'Back to work': Airline staff look forward to Thailand's Nov 1 reopening

Volunteers line up during a drill as they prepare to reopen for tourists with coronavirus disease (Covid-19) prevention measures at Suvarnabhumi Airport, in Bangkok. - Reuters

BANGKOK, Oct 29 (Reuters): From engineers to pilots, Thailand's aviation industry is gearing up for a grand reopening on Monday when the tourism-reliant country will welcome vaccinated arrivals without quarantine, ending nearly 19 months of strict entry rules.

"It's something everybody's waiting for," said Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, president of the Thai airline association, which has seven members, including Thai Smile Airways, Thai AirAsia and Thai VietJet Air.