China-Thailand flights set for fivefold increase next month: CAAT

The number of flights between the two countries could rise to 15 per week next month, the agency reported on its website.

The CAAT said it received an email from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) last Wednesday asking about the “potential of further increasing the passenger flights between China and Thailand”.

The CAAC proposed raising the number of flights from three per week at present to 15 per week.

China’s aviation authority asked for a list of Thai airlines wishing to fly to China so it could prepare Chinese airports for increased traffic, the CAAT said.

China has restricted flights to airports including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou due to the country’s zero-Covid policy.

The CAAT on Friday called a meeting of Thai airlines to gauge interest in services to China.

“The flight plan is expected to be sent to the CAAC next week. We expect to receive a reply from the CAAC by the end of September,” the CAAT said.

It added that Thai airlines could start increasing their flights to China as early as next month.

However, the CAAT dampened any hopes that Chinese tourists would return to Thailand in force next month. Chinese visitors made up the largest contingent of foreign travellers to Thailand before the pandemic. In line with China’s continuing strict measures against Covid-19, the extra flights would only be for necessary journeys such as business trips, it said.