Stranded travelers trying to head home were greeted by dancers, drummers and canceled flights Friday as Thai authorities announced the official reopening of Bangkok's international airport two days after it was cleared of anti-government protesters. The weeklong airport occupation stranded more than 300,000 visitors, caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights and dealt a heavy blow to the country's tourism-dependent economy. It snarled up cargo flights as well, heavily hitting time-sensitive exports such as cut flowers. Suvarnabhumi Airport was declared open Friday morning after an inspection tour by Transport Minister Santi Prompat. Token flights had taken off and landed the day before, but some regularly scheduled flights, mostly of Thai airlines, were resumed Friday. Scores of flights by foreign carriers remained canceled, and many airlines were unwilling to set a date when they would restart operations. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advised travelers to “be aware of possible delays and congestion at the airports while full flight services are in the process of resuming.” With the airport still operating at only about 50 percent capacity and scores of flights by foreign carriers canceled, weary travelers still faced confusion and disappointment. For many, it was the continuation of a confusing and tiring ordeal that began Nov. 25 when the first of Bangkok's two airports was forced to close by anti-government group seeking the ouster of the prime minister. Bangkok's domestic Don Muang airport, which also had been closed, reopened Thursday. “There is a nice atmosphere and food here, but if you go down to the last counter you will see a lot of long faces because of all the canceled flights,” said Nadine Woytal, a 27-year-old television reporter from Germany who found that her Thai Airways flight to Munich had been canceled. “It hasn't been fun the past few days.” Touring the departure area, Transport Minister Santi, said “Suvarnabhumi is 100% ready” and that all airport systems “were back to normal.”
