Aviation experts say Thai air travel will recover to pre-Covid levels next year

[webfact]

PHOTO: Flickr/Ferry Octavian

Thailand’s aviation industry is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels in the coming year, before reaching the top 10 worldwide in ten years’ time. According to a Nation Thailand report, Thailand is predicted to rank among the top 10 global aviation hubs by 2033. – there’s certainly enough airlines flying Thai skies to support that looming claim.

 

The International Air Transport Association has confirmed that during the first 9 months of this year, Thailand’s international flights climbed back to 71% of 2019 levels.

 

IATA says that in the next 10 years, the country can expect to become the 9th largest aviation hub in the world, behind China, the United States, India, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan and Germany.

 

By Peter Roche

PHOTO: Flickr/Ferry Octavian

 

Full story: PhuketGO 2023-11-28

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[Dazinoz]

By then this new virus in China will be a pandemic again and we start all over again.

 

Read somewhere a few months back that we would be in another pandemic by end of year or early net. Yes I know, conspiracy theory by whoever wrote the article, so just saying.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s aviation industry is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels in the coming year, before reaching the top 10 worldwide in ten years’ time.

Wow what vision.

[richard_smith237]

I've taken a number of domestic flights and numerous international flights (monthly) to and from Thailand over the past year.

 

Its seems the Thai aviation industry is busier than ever. 

 

The Airports are always exceptionally busy... 

Domestic flights have been full (or very nearly full - those are weekend flights - Friday to Sunday).

International flights into and out of Thailand have also been full or very nearly full. 

It also seems that the numbers of scheduled flights match pre-pandemic levels (both internationally - particularly with the Middle East Carriers) and Domestically (in and out of DMK and BKK) with both BKK Air / Thai Smile and Air Asia, Nok Air & Thai Vietjet... 

 

 

I wonder how they are measuring the recovery if they are not considering the industry is already recovered ?... 

 

 

 

[parallelman]

Well maybe the crystal ball these guys have can tell other things too. It isn't only 'pandemic' issues that are important. Unless these experts have 'seen' the end to the Ukraine/Russia situation, that of the Middle East and the present world economical downtrend then I don't think anyone is counting on so called pre-pandemic levels returning next year. Britain could find themselves in military conflict with the New Argentinian Gov. over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands further stretching its already economy problems and hence reflect on tourism. The EU has its own problems too, finance-wise. and if the present health problems in China further decrease their population then that will reflect on Chinese tourists coming to Thailand. And if China invades Taiwan...Global Warming anyone?

Gee, I must be having a bad day.

[dinsdale]

Try dropping airfares to pre covid prices.

[Highlandman]

Not happening if countries decide to close their borders again due to the China pneumonia thing going on now (a lot of media outlets are fear mongering and suggesting this could become the next pandemic). A lot of noise being made about it. I'd be very cautious about making any travel plans for January onward, in case things heat up again. 

 

I'd say, wait a couple of weeks and if the propaganda dies down by then, it should be safe to make travel bookings. 

 

Of course, all of this is speculation and no one knows how the world might respond to it, but I suspect it won't be a case of "business as usual " going into 2024.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Highlandman

[Highlandman]

6 hours ago, parallelman said:

Well maybe the crystal ball these guys have can tell other things too. It isn't only 'pandemic' issues that are important. Unless these experts have 'seen' the end to the Ukraine/Russia situation, that of the Middle East and the present world economical downtrend then I don't think anyone is counting on so called pre-pandemic levels returning next year. Britain could find themselves in military conflict with the New Argentinian Gov. over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands further stretching its already economy problems and hence reflect on tourism. The EU has its own problems too, finance-wise. and if the present health problems in China further decrease their population then that will reflect on Chinese tourists coming to Thailand. And if China invades Taiwan...Global Warming anyone?

Gee, I must be having a bad day.

 

Don't forget the north China pneumonia thing. Now they're reporting pneumonia cases in children out of Holland too.

 

Edit: sorry, I think you were referring to that already. Good points you've raised. The globe is in a tinder box situation. We have multiple wars going on, the threat of a new "pandemic" (which I don't really believe will be one, but the risk is how governments will respond). Doesn't bode well for air travel. 

 

Imagine a war involving Iran and then it becomes much more time consuming and expensive to travel to Europe. Possible flight cancelations/suspensions due to potential measures governments might take to limit the spread of these viruses in China, depressed economy in China and western countries (and even Thailand) and its not looking good at all.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Highlandman

[Highlandman]

10 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

By then this new virus in China will be a pandemic again and we start all over again.

 

Read somewhere a few months back that we would be in another pandemic by end of year or early net. Yes I know, conspiracy theory by whoever wrote the article, so just saying.

 

Exactly. They're saying there are no new pathogens but that won't stop the WHO from declaring a pandemic, if they decide to do so. Keeping in mind, they're meeting next week to propose amendments to their pandemic treaty, which will be voted on in May 2024. 

 

Perfect timing I'd say!

[superal]

10 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Try dropping airfares to pre covid prices.

My son is hoping to visit me in July next year so I just checked out the air fares with Thai Airways and Eva Air . So from London to Bangkok return the fares were not cheap for an economy seat . Thai is over 1100 pounds and Eva over 1200 . So prices seem to be rising and that will prove daunting to tourists, especially in these times of economic woe .

[Irish star]

On 11/28/2023 at 12:36 PM, Dazinoz said:

By then this new virus in China will be a pandemic again and we start all over again.

 

Read somewhere a few months back that we would be in another pandemic by end of year or early net. Yes I know, conspiracy theory by whoever wrote the article, so just saying.

China is having a terrible time right now flu and pneumonia pandemic it’s all over tik tok , probably from their faulty vaccine 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Irish star

[Irish star]

23 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Try dropping airfares to pre covid prices.

It’s triple now from USA