120m passengers arrived last year
PUBLISHED : 31 Oct 2024 at 06:05
The country’s six main airports welcomed almost 120 million passengers in the previous fiscal year ending Sept 30 with air traffic on course to grow even further this current year, according to the Airports of Thailand (AoT).
The six airports operated by the AoT — Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Fae Fah Luang in Chiang Rai and Krabi — recorded 119.2 million passengers in the last fiscal year, up 19% from the same period the previous year.
Of them, 72.6 million were international arrivals, up 34.8%, and 46.6 million domestic passengers, up 1%.
In terms of flights, the six airports handled a combined 732,690 flights or 14.5% more than they did the previous fiscal year.
Of these, 416,190 were international flights, up 29.3%, and 316,500 domestic flights, down 0.73%.
AoT president Kerati Kijmanawat said the authority expects to welcome 129.9 million visitors this current year, an 8.9% increase year on year, and receive more than 800,000 flights at the six airports.
For the 2024/2025 winter flights, Mr Kerati said that 370,239 are scheduled to arrive and depart from the six airports, an increase of 22.1% from the 2023/2024 season.
Of those, 222,780 will be international flights, a 33.1% increase on last year, with most of the inbound flights coming from China, Malaysia, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
The rise in traffic is expected to bring in 23% more visitors during the current cool season, said Mr Kerati.
“The AoT is working to improve services [at the airports] as we strive for the title of world’s best flight operator,” said Mr Kerati.
Meanwhile, planes heading to either Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang may need to fly over the city centre as they approach the airports during the cool season months, according to the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai).
Aerothai president Nopasit Chakpitak said yesterday that in the event of a change in wind speed and direction which might render landing using the usual flight path unsafe, aircraft approaching the two main airports will have to change course and fly over the city centre before landing.
A change in weather patterns has been predicted after the country officially moved from the rainy season to the cool season on Tuesday.
The mercury will drop in most parts of the country over the next four months.
Mr Noppasit said Aerothai will work with the Meteorological Department on aviation traffic management this season to ensure the safety of passengers.