Six domestic airlines increase flights, reduce airfares for Songkran
Six domestic airlines have responded to the Transport Ministry’s measures of facilitating people’s travel during Songkran Festival by increasing flights and reducing the prices of air tickets, minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said on Wednesday.
The airlines are Thai Airways International, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Thai Lion Air, Nok Air and Thai Vietjet Air.
This year’s Songkran Festival, which marks the Thai traditional new year, forms a long break from April 12 to 15, allowing Thais to travel to their home towns for family reunions.
Suriya said that for April 11-12 and April 15-16, the six airlines have applied for 104 additional flights, totalling 17,874 seats, to various destinations to ensure no passengers are stranded at airports. These destinations include Phuket, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani (Samui), Ubon Ratchathani, and Khon Kaen provinces.
The minister quoted a report by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) that average prices of air tickets for April 12 flights to three popular destinations (Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi) are lower than the prices recorded on December 29, 2023.
Tickets from Bangkok to Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi are cheaper than last year’s by an average of 284 baht, 383 baht, and 111 baht respectively, or 9.8%, 14% and 3.8%, he said.
Suriya added that he has tasked the CAAT with reminding travellers to buy air tickets in advance and to compare prices as advertised online by airlines before making a reservation.
The authority is also to display ticket-price comparison tables at airport ticket booths during major festivals to facilitate passengers.
To report air tickets’ overpricing, go to: https://portal.caat.or.th/complaint/index.php
