PC Air, Thai ‘Transgender Airline’ Grounded Over Finance Problems

Thai transsexual flight attendants Chayathisa Nakmai, left, Dissanai Chitpraphachin, 2nd left, Nathatai Sukkaset, 2nd right, and Phuntakarn Sringern, right, pose for photograph with PC Air President Peter Chan, 3rd left, and Chairman of PC Air Chawiwat Glamkomol, 3rd right

 

BANGKOK-Months after taking to the skies with Thailand’s first transsexual air crew, fledgling carrier PC Air has suspended services over financial troubles that left passengers stranded in South Korea.

“The airline informed the Department of Civil Aviation on Friday that they cannot operate their charter flights due to business problems,” Thai Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said. “So it will suspend its services,” he added.

The move is expected to last until at least the end of the month.

PC Air hit the headlines earlier this year when it hired four transgender cabin attendants in a highly publicized recruitment drive to operate charter flights from Bangkok to Hong Kong and other Asian destinations.

But the privately owned carrier drew less welcome attention last week when its only aircraft was unable to take off from Seoul’s Incheon Airport because the company could not pay its service and fuel fees.

PC Air has blamed its South Korean agent for the unpaid bill, which left several hundred passengers stuck in Seoul.