Airlines will cancel 108 Chiang Mai flights, retime 80 and add 105 between 21 and 28 November to keep sky lanterns clear of aircraft.
The airport director said on 2 November that the airport expects more than 200,000 lanterns inside its flight safety zone during Yi Peng. It is cutting daily operating hours from about 20 to about 12. Airlines have been asked not to fly from 10am to noon on 24 November, or between 7pm and 1am on 24 and 25 November.
Lantern releases are banned in the red zone under the take-off and landing paths. Last year the province banned them in parts of six districts, including all of Mueang Chiang Mai and Hang Dong, with penalties of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both.
