Air Asia X considers new Hua Hin - Chiang Mai route

[rooster59]

Air Asia X considers new Hua Hin - Chiang Mai route

 

 

Air Asia X is considering launching new flights between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai.

 

The low budget airline is currently evaluating the feasibility of a Hua Hin - Chiang Mai route after being approached by officials from Thailand’s Department of Aviation and Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

 

Last month, Air Asia announced the start of direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Hua Hin, which are scheduled to begin on 18 May.

 

But now officials are eager to connect the KL-Hua Hin flights with additional flights to Chiang Mai.

 

The proposal would encourage more travel to popular destinations in Thailand while at the same time reducing passenger traffic at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.

 

It would mean that both Hua Hin and then Chiang Mai would be within easy reach for tourists arriving from Kuala Lumpur, which in turn would open up both destinations to people travelling not only from Malaysia but also from the likes of Indonesia, Singapore and Australia.

 

As well as flights connecting Hua Hin and Chiang Mai, Air Asia X is also looking at direct flights between Krabi and Incheon in South Korea.

 

Discussions about the proposed new routes were held at the Routes Asia 2018 event which was held in Australia earlier this month.

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-03-31

[KhunBENQ]

Chiang Mai to Hua Hin, the "breath some clear air" route

[Maverell]

Bring it on I say, would be great !

[roo860]

Will need a 747 for all the Zimmer frames loaded on board in Hua Hin.

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[CNXBKKMAN]

Air Asia X the long haul arm of Air Asia that flies to Japan, Australia, Hawaii etc is considering flying between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai? Can a A330 operate out of Hua Hin? Quality reporting?

[d2b2]

1 hour ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

Air Asia X the long haul arm of Air Asia that flies to Japan, Australia, Hawaii etc is considering flying between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai? Can a A330 operate out of Hua Hin? Quality reporting?

It has previously been reported that Hua Hin airport can only service an A319. It is incapable of accommodating Boeing or other larger Airbus aircraft, due to limited runway and area flight restrictions. 

[Argus Tuft]

6 hours ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

Air Asia X the long haul arm of Air Asia that flies to Japan, Australia, Hawaii etc is considering flying between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai? Can a A330 operate out of Hua Hin? Quality reporting?

Well spotted.  Cannot be Air Asia X.  Not possible!  Besides they do not do short haul domestic sectors.

[Stargeezr]

That would be a good start, and also add on a route, Hua Hin direct to Phuket,  It would also be

a popular route.

Geezer

[observer90210]

Ok I'm going to sound like an old sour grouch on this call...but more air routes routes means more people, more trafic jams, overpacked beer gardens or restaurants, less hookers available to choose, more drunken brawls around the Soi Bintabaht or Soi Poonsuk therapist establishments, drop in quality of services in general as cash flow will be taken for granted that will lead bring in inflation...and so on....don't forget, this is Thailand with Thai logic.....think it over, overnight !!

Edited March 31, 2018 by observer90210

[sarwardee]

I'm suspicious because this has been posted on April Fools Day

[thaiowl]

13 hours ago, Argus Tuft said:

Well spotted.  Cannot be Air Asia X.  Not possible!  Besides they do not do short haul domestic sectors.

Hua Hin airport runway is 2,100m long and can accommodate an A320 (which requires 1,971m). The Hua Hin - Chiang Mai route would be operated by Thai Air Asia (using an A320), not Air Asia X, which as you correctly pointed out, is a long-haul operator that uses A330 (requiring 2,070m of runway).

[Argus Tuft]

6 hours ago, sarwardee said:

I'm suspicious because this has been posted on April Fools Day

It was posted morning of 31st March Thailand time

[roo860]

It was posted morning of 31st March Thailand time

 

Deleted

 

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[Wanderlust]

7 hours ago, thaiowl said:

Hua Hin airport runway is 2,100m long and can accommodate an A320 (which requires 1,971m). The Hua Hin - Chiang Mai route would be operated by Thai Air Asia (using an A320), not Air Asia X, which as you correctly pointed out, is a long-haul operator that uses A330 (requiring 2,070m of runway).

