Phuket to welcome Qatar Airways tomorrow

PHUKET: With the high season for tourism fast approaching, international airlines have been launching new – and more – flight services to Phuket, with some starting this month.

Phuket International Airport Director Prateung Sornkham confirmed that from tomorrow, October 12, Qatar Airways will operate a new flight from Doha to Phuket, via Kuala Lumpur.

Qatar’s new service will see three round-trip flights a week, served by a Boeing 777 configured to carry more than 300 passengers per trip.

Other airlines from the Middle East, including Emirates and Etihad, are planning to open routes to Phuket as well, said Mr Prateung.

“It is great news that we have four-star and five-star airlines bringing international visitors from the Middle Eastern countries, which are new [source] markets for Phuket,” he added.

In addition, Russian national carrier Aeroflot says it will fly new Airbus A330 aircraft between Moscow and Phuket three times weekly starting December 29.

The increase and improvements in services are the result of many international road shows promoting to potential tourists how attractive Phuket is in terms of food, accommodation, beaches and services, Mr Prateung says.

Currently about 100 flights a day arrive at Phuket International Airport.

Inbound arrivals are expected to increase to more than 120 flights daily during the coming high season.

“In the past three months, more than 500,000 passengers visited Phuket each month. Of these, most were from Korea, China, Russia and Scandinavia,” the Airport director says.

Potential problems that might arise from political uncertainty in Bangkok would not affect Phuket, he says.

“I have explained to airline operators and travel agencies worried about these issues that the instability that occurred in Bangkok will not affect Phuket.

“No matter what happens [in Bangkok], Phuket will remain safe and convenient for tourists,” he says.

— Janpen Upatising