Thai AirAsia focuses on China

BANGKOK Low-cost airline, Thai AirAsia, is planning to expand services to China and India, according to a recent Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation analysis.

CAPA said Thai AirAsia plans to expand its U-Tapao/Pattaya hub adding one or two aircraft in 2017, to open new routes to China.

Thai AirAsia currently serves 11 destinations in mainland China, mainly from its base in Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok.

The airline’s CEO, Tassapon Bijleveld, was quoted saying that Thai AirAsia plans to launch more Chinese routes from U-Tapao/Pattaya and will need to station one or two more aircraft at U-Tapao next year.

Thai AirAsia now has two A320s based at the airport operating three domestic and four international routes;  two to mainland China (Nanchang and Nanning), Macau and Singapore.

They were the first direct routes from Pattaya to overseas cities.

The carrier is also considering the launch of international services from Khon Kaen next year. If the plan materialises Khon Kaen will be the seventh base and the fifth gateway for services to mainland China. The initial target is a Kunming service from Khon Kaen.

The airline currently bases aircraft in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket, U-Tapao and Hat Yai.

In addition, the airline is now looking at opening routes from Hat Yai to Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore.

India is another logical growth market for Thai AirAsia, given the rapid growth in the Thailand-India market and the airline’s current small presence in that market.

The airline launched services to Kochi in May this year and will resume services to Kolkata, 16 December. Prior to May this year, Thai AirAsia had just two destinations in India – Bangalore and Chennai.

sourced:ttrweekly.com