Bangkok Airways Launches Koh Samui-hong Kong

[george]

Bangkok Airways launches Koh Samui-Hong Kong service

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Airways will introduce its second overseas route out of Koh Samui, to Hong Kong, in April this year to tap the upmarket leisure passenger market from the former Crown Colony.

The new route will represent the first direct air link, on a regular basis, between the two points which in the past were channelled from Hong Kong either through Bangkok and Phuket due to the absence of non-stop flights.

The Koh Samui-Hong Kong flights will bring more passenger traffic to the island, the most lucrative operation for Bangkok Airways, which has almost singlehandedly promoted the island as a world-class destination over the past 15 years.

Hong Kong investors have long been the mainstay of the holiday villa market on the island, and the new flights will save them several hours' flight time by eliminating a Bangkok connection. This will make Samui much more attractive as a weekend-break destination.

Bangkok Airways intends to offer three flights a week on the route on its 125-seat Boeing 717 jetliners in a flight that takes about 212 hours.

Vice-president Nandhika Varavarn said yesterday the launch coincided with the completion of more facilities on the island, including an 18-hole golf course built by the Santiburi group.

The arrival of the fifth Boeing 717 in Bangkok Airways' fleet in the next few months also makes it possible for the airline to start the new route.

Bangkok Airways currently flies from Koh Samui to Singapore every other day _ the only scheduled flight out of the island to an overseas point by any airline.

Nearly all the air services in and out of Koh Samui are provided by Bangkok Airways which also owns and operates the airport on the island.

Hong Kong is one of the three new overseas destinations planned by the airline this year.

The other two are in China including Hangzhou.

--Bangkok Post 2005-02-09