Thai AirAsia sees triple surge in China flight bookings

In the wake of the permanent visa-free arrangement between Thailand and China, Thai AirAsia saw a wave of soaring bookings, catapulting towards a threefold increase in flights from Thailand to mainland China.

Tansita Akrarittipirom, the director of commercial operations at Thai AirAsia, revealed that the company is witnessing a seismic shift in passenger demographics.

“Previously, only 10% of our passengers on routes between Thailand and China hailed from Thailand, with the lion’s share being Chinese. But now, with this newfound visa-free bliss, Thai passengers are expected to claim a significant 20% stake in our flights.”

The statistics paint a vivid picture of the airline’s meteoric rise. In just a month, outbound passengers have surged threefold, reaching a staggering 18,000 travellers. Tansita attributes this surge to the unwavering allure of Thai tourism for the Chinese populace.

“With China’s colossal population, the inbound market is set to dominate our routes, perpetually fuelling our flights between Thailand and China.”

This year, Thai AirAsia is poised to ferry a whopping 1.3 million Chinese passengers, constituting approximately 15% of the 8 million Chinese tourists forecasted to flock to Thailand, as projected by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

As of the latest data till March 25, over 231,000 Chinese passengers have availed Thai AirAsia’s services from China, with a zenith of 98,000 passengers recorded during February’s Chinese New Year festivities.

Overwhelming flights

With a robust load factor of 94% expected during the first quarter, Thai AirAsia is flying high. In 2023 alone, the airline ferried over 600,000 passengers from China, representing 18% of the 3.5 million Chinese tourists who embarked on Thai adventures.

Presently, Thai AirAsia operates a staggering 101 flights per week, connecting Thailand to 11 key destinations in China. Despite the burgeoning competition from Chinese carriers, Tansita remains undaunted, affirming the airline’s commitment to maintaining optimal flight capacity and schedules.

In addition, Thai AirAsia is set to elevate the connectivity between Bangkok and Beijing by adding more daily flights come July. Tansita expressed the company’s support for the government’s aviation hub ambitions and the development of new airports across provinces.

Yet, amidst this optimism, Tansita cautioned about considering crucial factors such as airport capacity and tourism demand in different provinces. She highlighted the burgeoning tourist influx from regions like Udon Thani and Trang, traditionally dominated by local travellers, reported Bangkok Post.

With a 38% market share of domestic routes, Thai AirAsia is on an unstoppable trajectory. To fuel this growth, the company plans to issue a 1.5 billion baht bond in May, paving the way for further expansion and dominance in the Thai skies.