PHUKET: Thai Airways International will fly direct from the Danish capital, Copenhagen, to Phuket from November 11 three times a week, the airline announced today.
It's the first direct link to Phuket from Europe by Thailand's national carrier, an airline marketing spokesperson said. The flights are one-way only so return passengers will have to fly back to Copenhagen from Bangkok.
Executive vice president Pandit Chanapai said the Boeing 747-400 flights wouild ''make it easier than ever to travel from Scandinavia straight to Phuket.''
Flights to Phuket will leave Copenhagen on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights from Bangkok to Copenhagen already operate on a daily basis.
Nond Kalinta, General Manager Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe for Thai Airways, told Phuketwan in March at ITB Berlin that the airline planned to expand services to Europe from next Phuket high season.
Flights to Phuket from Austria are also being considered.
Charter flights have mostly been used by Scandinavians to fly direct to Phuket. Many don't stay on the island.
They tend to prefer the quieter natural settings of neighboring Phang Nga and Krabi, leaving west coast Patong and Karon to an increasing number of Australian and Russian visitors.
The new routes are part of THAI's expansion plans in Europe, made possible by the recent growth of its fleet. THAI also plans a Thai Wings budget brand to compete directly with regional low cost carrier AirAsia.
Phuket International Airport, where passenger arrivals and departures topped seven million in 2010, is about to undertake an expansion that will grow capacity to 15 million in 2014.
Some observers believe that such is the likely increase in tourists that Phuket airport will continue to struggle to keep pace with 15 percent growth or more each year.
THAI earlier this week also announced the launch of a new three-times-a-week Bangkok-Brussels direct flight from November 17.
It's the first direct link to Phuket from Europe by Thailand's national carrier, an airline marketing spokesperson said. The flights are one-way only so return passengers will have to fly back to Copenhagen from Bangkok.
Executive vice president Pandit Chanapai said the Boeing 747-400 flights wouild ''make it easier than ever to travel from Scandinavia straight to Phuket.''
Flights to Phuket will leave Copenhagen on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights from Bangkok to Copenhagen already operate on a daily basis.
Nond Kalinta, General Manager Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe for Thai Airways, told Phuketwan in March at ITB Berlin that the airline planned to expand services to Europe from next Phuket high season.
Flights to Phuket from Austria are also being considered.
Charter flights have mostly been used by Scandinavians to fly direct to Phuket. Many don't stay on the island.
They tend to prefer the quieter natural settings of neighboring Phang Nga and Krabi, leaving west coast Patong and Karon to an increasing number of Australian and Russian visitors.
The new routes are part of THAI's expansion plans in Europe, made possible by the recent growth of its fleet. THAI also plans a Thai Wings budget brand to compete directly with regional low cost carrier AirAsia.
Phuket International Airport, where passenger arrivals and departures topped seven million in 2010, is about to undertake an expansion that will grow capacity to 15 million in 2014.
Some observers believe that such is the likely increase in tourists that Phuket airport will continue to struggle to keep pace with 15 percent growth or more each year.
THAI earlier this week also announced the launch of a new three-times-a-week Bangkok-Brussels direct flight from November 17.
I have always been mystified as to why THAI never did establish direct flights to Phuket from Scandinavia. In the high season there are something like 25 flight per week arriving in Phuket, and with no competition from THAI the charter companies have had it all for themselves..There is huge untapped potential for THAI here, and its been going on for a long time too.
Posted by christian on July 1, 2011 07:04