Nok Air puts brakes on Korat-Chiang Mai route after losses
Nok Air is mulling whether to terminate its Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat)-Chiang Mai service less than two months after it launched the new route on August 2.
The budget carrier would become the 10th airline to abandon the route, which has so far proved uneconomical to fly.
Flights between the northeastern and northern cities have previously been offered by nine Thailand-based carriers in the hope of expanding to China. Thai Airways International, Air Andaman, Air Asia, Air Phoenix, Happy Air, Thai Regional Airline, Kan Air, and New Gen Airways all discontinued the route after they lost money.
After a four-year absence, Nok Air launched the latest service between Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Mai last month, using 86-seater Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprop planes.
However, the service has suffered losses after failing to attract enough passengers. Some flights between the cities have carried only nine passengers.
Nok Air said it would suspend the route in October for routine plane maintenance.
On Friday, Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichian Chantaranothai called a videoconference with Nok Air CEO Wutthiphum Jurangkool and representatives of relevant agencies and the travel sector.
Korat authorities offered incentives for the airline to continue the service but no solution was reached at the meeting.
