Phuket Airport sees surge with over 30,000 passengers daily

Phuket International Airport is experiencing a significant upswing in passenger traffic this High Season, with daily figures surpassing 30,000 travellers and over 300 flights. This uptick in activity has prompted plans for an expansion of the international terminal to accommodate up to 18 million passengers annually.

Monchai Tanod, the director of Phuket Airport, shared insights on the anticipated passenger numbers during the peak season. The airport currently handles approximately 30,000 international travellers and between 17,000 and 19,000 domestic passengers each day.

Monchai noted that while domestic travel has not fully rebounded to pre-pandemic figures, overall passenger traffic remains stable.

“Although flights and passengers from China have not yet fully returned, Phuket Airport’s passenger volume is back to pre-Covid levels this year.”

Flights to Phuket have also returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, averaging 300 per day, although the airport has the capacity for 600 daily flights. The facility is ready to embrace more flights, both domestic and international.

New additions to the airport’s flight roster include a direct service from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, starting next month. Thai AirAsia X will also launch an international route from Phuket to Kazakhstan, expanding its operations beyond Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi International Airports.

The surge in passengers from Europe and Russia has significantly contributed to the overall increase. Expectations are for the airport to handle at least 16 million passengers by the end of this year, with projections reaching 18 million next year.

In terms of future developments, over 6 billion baht has been earmarked for expanding the international terminal. The project is currently in the design phase, anticipated to last about a year.

Construction is set to commence post-2026, with completion expected three years thereafter. This expansion aims to alleviate congestion by boosting capacity to 18 million passengers annually, reported Bangkok Post.

Monchai also provided updates on the planned Andaman Airport, or Phuket’s second airport, which is undergoing a feasibility study. This ambitious project will require an investment exceeding 80 billion baht and span more than 7,500 rai, featuring plans for two runways.