Thai Lion Air soars along with U-tapao ambitions

[webfact]

Thai Lion Air soars along with U-tapao ambitions

By The Nation

 

 

Thai Lion Air will support government policy to promote U-tapao Airport as a key aviation hub by adding more flights to China and India next year and buying 50 aircraft over the next five years.

 

Passenger traffic at U-tapao Airport grew from 730,000 in 2016 to 1.99 million this past year thanks to development of the Eastern Economic Corridor, for which the airport plays a major role.

 

Thai Lion Air announced recently that, in addition to regular domestic routes like U-tapao-Khon Kaen and charter flights to China, it plans to increase flights to China and India in 2020. 

 

“We will also buy 50 additional aircraft during the next five years, most of which will be stationed at U-tapao,” chief executive Aswin Youngkiratiwor said.

He said the airline would hire 300 more people to strengthen its workforce of 500 technicians at U-tapao.

 

U-tapao is currently used by 15 airlines and related firms operating both regular and charter flights on more than 33 routes. It logged 15,700 flights in the fiscal year just ended and 8,208 flights from October 2018 to April 2019.

 

In the past three months, Thai Air Asia flew into and out of U-tapao Airport the most, with 400-500 flights per month, covering all regions of Thailand and Kuala Lumpur. The second most-frequent flyer was Bangkok-based aircraft-systems firm SFS Aviation, averaging 140-160 flights a month, followed by Bangkok Airways with more than 120 flights.

 

Thai Lion Air flies 92-106 flights times per month, but that number will rise next year as ambitions are realised to make U-tapao Asia’s next “aeropolis”. 

 

“U-tapao has everything an airline needs to expand – aircraft service and maintenance facilities, a business centre, an airfreight and logistics centre, an aviation personnel training centre and future aerospace industries for which bidding is currently underway,” said Aswin.

 

“In the future, there will be a high-speed railway connecting U-tapao to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports, which will further improve transportation in the eastern region and make commuting to U-tapao even more convenient.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30377276

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-10-10

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[madmen]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

adding more flights to China and India

please god not more of them

[keith101]

The economy hasn't hit bottom yet so I wouldn't be committing to buy that many aircraft and with the Thai baht still going up less tourists . 

[canopus1969]

This was a nice little airport to use before they started flying in (and out) the riff raff

[madmen]

1 hour ago, keith101 said:

The economy hasn't hit bottom yet so I wouldn't be committing to buy that many aircraft and with the Thai baht still going up less tourists . 

Have you warned them on this matter?  They have a right known.

[transam]

7 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

This was a nice little airport to use before they started flying in (and out) the riff raff

Riff raff.....I am gasted & flabbered....????

[steven100]

This can't be correct  ….. the TV farang keep telling us everything is down in Thailand and everyone is leaving.

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

This was a nice little airport to use before they started flying in (and out) the riff raff

Still "quiet" compared to DMK or BKK.

Landed there in July.

Short walk from plane to the arrival hall.

Bag on the belt in less than 10 min.

Few steps to the taxi/transport area.

Departed two weeks later in August at a very early time.

Manageable crowds at 6:18 AM

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[alant]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

buying 50 aircraft

Thai air may have some good deals on "pre owned aircraft" ???? 

[tyga]

kind of weird, you read the news about the expansion all the time and living next door to U Tapao is really conveneint but three destinations which interested me have all been shut down, namely Qatar to Doha, this service didn't last a year, Air Asia to Ubon, closed down just before I realised how easy it is to get to Laos via this route and finally to Singapore direct which was mightily convenient. Managed to get that one in about a month before they stopped it. Reasons I heard for these cut backs was lack of demand for Doha and Ubon but the flight to and from Singapore was packed.

Edited October 11, 2019 by tyga

[Burma Bill]

22 hours ago, madmen said:

please god not more of them

Glad I live in the rural North East!