Thai Airways International (THAI) is gearing up for the upcoming high season by enhancing its international flight offerings to attract more tourists.
In a significant development, THAI is set to resume flights to Istanbul, Turkey – an essential aviation gateway bridging Asia, Europe and Africa. This decision comes after THAI and Turkish Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding in August.
Commencing in December, THAI will operate a daily flight to Istanbul, designated as Flight TG900 and served by an Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The flight will depart from Suvarnabhumi Airport at 11:45 PM, reaching Istanbul at 6:05 AM local time.
CEO Chai Eamsiri shared the airline’s expansion plans, stating that THAI will introduce new flights to Oslo in Norway, Milan in Italy, and Sydney and Perth in Australia.
Chai added that the national carrier anticipates a 75% increase in cabin load factor on flights from China during the fourth quarter, thanks to the new visa-exemption policy for Chinese citizens. This initiative is expected to generate 240 million baht in monthly revenues during the visa-free period, to remain in effect until February 29, 2024.
The visa exemption initiative has led to a surge in bookings on popular Chinese travel platforms, such as Ctrip and Tuniu. To meet the higher demand, THAI is planning daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kunming and Chengdu.
Additionally, THAI is expanding its services to Japan, including daily flights to Sapporo and Fukuoka, increasing Tokyo services to 28 per week, up from 21 previously, and the launch of charter flights to Sendai. Taipei will see twice-daily flights starting on December 1.
THAI will also extend its flight operations to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam from October 29. A new route to Kathmandu, Nepal, is set to launch on December 1, enhancing the airline’s connectivity. (NNT)
