Thailand’s aviation recovery nears pre-Covid levels: CAAT
Thailand’s aviation sector is anticipated to experience a robust recovery this year, reaching pre-pandemic levels, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). Suttipong Kongpool, the CAAT director, forecasts a rise in passenger numbers to at least 25 million, aligning with figures from 2019.
Initially, full recovery expectations were set for last year; however, the slow return of Chinese tourists, influenced by China’s economic conditions, delayed progress. In 2019, Thailand recorded 165 million passengers across domestic and international flights. In contrast, 2024 saw 140 million passengers, indicating an 85.14% recovery.
Suttipong noted that aircraft shortages have affected growth, prompting airlines to lease aircraft to address this issue. The Transport Ministry has eased regulations for six months, permitting airlines to lease aircraft with crew.
Efforts are necessary to meet increasing air travel demand, as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts Thailand’s aviation sector will rank 9th globally by 2033. Currently, it holds the 19th position. IATA’s projections highlight Thailand’s potential as an aviation hub, necessitating service enhancements, safety standard maintenance, and infrastructure project completion.
In 2024, CAAT issued operation certificates for four public airports, granted Air Operating Licences (AOLs) to three companies, renewed AOLs for five companies, and issued Air Operator Certificates (AOC) to four companies. The agency also addressed high airfares by introducing over 70,000 seats through special flights during the new year holiday, reducing costs compared to the previous year.
Suttipong mentioned preparations to regain the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 certification after a downgrade to Category 2 in December 2015 due to non-compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards. Achieving Category 1 status would allow Thai airlines to expand direct flights to the US and increase flight frequencies to destinations like South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong, which adhere to FAA assessments, reported Bangkok Post.
In similar news, the Transport Ministry has directed the CAAT to tackle the high cost of airfares during long weekends and holiday periods, in preparation for the Songkran festival in April.
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