to the reopening of the taxiway.
Based on the schedule given, the taxiway was confirmed to be already closed for rehabilitation work until Friday morning 6th November 2026.
Preparation of Alternative Roads in Advance to Mitigate Flight Interruptions
In order to lessen the consequences of the airport operations, Suvarnabhumi Airport worked out alternative taxi routes. One of the options is a newly constructed link along taxiway D which is awaiting safety approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
The movements of the aircraft were also coordinated with Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai). According to the airport officials, the operation of two runways will enable them to meet air traffic needs without significant delay.
It should be noted that the event related to the Emirates Company was not the only aircraft-related incident on the airport’s grounds within the last week.
Boeing 737 China Airlines Hit Ground Trouble
On October 28, one of the China Airlines Boeing 737-800 planes on a flight to Kaohsiung, Taiwan (flight CI840) faced difficulties at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The plane got stuck in the damaged pavement near Runway 02R and couldn’t move. In total, four planes behind this one were affected by the incident.
Airport workers used towing vehicles to pull the stuck planes individually to other taxiways. The accident led to flight delays of about two hours for five flights.
Aerodrome Surface Under Increased Attention
The two accidents in less than a week made authorities worry about the condition of taxiways and runways at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The Thai authorities demanded the increased frequency of repairs and announced that further inspections and maintenance work will done to avoid similar occurrences.
As one of the major airports in Thailand, Suvarnabhumi plays an important role in making connections with different world parts – damages of taxiways or runways may lead to airplane movement problems especially in busy times.
Despite the incidents, the airport management insisted on the fact that flights are still able to reach their destinations by taking alternative runways and taxiways because people are doing some repair works.
