Thai AirAsia’s Fifth Freedom routes to Japan take off

Thai AirAsia launched its much-anticipated Fifth Freedom routes, creating a seamless travel experience connecting Bangkok, Taiwan, and Japan. The airline’s inaugural flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Taipei, followed by a final leg to Okinawa, garnered an overwhelming passenger response.

The Taipei to Okinawa route boasted a staggering 99% load factor, arriving at a warm reception and a lively welcoming ceremony. The daily service from Bangkok departs at 7.25am, lands in Taipei at 12.20pm, and after a brief layover, takes off again at 1.30pm, touching down in Okinawa at 3.55pm.

Another exciting addition, the Don Mueang to Kaohsiung in Taiwan to Tokyo route, operates four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. This flight leaves Bangkok at 2.45am, arrives in Kaohsiung at 7.15am, and after an hour’s stopover, departs at 8am, reaching Tokyo’s Narita International Airport at 12.55pm.

Santisuk Klongchaiya, CEO of Thai AirAsia, announced that the airline’s new Fifth Freedom routes have opened up incredible opportunities for travel between Taiwan and Japan. The enthusiastic response from passengers highlights the high demand in these markets.

These innovative routes not only enhance connectivity but also attract a broader customer base in both Japan and Taiwan. On the first day of operations, Thai AirAsia celebrated the launch with ceremonies, certificates, and souvenirs at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, marking a momentous occasion for the airline, reported Travel Daily News.

“Introducing stopovers to gather additional passengers is a bold new venture for AirAsia. The positive feedback and high load factors on both routes are extremely encouraging. We will continue to promote and expand this new service aggressively.”

In related news, AirAsia resumed its direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Pattaya, yesterday, June 17. The airline will now operate this popular route three times a week, with flights scheduled every Monday, Friday, and Sunday.

The resumption of this service marks AirAsia’s ninth direct route connecting various Malaysian cities, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Penang, to Thai destinations including Bangkok (Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi), Krabi, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Hat Yai.