Phuket landing fees slashed to lure more tourists

PHUKET: Airlines that launch a service connecting Phuket with a “new” destination will have their landing fees for all flights on that service slashed by 95%.

As an added bonus, airlines that open any such new routes will receive 70 baht per passenger on any scheduled flights landing in off-peak hours: from 1am to 8:59am and 10pm to midnight.

Effective November 1, the massive discount and the cash-back bonus are part of a new incentives scheme launched by Airports of Thailand (AOT).

The scheme will be in place for three years and aims to encourage airlines to open new international routes to Phuket and three other destination airports in Thailand: Chiang Mai International Airport, Haad Yai International Airport and Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport.

Extra flights added to existing routes will not receive the discount on landing fees. They will, however, receive 60 baht per passenger landed during off-peak hours, and 40 baht per passenger landed during peak hours.

Chartered flights bringing passengers from new destinations will receive also the 95% reduction in landing fees, but only 35 baht per passenger landed off-peak.

To encourage airlines to bring in more tourists, chartered flights serving existing routes will receive 30 baht per passenger landed off-peak and 20 baht per passenger landed during peak hours.

The AOT has stipulated that a new route will be classified as such for only one year, after which it will be considered an existing route. The cash bonus for passengers landed on “new” routes will continue after the first year.

Any international airline may take part in the scheme, as long as they have a clean record and no outstanding debts with the company, said the AOT.

From May to October this year, 31 carriers have been operating from Phuket Airport, of which 25 are foreign airlines operating chartered and regular flights to 28 international cities in Asia and Europe.

— Anand Singh