AirAsia suspends Phuket – Ho Chi Minh, Phuket – Medan routes

PHUKET: Thai AirAsia’s direct flights from Phuket to Ho Chi Minh City and Medan have been canceled temporarily due to low demand, but the carrier remains committed to growing Phuket as its second air hub in the Kingdom.

The two services began at the end of last year with daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City and three flights weekly to Medan, Indonesia.

The Ho Chi Minh service ended on May 15 and the Medan service on April 30.

The aircraft used on the routes will now be used to increase frequency of direct flights on the Phuket to Chiang Mai, and Phuket to Udon Thani routes, Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapol Bijleveld said.

Starting June 1, the Phuket to Udon Thani route will begin daily flights and the Phuket to Chiang Mai route will increase to two flights a day.

The increase in domestic flights will help boost the economy and encourage domestic tourism spending, Mr Tassapol said.

Mr Tassapol described the cancellation of the Ho Chi Minh and Medan services as ‘temporary,’ but did not specify when they would resume.

Thai Air Asia also plans to add new routes from its Phuket hub, including flights to India, in the near future.

By year’s end all Thai AirAsia flights will be aboard new Airbus A320s.

By 2014 the budget carrier will have 40 new A320s in service, he said.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan