Air France Launches New Paris–Phuket Seasonal Route

Picture courtesy of Khaosod 

Air France’s inaugural flight AF156 from Paris landed at Phuket International Airport on 28 November, marking the start of a new seasonal route designed to meet rising European demand for travel to Thailand. The service will run three times a week until March 2026 using Boeing 777-200 aircraft, each with 328 seats. Tourism officials say the additional connectivity will boost visitor numbers during the high season.

The launch aligns with Thailand’s efforts to strengthen long-haul tourism links, particularly with Europe. Air France already operates twice-daily flights between Paris and Bangkok, making the new Phuket service a significant extension of its Thailand network. Suladdha Srutil-Lavarn, regional director for Europe at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said French tourist arrivals reached 710,968 between January and November 23, an increase of 13.8% compared with the same period in 2024.

French visitors to Thailand are predominantly first-time travellers who favour independent trips, spend an average of 58,611 baht and stay around 17 days. Popular destinations include Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani, reflecting a continued shift toward leisure-focused long-haul travel. Thailand expects 846,000 French visitors in 2025, contributing to a projected 11 million long-haul arrivals and a 16% rise in revenue compared with 2024.

The new route was welcomed by French Ambassador to Thailand Jean-Claude Poimboeuf, who joined officials at the Phuket arrival event on November 28. Tourism authorities say expanding flight capacity is essential for sustaining demand, with European routes rising more than 16% this year and exceeding 2019 levels by 5%. As of November 23, Thailand had received 6.94 million European tourists, nearly 13% higher year-on-year, and is on track to reach 8.45 million by year-end.

Khoasod reported that while European tourists spend over 60,000 baht per trip and typically stay for two weeks, the market alone cannot fully compensate for declines in short-haul Asian travel due to differing population sizes and flight availability. Major markets such as Britain, Germany and France are each expected to surpass 1 million visitors in 2025, while Russian arrivals may approach 2 million. Officials also hope to secure further routes to diversify long-haul arrivals and maintain momentum.

Key Takeaways

• Air France has launched a three-times-weekly Paris–Phuket route operating through March 2026.

• European arrivals to Thailand are up nearly 13%, with France among the fastest-growing markets.

• Thailand aims to boost long-haul tourism through wider air connectivity and new European routes.

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-11-29