Flight traffic to Phuket expected to increase by 6% next month
The state agency Aeronautical Radio of Thailand says it expects a 6% uptick in traffic to Phuket International Airport, once the southern island re-opens in a week’s time. Spokesman Tinnakorn Chuwong says the airport is ready to welcome foreign tourists under the sandbox scheme, which has now been given the go-ahead by Cabinet.
The Bangkok Post reports that, while overall traffic at the airport is predicted to drop by 45% during this financial year, a slight rebound can be expected from July 1. Tinnakorn says that at least 5 extra flights a day will land at the airport, increasing daily flights to 80, which equates to a 6% increase in daily air traffic.
“The heavier air traffic is not beyond our capacity, since during a normal period, Phuket airport has up to 350 flights per day.”
Meanwhile, Phuket governor Narong Woonsew says the island is ready to welcome foreign tourists once more. International holidaymakers will be from low to medium-risk countries, arriving on direct Thai Airways flights from European cities including London, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Paris, and Zurich.
There are several conditions of travel that remain in place under the sandbox scheme, including the need for a negative Covid-19 test prior to travel and health insurance coverage of at least US$100,000. Tourists are also required to hold a booking at a hotel that has been certified by the government’s Safety and Health Administration accreditation system.
Once they’ve landed at Phuket airport, tourists will once again be tested for Covid-19 and cannot leave their hotel room until they get the result. If negative, they are free to travel around the island immediately but will be tested again twice during a 14-day period. Once all 3 tests have come back negative and the 14 days are up, they will be free to travel around Thailand, but will need to have the Mor Chana tracking app installed.
Tourists who plan to spend fewer than 14 days on Phuket can still participate in the sandbox scheme, but cannot travel around the country and must leave the island by international flight at the end of their stay.
For more information on how to get into Thailand during the pandemic, CLICK HERE.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
