The Ministry of Transport has been instructed to address the issue of skyrocketing plane ticket prices in the short and long term, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) formulating a five-point strategy to solve the problems impeding the tourism industry’s recovery.
According to Deputy Transport Minister Atirat Ratanasate, the ministry has informed Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on the progress as well as future steps to combat soaring ticket prices caused by demand increases after the Covid-19 outbreak. During the meeting, the ministry presented the plan developed by CAAT that includes increasing ground-handling operators, relaxing certain rules, offering incentives for airlines, and implementing a subsidy policy to help airlines fly to less popular destinations in the country.
The deputy minister said that the Prime Minister, after hearing these strategies, told officials to proceed with its plan in order to address the problem as soon as possible. Gen Prayut has also ordered CAAT to closely monitor domestic ticket prices and has advised the public to plan their trips ahead of time, especially during holidays, to avoid purchasing expensive tickets. (NNT)
