Thai Airways återupptar flighter till Hong Kong från Phuket

Av Sierra
16 okt. 2009 18:49
Visningar: 162
Enligt dagens Bangkok Post återupptar Thai Airways International non-stop flights mellan Phuket och Hong Kong 25 oktober. Linjen har legat nere sedan blockaden vid Bangkok´s två flygplatser i december förra året. De kommer att trafikera denna route onsdag, fredag och söndag.

Thai AirAsia har sedan tidigare uppgivit att de startar dagliga flighter mellan dessa flygplatser 15 november.

"Published: 16/10/2009 at 12:00 AM
Thai Airways International will resume its Phuket-Hong Kong service later this month.

Industry observers say the move is to combat the budget carrier Thai AirAsia's impending launch of flights on the high-potential route.

The flag carrier on Oct 25 will restart the non-stop flights, which were suspended soon after People's Alliance for Democracy protesters blockaded Bangkok's two airports late last year.

Thai AirAsia plans to start daily flights on the route from Nov 15 as part of its strategy to turn Phuket into its second hub. The low-cost carrier plans to operate a series of new non-stop international services from the resort island.

Pruet Boobphakam, executive vice-president for commercial sales at THAI, told the Bangkok Post the two airlines will be competing in different market segments: budget-conscious travellers and those requiring full services.

"Our re-launch is largely in response to market demand," he said, though he acknowledged that there would be some price competition between the two carriers as passengers will have a greater choice.

THAI will offer three flights a week on the Phuket-hong Kong route: Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The airline said bookings for the route were continuing into the new year due to the arrival of the high season.

Aside from the Phuket-Hong Kong route, Thai AirAsia will launch non-stop Phuket-Jakarta flights on Nov 15, followed by services to to Chiang Mai, Medan and Ho Chi Minh City in December.

Plans to provide non-stop flights from Phuket to several Asian cities, such as Bali, Surabaya, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Manila, are on Thai AirAsia's horizon over the next 18 months."