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Each November, revellers at northern Thailand's Yi Peng festival, launch thousands of lanterns, known as khom loy, lighting up the night sky like a swarm of jellyfish.

It's a spectacular sight, but this year, authorities have expressed safety concerns over the lanterns and festival goers have been asked to avoid setting off them off near airports.

There is growing worry about what could happen if one of the fiery khom loy lanterns gets sucked into a jet engine. Around 1,400 lanterns landed near Chiang Mai's airport last year.

Thousands of lanterns, powered by oil, rise into the sky in Chiang Mai province, during the Loy Krathong Festival

And more than 150 flights in and out of Chiang Mai have been cancelled or delayed during the peak of the holiday, from November 5 to November 7, affecting around 20,000 passengers.

The air traffic control centre in Chiang Mai province has declared a three-mile zone around the airport where people are advised not to launch lanterns from Wednesday to Friday, when celebrations will take place, said Kiattisak Rienvatana, the centre's director.

'We are asking the people to cooperate because only one lantern can bring down a plane,' he said.

Several airlines, including Thai Airways, have adjusted their flight schedules to give way to the lantern floating

'Our officials are also keeping an eye on any lanterns that might be blown into the airport parameters during that period.' 

Authorities in nearby Chiang Rai province have issued a similar request. 

Several airlines, including Thai Airways, have adjusted their flight schedules to give way to the lantern floating, which takes place mainly after dark. 

The festival coincides with Thailand's Loi Krathong festival, during which Thais float small rafts on rivers to ask for forgiveness from the goddess of water. They also believe that launching lanterns will rid them of bad fortune.

Revellers have been advised that they may float lanterns near the airport after 9pm, when the air traffic is cleared up.