Thai airport fees set to soar, passengers brace for hike
Aviation chiefs say outdated rates hurt growth and fall behind regional airport benchmarks
Travellers flying out of Thailand could soon be hit with higher airport fees, as officials move to raise Passenger Service Charges (PSC) for the first time in years.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) confirmed it expects to decide on the proposed hike by October, with a potential increase of up to 100 baht per international passenger. If approved, the hike could generate an extra 3 billion baht annually for Airports of Thailand (AoT).
CAAT Director Manat Chawanaprayoon said the current rate of 730 baht for international departures is outdated and no longer reflects the real costs of operating and maintaining Thailand’s airports.
“We’re studying the feasibility and necessity of the increase with AoT,
“Compared to Singapore’s Changi Airport, which charges around 1,400 to 1,500 baht, we are significantly underpriced.”
Manat added that Thailand’s ambition to become a regional aviation hub depends on closing that revenue gap and making vital infrastructure upgrades. While the exact increase is yet to be finalised, both agencies will complete a joint study by October before submitting the proposal to the Civil Aviation Board (CAB).
CAAT also confirmed it will propose a separate five-baht PSC increase, already under review, although that decision has been delayed due to a CAB quorum issue. A new board member is expected to be appointed soon, allowing the process to resume.
The plan may also include introducing charges for currently exempt transit and transfer passengers, though AoT must provide supporting data comparing practices at similar international airports.
Acting AoT President Paweena Jariyathitipong stressed that the PSC must reflect the actual cost of services, a point AoT has been arguing for over five years.
“We need sustainable funding to support operations and future development.”
Bangkok Post reports that despite differences in management costs across its six airports, AoT intends to implement a uniform PSC rate for consistency.
While the smaller five-baht bump would net around 200 to 300 million baht, the full 100-baht increase would be a game-changer, bringing AoT’s fee structure closer to global standards and unlocking billions for future upgrades.
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