Thai Times

Covering the Thai Renaissance
Friday, Jan 03, 2025

Thai AirAsia Expands Routes to India and Southeast Asia

Thai AirAsia is expanding its routes to India and Southeast Asia to counter reduced Chinese flights due to economic issues and competition. The airline’s new routes will include Bangkok-Hyderabad, Bangkok-Phú QuÕc, and Phuket-Siem Reap in October, followed by Bangkok-Kathmandu, and Phuket to Kolkata and Chennai in November. While Indian passenger demand is rising, Chinese market recovery remains slow, with the airline expecting to serve 21-22 million passengers this year.
Thai AirAsia is planning to open new routes to India and within Southeast Asia in the second half of the year to offset reduced flights to China due to economic slowdowns and higher competition from domestic travel.

Tansita Akrarittipirom, head of commercial at Thai AirAsia, noted that the share of Chinese passengers dropped to 17% from 27% prior to the pandemic, while the share of Indian passengers is expected to rise to 10% by year-end.

The airline will launch three new routes in October: Bangkok-Hyderabad, Bangkok-Phú QuÕc, and Phuket-Siem Reap.

In November, three more routes will be opened: Bangkok-Kathmandu, and Phuket to Kolkata and Chennai.

These expansions are supported by an additional 7,000 seats allocated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, of which Thai AirAsia received 40%.

Indian passengers often dominate 80-90% of flights to India, and the airline aims to open flights to major Indian cities like Delhi and Mumbai if additional seat quotas are approved.

Currently, the airline's international flights operate at 82% of pre-pandemic capacity, with Indian routes at 116% and Southeast Asia at 88%.

Despite growing Indian demand, the Chinese market is expected to recover more slowly, with Chinese passengers anticipated to make up 20% of total international passengers by the end of 2024.

The airline expects to serve 21-22 million passengers this year, nearing its 2019 level of 22.1 million.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Global Climate Disasters in 2024 Highlight Intensified Impact of Climate Change
0:00
0:00
Open
Global Climate Disasters in 2024 Highlight Intensified Impact of Climate Change
0:00
0:00
Close
Global Climate Disasters in 2024 Highlight Intensified Impact of Climate Change
Historic Flooding and Economic Shifts Mark Thailand's 2024
Thailand’s Historic Floods: A Looming Challenge as Climate Risks Intensify
Trump's Trade Policies Loom over Thailand: Potential THB160 Billion Economic Hit
Rising Concerns Over Teen Vaping: Health Risks and Global Impact
A Week of Tragedy: Examining Air and Road Safety in 2024
Safety Imperatives Questioned as Bangkok Hotel Fire Claims Lives
The Vaping Epidemic: A Growing Threat to Global Youth
Wikipedia Co-Founder Larry Sanger on How His Site Went Woke
Bruce Willis' Wife Shares Heartfelt Tribute on 17th Anniversary Amid Dementia Battle
Thai Film 'How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies' Garners International Acclaim
South Korea Orders Inspection of Boeing 737-800 Fleet Following Deadly Crash
Ho Chi Minh City Launches First Metro Line Following Years of Delays
Thailand Grapples with Rising Debt and Economic Uncertainties
Tragic Bangkok Hotel Fire Claims Three Lives Amid Safety Concerns
Thailand’s Debt Dilemma: Nearly 300,000 Pickup Trucks Face Repossession amid Economic Strains
Jimmy Carter, Former U.S. President and Humanitarian Icon, Dies at 100
Tragic Airline Disaster: Jeju Air Crash Claims 176 Lives
Philippine Central Bank Defends New Polymer Banknotes as Anti-Counterfeit Measure
New Year Tragedy: 77 Fatalities as Over 500 Road Carnage Devastates Thailand
Ethnic Tensions Rise as Myanmar's SAC Calls for Dialogue Faces Resistance
South Korea Plane Crash Claims Nearly All Lives Onboard
Elon Musk Urges Followers to Stop Donating to Wikipedia
Sundar Pichai Declares 2025 a Critical Year for Google Amid Intensifying AI Competition
Thailand's Roads Claim 52 Lives in a Single Day as '10 Dangerous Days' Begin
Commercial flight carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members crashes while landing in South Korea.
Singapore Oil Tycoon and Sons Declared Bankrupt Over $3.5 Billion Debt
If you were impressed by drone shows, China has now introduced drone advertisements.
NASA's Parker Solar Probe Safely Completes Closest Approach to the Sun
Asia Remembers Tsunami Victims Two Decades On
Thailand Gears Up for BRICS Membership Amidst Domestic Developments
Bangkok Set to Pioneer Equal Marriage: 50 Districts Poised for Landmark January 2025 Registration
Temporary Closure of Moscow's Airports Raises Questions
Russian Aviation Authority Temporarily Shuts Down Moscow's Airports
Epic Sentencing in Forex-3D Scheme: Perpetrators Receive Record-Setting 49,000-Year Sentences
UAE Makes Premarital Genetic Testing Mandatory
UAE and Turkey Strengthen Strategic Ties Amid Regional Turmoil
Thailand Approves Major Infrastructure Projects Amid Economic Ambitions
UAE Mandates Premarital Genetic Testing: A Health Revolution in the Making
Vietnamese Celebrate Christmas with Festive Spirit Across the Country
Emirati Pilot Launches into NASA's Simulated Mars Expedition
Man-Made Devastation: Northern Thailand's Floods Lay Bare Human Impacts
Thailand's Dual Battle: Tuberculosis and Toxic Air at a Crossroads
Moderna's Dual Vaccine Shows Promising Results in Trials
Cold Snap Grips Bangkok, Frost Graces Northern Peaks
Elderly Driver's Drunken Rampage Claims Life of Officer, Leaves Students and Parents Wounded
Thai Banks Set Stage for New Year Spending with $4.35 Billion in Cash Reserves
Angkor Wat Indochina Marathon Concludes with Record-Breaking Performances and Cultural Celebration
Health Authorities Issue Norovirus Warning Amid Seasonal Rise
Julphar to Sell DiabTec: A Strategic Realignment in Pharmaceuticals
×