So while the possible Chiang Mai route would not be operated by Air Asia X, it would still be possible for their A330 to use Hua Hin. What I have heard is the issue though is the lack of equipment enabling the planes to land in poor visibility/conditions, some kind of system that allows planes to lock on to their landing path (sorry don't know the technical name). I believe this is required for long haul larger jets?

[thaiowl]

1 minute ago, Wanderlust said:

So while the possible Chiang Mai route would not be operated by Air Asia X, it would still be possible for their A330 to use Hua Hin. What I have heard is the issue though is the lack of equipment enabling the planes to land in poor visibility/conditions, some kind of system that allows planes to lock on to their landing path (sorry don't know the technical name). I believe this is required for long haul larger jets?

Will ask my son...he's a pilot with Thai Air Asia! I think the equipment you are referring to is the Instrument Landing System (ILS).

[geriatrickid]

I'm genuinely excited by this possibility as it would make so many people's lives easier, because of the ability to avoid BKK. Unfortunately, these secondary routes with only one airline have a habit of pricing significantly higher than if the destination is a hub. 

 

On 3/31/2018 at 4:06 PM, d2b2 said:

It has previously been reported that Hua Hin airport can only service an A319. It is incapable of accommodating Boeing or other larger Airbus aircraft, due to limited runway and area flight restrictions. 

Back in 2016 we were told there was to be a widening  of the runway;

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/hua-hin-airport-expanded-accommodate-larger-aircraft/

Never happened. I hope this is not more pie in the sky.

Although FD uses  AB 320's, the airline  is renewing its fleet with a change to the AB 320 Neo which will result in greater fuel efficiency making  additional routes  more viable.

(Fuel is the single greatest cost for a flight.)

 

16 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Ok I'm going to sound like an old sour grouch on this call...but more air routes routes means more people, more trafic jams, overpacked beer gardens or restaurants, less hookers available to choose, more drunken brawls around the Soi Bintabaht or Soi Poonsuk therapist establishments, drop in quality of services in general as cash flow will be taken for granted that will lead bring in inflation...and so on....don't forget, this is Thailand with Thai logic.....think it over, overnight !!

 

I get your point but consider this: Many of the people who will take those flights will forgo driving to  Hua Hin. That means fewer buses and cars taking them there. At the end of the day, remember that the  AB320 only seats  240. At best there might be a daily flight. at 70%-80% capacity  that's under 200 people, and not disruptive.  People taking these flights will be .of a different  demographic than  what you describe. The kind of people who  are  hanging around the ghetto are the  short time budget tourists and loser segment. That district is slowly dying out anyway. It was dead after 11 pm last night and the week before on my way to and from Coco51 I cut through to the wat and the area was  sputtering. Don't worry about this.

[geriatrickid]

On 3/31/2018 at 1:55 PM, roo860 said:

Will need a 747 for all the Zimmer frames loaded on board in Hua Hin.

I had to look  that up. It's a walker. Can't say I have seen anyone  with one in the tourist section although I have seen  two relatively young foreigners in wheelchairs. Having a walker would not do much good anyway with the  condition of the uneven sidewalks and the major obstacles. I am in relatively decent shape and I have difficulty sometimes with the poor sidewalks, sewer grate locations etc.  Air Asia has a bad habit of using stairways at its  remote gates and this can be a nightmare for the disabled and mobility impaired.

[roo860]

I had to look  that up. It's a walker. Can't say I have seen anyone  with one in the tourist section although I have seen  two relatively young foreigners in wheelchairs. Having a walker would not do much good anyway with the  condition of the uneven sidewalks and the major obstacles. I am in relatively decent shape and I have difficulty sometimes with the poor sidewalks, sewer grate locations etc.  Air Asia has a bad habit of using stairways at its  remote gates and this can be a nightmare for the disabled and mobility impaired.

My post was an attempt at jest.


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[thaiowl]

51 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

I'm genuinely excited by this possibility as it would make so many people's lives easier, because of the ability to avoid BKK. Unfortunately, these secondary routes with only one airline have a habit of pricing significantly higher than if the destination is a hub. 

 

Back in 2016 we were told there was to be a widening  of the runway;

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/hua-hin-airport-expanded-accommodate-larger-aircraft/

Never happened. I hope this is not more pie in the sky.

