Thai Lion Air soars along with U-tapao ambitions

Passenger traffic at U-tapao Airport grew from 730,000 in 2016 to 1.99 million this past year thanks to development of the Eastern Economic Corridor, for which the airport plays a major role.
Thai Lion Air announced recently that, in addition to regular domestic routes like U-tapao-Khon Kaen and charter flights to China, it plans to increase flights to China and India in 2020. 
“We will also buy 50 additional aircraft during the next five years, most of which will be stationed at U-tapao,” chief executive Aswin Youngkiratiwor said.
He said the airline would hire 300 more people to strengthen its workforce of 500 technicians at U-tapao.
U-tapao is currently used by 15 airlines and related firms operating both regular and charter flights on more than 33 routes. It logged 15,700 flights in the fiscal year just ended and 8,208 flights from October 2018 to April 2019.
In the past three months, Thai Air Asia flew into and out of U-tapao Airport the most, with 400-500 flights per month, covering all regions of Thailand and Kuala Lumpur. The second most-frequent flyer was Bangkok-based aircraft-systems firm SFS Aviation, averaging 140-160 flights a month, followed by Bangkok Airways with more than 120 flights.
Thai Lion Air flies 92-106 flights times per month, but that number will rise next year as ambitions are realised to make U-tapao Asia’s next “aeropolis”. 
“U-tapao has everything an airline needs to expand – aircraft service and maintenance facilities, a business centre, an airfreight and logistics centre, an aviation personnel training centre and future aerospace industries for which bidding is currently underway,” said Aswin.
“In the future, there will be a high-speed railway connecting U-tapao to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports, which will further improve transportation in the eastern region and make commuting to U-tapao even more convenient.”