7 airlines advise Pita on steps new govt can take to revive Thailand’s tourism industry
Executives from seven airlines presented three measures to Move Forward leader and PM hopeful Pita Limjaroenrat that they believe will help strengthen Thailand’s airline industry.
The chief executive officers of Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Thai Smile Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet met Pita on Tuesday at Mercure Makkasan Hotel in Bangkok.
The Move Forward leader will be vying for the PM’s post in Parliament voting on Thursday.
The three measures the CEOs presented to revive the tourism and air-transport industries are:
• Promote policies that strengthen Thailand’s airline industry, including setting a suitable excise tax rate for aviation fuel
• Eliminate obstacles and limitations in the airline industry, such as the shortage of planes, import procedures for planes and the lack of integration between airlines and airports
• Boost competitiveness in the airline industry by securing more flight routes in target markets and reducing visa fees to attract more foreigners.
The CEOs said these measures will help strengthen Thai airlines, boost their competitiveness, improve service quality and may result in air tickets becoming cheaper, the Thai Airlines Association said in a statement.
“Air transport is a key contributor to the Thai economy that can drive tourism and related industries forward,” it said. “We are currently in a crucial period of recovery [from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic], which will require both business adjustment from the airlines, and continued support from the government.”
