Thai slashing some airfares

[george]

SONGKRAN SPECIAL: THAI slashing some airfares

Published on Apr 12, 2003

Thai Airways International has cut ticket prices by 25 per cent for the Songkran holidays.

It has also launched three-day, two-night packages to 15 domestic destinations for only Bt5,200, Tasnai Sudasna, commercial executive vice president, announced yesterday.

Discounts of 25 per cent are on offer for flights from Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phuket to Bangkok at the beginning of the long holidays and in the reverse directions at the end of the water festival, said Tasnai.

For the start of the festival, flights from Bangkok to the provinces are almost full but are largely vacant in the reverse direction.

The 25-per-cent discount only applies on vacant flights.

THAI is putting on extra domestic flights during Songkran while at the same time reducing its international routes to destinations including East Asia, South East Asia and the United States.

The campaign is part of the national airline's moves to offset the drop in revenue caused by the war in Iraq and the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Its "Unseen Thailand with THAI" packages offer return economy flights to 15 domestic destinations and include three days' and two nights' hotel accommodation, breakfast and transfers for Bt5,200, with some destinations as low as Bt3,435. The promotion will run from April 18 to September.

However, popular destinations will cost an extra Bt1,000 for travel on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Packages cover routes to the North, South, Central and Northeast regions.

THAI revenue is expected to drop 10 per cent this year.

THAI president Kanok Abhiradee said revenue would pick up in the fourth quarter following an expected fall in the second and third quarters.

He was optimistic that the war in Iraq had been resolved and oil prices had declined.

Wichit Chaitrong

THE NATION