Thai Airways Samui flights

Thai Airways International is to launch twice-daily flights between Bangkok and Koh Samui this week for the first time, the national carrier announced.

Thai are targeting European tourists making quick stopovers in Bangkok and the daily flights are to begin on Thursday February 14th.

Samui Airport is not big enough to handle jumbos so Thai Airways is to use Boeing 737-400s with a capacity of 149 passengers.

The airline expects over 70 per cent of its passengers on the new Bangkok-Samui route to be foreigners.

Thai Airways International Exectuive Vice President, Pandit Chanapai, said ‘We aim to make the route competitive by marketing it to tourists from major European cities currently served by Thai connecting through the new Suvarnabhumi Airport.’

Khun Pradit described the new route as a ‘breakthrough’ for Thai Airways as the holiday island has traditionally been served exclusively by private airline Bangkok Airways, the owner of the only airport on the island.

Bangkok Airways has had this honour for the past 20 years and it can only be a good thing that the national carrier gets in on the act.

Thai Airways must pay Bangkok Airways for the use of Samui Airport along with ground services.