Bangkok Airways plans 3 China-Samui routes
BANGKOK AIRWAYS plans to launch three more routes between China and Koh Samui by the end of this year after the inaugurations of two new flights recently, targeting a growth rate of 10 per cent this year.
The two latest routes were a domestic flight from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son, and an international service from Bangkok to Da Nang, Vietnam.
The first Bangkok-Da Nang flight took off on Wednesday, highlighting the airline’s position as the first Thai carrier operating flights to that destination in Vietnam. The company targets 20,000 passengers a year on four flights a week. The flight frequency to this destination will be increased to once a day in the future, if there is increasing demand, said the airline’s president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth.
He said the Bangkok-Da Nang route had high potential, given the popularity of the destination and the short direct flight.
“It saves three hours if flights from Europe transit at Bangkok to Da Nang compared with transiting at Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang,” he said.
Three more routes
In addition, the carrier will implement three more routes between the Chinese cities of Chongqing, Chengdu and Guangzhou to Samui.
The carrier sees growth opportunity in the Chinese market as there is high demand among Chinese for travel to the island, Puttipong said.
These three routes to Samui also amplify the company’s goal to make Samui Airport, owned and operated by Bangkok Airways, its second hub after Suvarnabhumi Airport.
He said Samui Airport would be revamped, probably in the fourth quarter of this year, with a Bt1-billion budget to support the growing number of flights.
The additional routes will add flight capacity of the airport from 44 to 50 daily, he added.
Initially, the company will start the Chongqing and Chengdu routes with four and three flights per week respectively, he said, adding that the Guangzhou-to-Samui route would be a daily service.
By the end of this year, Bangkok Airways will have 28 routes, 17 international and 11 domestic, including the three upcoming services.
The company also plans to grow its fleet to 36 this year with the addition of three aircraft including Airbus and ATR planes.
With the carrier’s planned fleet growth and expanding services, the company targets at least 10-per-cent growth in revenue, Puttipong said.
Last year, the company reported a net profit of Bt1.79 billion on revenue of 25.4 billion. In the first quarter of this year, it reported revenue of Bt7.94 billion and Bt1.55 billion in net profit.
