Thai AirAsia will turn Phuket into a new hub, linking additional service to Indonesia, and develop Chiang Mai to handle new routes planned for southern China.
CEO Tassapon Bijleveld said official operations from Phuket-Bali and Phuket-Surabaya would be finalised soon, pending approval by the relevant authorities.
“Phuket will be the next regional hub for the airline. The famous island attracts tourists from around the world, and now some airlines are putting Phuket into their schedules for next season,” he said.
More than 3 million tourists visit Phuket each year, making it the second-biggest tourist destination in the Kingdom, after Bangkok.
However, between January and September 2008, only 1.53 million foreign travellers arrived there, down from 2.37 million in the same period the year before. The largest inbound markets were Sweden, Australia and South Korea.
Australia’s Jetstar already flies a Phuket-Singapore-Sydney route. The airline will add a second daily frequency from Phuket to Singapore, with continuation to Perth.
Also, Pacific Blue, a subsidiary of Australian Virgin Blue, operates twice weekly between Perth and Phuket.
Tassapon said the airline also planned to fly from Bangkok to Mumbai, India and to Hangzhou, China. It will open a new route between Bangkok and Taipei from September 25.
For southern China and other areas nearby, the company will develop Chiang Mai into a hub linking the new routes being planned for Hanoi, Kunming, Yunnan and Dhaka.
Thai AirAsia recently introduced a Bangkok-Hong Kong route, which has already proved popular.
The airline also plans to spread into Seam Reap, Cambodia and increase frequency to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Tassapon said the airline planned to serve 12 million to 15 million passengers a year over the next three years. It has targeted 5 million passengers this year.
Theo