Aussie mum among 300-plus passengers asked to hand over passports in Thailand as flights cancelled

The video left many shocked at the airlines request, but there may be a reason why the move is more common than you think.

An Aussie traveller briefly stranded in Thailand has shared the horrifying experience of being one of more than 300 passengers who had their passports taken away from them.

But the reason why is far from a sinister one.

Australian mum blogger Ramya left Sydney for Thailand on holiday with her two young children in early July, flying with Qantas.

But after checking in at Bangkok airport for the family’s return flight, Ramya noticed the plane was instead one from Finnair as opposed to Qantas.

After being delayed every half-hour for seven hours, the flight was cancelled, sending passengers into panic.

TikTok mum ramyatheaussie was left stranded in Thailand after a cancelled Qantas flight. Photo: TikTok

She was travelling with her two kids and had her passport taken as the airline tried rescheduling flights. Photo: TikTok

The mum of two uploaded a video showing what transpired next, as hundreds of concerned and confused passengers were left in limbo with airport crew trying to guide them.

One worker in the video could be seen telling a passenger to place his passport in a cardboard box, before the clip cut to the box showing a stack of passports and boarding passes piled up.

“Last night 300-plus people got their passports taken away from Qantas airlines when their flight was cancelled,” her post read.

“Apparently keeping your passport is an immigration concern in Thailand when your international flight is cancelled. It’s been 18 hours and we still don’t know when we will leave. It could be tonight or in 2-3 days.”

The video went viral with more than two million views and 115k likes, as plenty weighed in.

“Never hand your passport over for nothing,” one user commented.

“I could NEVER, that’s the one piece of ID that gets you home, imagine they misplaced that box?!” another added.

Over 300 passports and boarding passes were taken by Airport crew during the mixup. Photo: TikTok.

However, others who claimed to have been in similar situations looked to help clarify the experience, explaining that because passengers were already on the plane, it was a standard protocol to process and transfer everyone back to land.

“So basically, processing everyone back into Thailand to organise visa’s if required for re-entry, in the case that they’re looking at sorting accommodation and new flights for everyone,” one user suggested.

As a passenger service agent confirmed this was the case.

“We do that for you when we have a lot of passengers to process, we have all your information without having to ask you again,” Anthony Gle explained.

Her flight back to Australia was organised for the next day after mass confusion the night before. Photo: TikTok.

Any grievances looked to be forgotten as she got comfortable. Photo: TikTok.

“We can use your passeport’s (sic) information to put you on other flights through other countries cause sometimes you’d need visas for those we have a lot to do (to) put you on other flights and getting your passport is just making the whole thing quicker for us and also for you to get new flights.”

Ramya posted a follow-up confirming she and her kids were put up in a hotel overnight and were due to fly out the day after the ordeal, but hadn’t been given back their passports until arriving back at the airport.

Aboard a rescheduled Qantas flight, the mother of two posted an update in their business class seats, seemingly in better spirits and on the way back to Australia.

“Me ready to forgive Qantas for all the delays because I’m comfy on the plane and in their PJs and socks now.”