Bangkok grows as hub for Cambodian flights

[webfact]

Bangkok grows as hub for Cambodian flights

BANGKOK: -- The Phnom Penh Post reported that Thailand has overtaken Vietnam as Cambodia’s largest international market in terms of scheduled airline seat capacity, citing a Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) report.

The report says seat capacity on flights from Thailand to Cambodian airports increased 20 per cent last year and now account for more than a quarter of the total of Cambodia’s international seat capacity. On the contrary, airlines reduced their total seat capacity on flights from Vietnam.

Thailand is connected to Cambodia by just one destination, Bangkok, compared with four in Vietnam. Yet the flow of traffic on flights operated between Bangkok and Cambodian airports has risen sharply, with new carriers adding service and existing carriers adding extra flights.

Bangkok Airways, which operates 11 daily flights between Bangkok and Cambodian airports, is second only to Vietnam Airlines in terms of overall seat capacity, with 21,420 weekly seats. Most of these seats are filled with passengers on connecting flights to destinations beyond Bangkok.

“Bangkok is a large local market from Cambodia, but most passengers flying from Phnom Penh or Siem Reap to Bangkok are travelling beyond Thailand,” the report said.

Sinan Thourn, chairman of the Cambodia Tourism Federation, said Bangkok is both a popular destination, and a busy hub for onward travel.

The trend prompted Thai Smile Airways, a subsidiary of Thai Airways, to launch a new route from Bangkok to Siem Reap on Feb 1, offering 10 flights a week. Bangkok Airways also added an additional flight to Phnom Penh last year.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/150908


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-15

[amyreyna]

Compare flying to Vietnam, it is cheaper flying to Bangkok as many airlines from more cities fly to Bangkok. So, if transit tru Bangkok before going to Cambodian, the overall flight ticket will also be cheaper

[CNXBKKMAN]

Nearly everyone needs a visa (and the hassle) for Vietnam and nearly everybody doesnt need a visa for Thailand. Thats why Bangkok is a regional hub airport and Ho Chi Minh isn't. Same reason India doesnt have big hubs, the visa situation holds the local airlines back.

[THAILIBAN]

Nearly everyone needs a visa (and the hassle) for Vietnam and nearly everybody doesnt need a visa for Thailand. Thats why Bangkok is a regional hub airport and Ho Chi Minh isn't. Same reason India doesnt have big hubs, the visa situation holds the local airlines back.

nearly NOBODY needs a Visa for Vietnam nowadays..... and Airfares to Vietnam are usually surprisingly cheaper than to nearby Cambodia (NOK promotion to SGN for 1.090 Baht incl Tax and luggage)

[CNXBKKMAN]

Aussies, NZ, USA, Canada amongst others need visas but letting most European countries enter for 15 days is a step in the right direction. It may well become a big hub in the future.

[amyreyna]

Usually in most Southeast Asia countries, G7 countries can enter without visa