Are low cost airlines the key to Thai tourism success?

[webfact]

Are low cost airlines the key to Thai tourism success?
Staff writer



BANGKOK: -- Don Mueang International Airport last year overtook Kuala Lumpur International Airport as the world’s largest airport for low cost airlines, measured by passenger numbers.

The Bangkok airport ferried through 14.4 million passengers during the first half of 2015, according to Asia Nikkei, with many of them travelling on cut price routes to cities around Thailand and in the wider East Asia region.

While the generally long-haul and major carrier flights handled by Suvarnabhumi undoubtedly pull in huge numbers of tourists from around the world, Don Mueang airport and its low cost airlines provide the key to distributing tourists around the Kingdom, rather than concentrating them simply in Bangkok.

A huge number of so-called second tier cities are serviced by Don Mueang, allowing both foreign tourists and Thai nationals the freedom to travel to places off the traditional tourism trail.

While you can fly to places like Singapore, Shanghai and Incheon from Don Mueang, cheap flights to lesser known Thai destinations like Chumpon, Roi Et, Buri Ram, Songkhla, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Phitsanulok and more are in abundance.

Don Mueang boasts 20 budget flights departing every hour to 11 provinces across the Kingdom. And there’s still room for growth: they currently handle a total of 650 flights per day but now have capacity for 950, thanks to the recent refurbishment of Terminal 2.

Full story: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/are-low-cost-airlines-the-key-to-thai-tourism-success/

-- (c) What's on Sukhumvit 2016-02-25

[dageurreotype]

Are low cost airlines the key to Thai tourism success?

No. Low cost PUBLIC transport on Thailand's biggest tourist island is. Duh.

[terryp]

a very loud YES ...It has enabled travel that would have taken 10's of hours into a couple...so of course it has

[rkidlad]

Not if they behave like Nok Air.

Mods, am I allowed to say this?

[clockman]

No hookers and sunshine!

[sn1per]

This is all well and good as long as you are not travelling to or from an airport that is privately owned by an airline, if this is the case, then you can expect to pay premium prices.

[wirat69]

Don Mueang boasts 20 budget flights departing every hour to 11 provinces across the Kingdom. And there’s still room for growth: they currently handle a total of 650 flights per day but now have capacity for 950, thanks to the recent refurbishment of Terminal 2.

Can anyone clarify the Thai maths here....

20 budget flights per hour = 300 flights per day.... 0600-2100

So the total of 650 flights per day, being a landing and a takeoff, suggests 25 non-budget international flights per day...

Um, but there is no non-budget airline operating at DMK... or perhaps "charter" flights are not budget flights???

650 flights per day, spread evenly across the 15 hour period, with 50 flights in the "dead hours", is still only 1.5 minute separation across the dual runways....

Capacity

Two runways

Runway 21 R/03L - 3,700 meters long, 60 meters wide (12,139 feet/197 feet)

Runway 21 L/03R - 3,500 meters long, 45 meters wide (11,461 feet/147 feet)

Capacity: 60 flights per hour

Aircraft parking stands: 95.

33 parking stands with contact gates divided into 25 parking stands at international passenger terminal, 8 parking stands at domestic passenger terminal and 62 remote parking bays.

75 scheduled flights btw 0600 & 0900

[bangkokheat]

what a stupid question, forget about all the problems driving tourism and expats away, ridiculous

[yellowboat]

Yes, Thailand the surrounding countries attract back packers and the lower middle class. Wonder if there is a market for airlines operating propeller driven aircraft. Took one from Phnom Penh to Saigon. It was comfortable enough

[natway09]

There are many airlines operating propeller driven aircraft, Nok & Bangkok Air that I know of,,,, & nothing wrong with them

[pomchop]

In spite of all the TV whiners Air Asia has overall done a fantastic job of bringing cheap air travel to the masses who otherwise would all still be riding the bus.

Seems a lot of farangs can't grasp the concept of paying extra for anything above and beyond getting from point a to point b. If you want seat assignments, meals, baggage, insurance, no change or cancel fees then Air Asia is clearly the wrong airline for you.

If all you want is to get from A to B usually in an hour or so it is very difficult to find better options than the low cost airlines from DMK.

Some seem to have forgotten or don't know how expensive short flight travel was in Thailand when Thai airways was essentially the only choice.

[gandalf12]

Partially yes but also efficiency, reliability and value for money

[Lupatria]

Are there different terms in Thai language for "low cost" and "cheap"?

[granin]

I see...

[DrTuner]

Cost to fly to Thailand: 1000 baht. Cost to move inside Thailand: 100000 baht.

[DrTuner]

No hookers and sunshine!

If only they'd drop the taxes on imported food and alcohol. The punters would return in flocks and spread their wealth to the peasants.

[taony]

As long as they are foreign low cost airlines, I'll fly them.

[sanukjim]

You can get cheap air fare to any country so ruling that out whats left is good weather (most times),good tourist spots,very friendly people low cost hotels&alcohol,.

[luk AJ]

In spite of all the TV whiners Air Asia has overall done a fantastic job of bringing cheap air travel to the masses who otherwise would all still be riding the bus.

Seems a lot of farangs can't grasp the concept of paying extra for anything above and beyond getting from point a to point b. If you want seat assignments, meals, baggage, insurance, no change or cancel fees then Air Asia is clearly the wrong airline for you.

If all you want is to get from A to B usually in an hour or so it is very difficult to find better options than the low cost airlines from DMK.

Some seem to have forgotten or don't know how expensive short flight travel was in Thailand when Thai airways was essentially the only choice.

"If you want seat assignments, meals, baggage, insurance, no change or cancel fees then Air Asia is clearly the wrong airline for you."

Excuse me, all the above is possible with Air Asia but you have to pay extra. But at least you get the choice.

[oldsailor35]

I am sure that if there was such a service as a "Low cost airline" on Koh Samui there would be many more tourists. However we are stuck with Bangkok Air which owns the airport and so fares are just about triple plus, more than what the low cost airlines charge from Suratthani.

[phoenixdoglover]

Are low cost airlines the key to Thai tourism success?

No.

The key is to maintain and enhance places worth visiting.

On that metric, Thailand is slowly declining.

[seadog57]

how about basics of treating visitors good stop ripping off and tier pricing might work better

[Thian]

In spite of all the TV whiners Air Asia has overall done a fantastic job of bringing cheap air travel to the masses who otherwise would all still be riding the bus.

Seems a lot of farangs can't grasp the concept of paying extra for anything above and beyond getting from point a to point b. If you want seat assignments, meals, baggage, insurance, no change or cancel fees then Air Asia is clearly the wrong airline for you.

If all you want is to get from A to B usually in an hour or so it is very difficult to find better options than the low cost airlines from DMK.

Some seem to have forgotten or don't know how expensive short flight travel was in Thailand when Thai airways was essentially the only choice.

I've flown with Air Asia and i get stressed when i hear the pilots speaking "english" over the speakers. I can't understand a word of it. How can they communicate with the air-towers?

[jerojero]

Yes, just ask Nok Air.