Although FD uses  AB 320's, the airline  is renewing its fleet with a change to the AB 320 Neo which will result in greater fuel efficiency making  additional routes  more viable.

(Fuel is the single greatest cost for a flight.)

 

 

I get your point but consider this: Many of the people who will take those flights will forgo driving to  Hua Hin. That means fewer buses and cars taking them there. At the end of the day, remember that the  AB320 only seats  240. At best there might be a daily flight. at 70%-80% capacity  that's under 200 people, and not disruptive.  People taking these flights will be .of a different  demographic than  what you describe. The kind of people who  are  hanging around the ghetto are the  short time budget tourists and loser segment. That district is slowly dying out anyway. It was dead after 11 pm last night and the week before on my way to and from Coco51 I cut through to the wat and the area was  sputtering. Don't worry about this.

FD's A320's have 180 seats.

[geriatrickid]

5 minutes ago, thaiowl said:

FD's A320's have 180 seats.

You are correct and thank you for pointing out my  error. Stoopid me. The impact will be even less to the point of being insignificant, with  maybe 150 pax a day coming  by plane.

Note tha the new Airbus being delivered to FD, the AB 320 Neo seats 186 passengers .

https://www.airasia.com/th/en/press-releases/thai-airasia-kickstarts-2017-with-new-plane.page

[Argus Tuft]

17 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Ok I'm going to sound like an old sour grouch on this call...but more air routes routes means more people, more trafic jams, overpacked beer gardens or restaurants, less hookers available to choose, more drunken brawls around the Soi Bintabaht or Soi Poonsuk therapist establishments, drop in quality of services in general as cash flow will be taken for granted that will lead bring in inflation...and so on....don't forget, this is Thailand with Thai logic.....think it over, overnight !!

You came up with a similar sentiment when they first announced the KL to Hua Hin flights last year if I recall correctly, something about residents underneath the flightpath being in despair.

You're certainly ringing the alarms of doom more this time though

[observer90210]

2 hours ago, Argus Tuft said:

You came up with a similar sentiment when they first announced the KL to Hua Hin flights last year if I recall correctly, something about residents underneath the flightpath being in despair.

You're certainly ringing the alarms of doom more this time though

First, I am very flattered that you still remember my post of last year. On this call..well...what can I say my dear fellow poster ?....I do hope I am wrong....but if not..

[David Walden]

On the AirAsia flight booking site it shows that for about Aus $65   you can book and fly Hue Hin to KL at 11.00 am Mon, Wed, Fri and Sunday. Bookings appear be available from 18/05/2018. for me this is great as I live in Cha-am just a short motorbike ride or Taxi to Hua Hin Airport for a connection to Perth Australia...so far they do not appear to be offering connecting flights to anywhere and arriving in Hua HIn from KL does not appear be on offer.  You must book 2   separate  flights  ...perhaps when they complete flights in and out of Hua Hin to/from the service may have some chance of success.   Presently flights Hue Hin to KL only are on offer.

Edited April 3, 2018 by David Walden

[DipStick]

If my aging memory serves me right, SQ used to operate flights Hua Hin / Singapore but they didn’t last long as the airport was not suitable at that time. Mind you this was years ago

[Aussie69]

Air Asia X the long haul arm of Air Asia that flies to Japan, Australia, Hawaii etc is considering flying between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai? Can a A330 operate out of Hua Hin? Quality reporting?

I imagine it will be A320 KUL - HHQ - CNX - HHQ - KUL

[Aussie69]

Hua Hin airport runway is 2,100m long and can accommodate an A320 (which requires 1,971m). The Hua Hin - Chiang Mai route would be operated by Thai Air Asia (using an A320), not Air Asia X, which as you correctly pointed out, is a long-haul operator that uses A330 (requiring 2,070m of runway).

Small fuel loads HHQ to CNX. I'm sure A330 is quite capable. For comparison, Air Asia X flies 90% capacity full fuel flights from Gold Coast to KUL from a 2400m runway at OOL.

Having said that they is not what the article was suggesting. They'll use A320s.

[Justfine]

On 31/03/2018 at 2:30 PM, KhunBENQ said:

Chiang Mai to Hua Hin, the "breath some clear air" route

Farang Ghetto to Farang Ghetto.