Photo: PR Dept

 

By The Phuket News

 

PHUKET: It has been revealed that a total of 33 additional airlines have filed requests to fly into Phuket and approximately 14,000 people are expected to arrive onto the island as part of the Sandbox scheme.

 

Phuket International Airport Deputy Manager Soonthorn Sakdawasit revealed the information in a press conference held at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday (July 6).

 

“During the first five days of July we have welcomed 1,896 arrivals from abroad, and today (July 6) there are 236 more arrivals scheduled on five separate flights,” Mr Soonthorn said.

 

Planning to visit Phuket? Book your Sandbox hotel here

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/more-airlines-confirm-flights-to-phuket-80603.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-07-08

 

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Still a long way to 120,000; however, still almost three months to go, so lots can happen.

Sounds like airlines are "keeping their options open" .....in case there is a surge of interest from tourists.

“and today (July 6) there are 236 more arrivals scheduled on five separate flights,” MrSoonthorn said.”

 

not a particularly heavy payload per flight if they are evenly distributed. Hard to see airlines profiting from that level of demand and continuing flights for very long.

 

it seems more like a knee jerk reaction. So and so airline has started flights, we better do so as well, in case we miss out. But they all drop the routes very quickly if no one is making any money.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

approximately 14,000 people are expected to arrive onto the island as part of the Sandbox scheme.

 

“During the first five days of July we have welcomed 1,896 arrivals from abroad, and today (July 6) there are 236 more arrivals scheduled on five separate flights,” Mr Soonthorn said.

So, 14k instead of 120k , and only 47 people on a plane (and it does not state if they are Bangkok bound fly ons) . I'd call that an unmitigated disaster in the saving of Phuket and Thai tourism - and it will only get worse in arrivals in the coming months.

 

I'm double jabbed like millions of others and would come tomorrow if I just had to flash my card. I'm less infectious that nearly 90 odd % of all Thais and they don;t want my money !

I say : 33 more airlines is BS

 

It was not disclosed which airlines in particular had made the requests or from which countries they would be travelling.

 

= because he could not dream up 33 carriers from the top of his head !

he did not state where the airlines were based, could be new domestic routes for all we know.

 

 70 Airlines used phuket, could it be that those who were previously flying to Phuket want to return (21 of the 70 were Seasonal only)

6 hours ago, khunPer said:

Still a long way to 120,000; however, still almost three months to go, so lots can happen.

Like a total lockdown.  

Good if air traffic controller see plane sometimes!

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

So, 14k instead of 120k , and only 47 people on a plane

Good. 

That's less than 1 passenger in every row. 

Plenty of empty seats to sleep at night using 4 empty seats together. 

7 hours ago, beano2274 said:

he did not state where the airlines were based, could be new domestic routes for all we know.

 

 70 Airlines used phuket, could it be that those who were previously flying to Phuket want to return (21 of the 70 were Seasonal only)

Turkish Airlines is already flying to Phuket twice a week.

Where's that diving bloke ? He'll be well upset with all your mocking you bad bad people 55555

2 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Where's that diving bloke ? He'll be well upset with all your mocking you bad bad people 55555

Here he is, happy with the good news of more flights coming in. 

And you call that mocking, if so, not worth mentioning.

It could be something lost in translation. The original texts might said airlines requested 33 additional frequencies rather than additional 33 airlines. To put it in simple language, Qatar is flying 4 times a week, it may requested to fly 7 times a week (daily), hence 3 additional frequencies. Etihad is flying twice a week and it may requested to go for daily, hence 5 additional frequencies. The additional 33 weekly frequencies just mean maybe existing airlines wish to add more flights, and/plus maybe 1-3 new airlines looking at to do a weekly charter. All the requests are added together comes up 33 additional frequencies per week. Which is basically 5 new daily flights in total. I often find there are bad translations from Thai to English. If this article was written by a junior journalist who did not understand aviation terms, it could result in bad reporting like this. I am not saying this particular journalist made a mistake. But from common sense and aviation knowledge, I found additional 33 weekly frequencies is more believable than 33 new airlines looking to fly to Phuket.

13 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

“and today (July 6) there are 236 more arrivals scheduled on five separate flights,” MrSoonthorn said.”

 

not a particularly heavy payload per flight if they are evenly distributed. Hard to see airlines profiting from that level of demand and continuing flights for very long.

 

it seems more like a knee jerk reaction. So and so airline has started flights, we better do so as well, in case we miss out. But they all drop the routes very quickly if no one is making any money.

You mean when every one is loosing money.

17 hours ago, webfact said:

More Airlines Confirm Flights to Phuket 

 

Or...

 

17 hours ago, webfact said:

33 additional airlines have filed requests to fly into Phuket

Which is it?

7 hours ago, Espanol said:

Turkish Airlines is already flying to Phuket twice a week.

Yeah since this week

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

Here he is, happy with the good news of more flights coming in. 

And you call that mocking, if so, not worth mentioning.

Yeah. I hope they now understand the importance of tourism for Thailand. 

41 minutes ago, lolalol said:

Yeah. I hope they now understand the importance of tourism for Thailand. 

They do know , problem now is , how to get them back . I've seen today the Confirmed numbers / Possible lockdown / Thailand opening if most are vaccinated . You do see the story there , they want people back , lockdowns cost <deleted>loads of money , cases are rising fast . It surely is a problem , since you can't open right now , since people aren't vaccinated and numbers rising fast . Even if you open , not a lot of people will come, yes there will be a few , but not the mass you want . Let's just now focus on THB going down , making Thailand more attractive for foreigners , and they do know they have to make speed on vaccinating .

6 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

You mean when every one is loosing money

Hey hey hey don’t lump taxi drivers in with the “losers”

7 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

You mean when every one is loosing money.

Oh dear! Emphasising a word and spelling it incorrectly, from the person that picked me up on accidentally missing an e off a word the other day!

 

Apologies. Grammar police posts are not usually welcome but this is just making a point. Happy for mods to delete.

But the doom mongers here told me nobody is coming.  Why would airlines file requests for more flights?  The airlines are clearly all stupid and should be coming to this messageboard for advice.

13 hours ago, madmitch said:

Oh dear! Emphasising a word and spelling it incorrectly, from the person that picked me up on accidentally missing an e off a word the other day!

 

Apologies. Grammar police posts are not usually welcome but this is just making a point. Happy for mods to delete.

I couldn't find my glasses.

Phuket may become like Hotel California. Your entire vacation will end up at Phuket, then you get to fly

back home after you have spent most of your money.  So sorry the rest of Thailand is now in lockdown.

  because of so many Delta and Lambda cases, and not hospital spaces available, bye bye see you next year.

That may be the future statements that TAT says to the masses that flew into Phuket.  I hope I am wrong, but the

numbers are climbing and not falling these days.

Geezer