Posted on 04/01/2015 10:46:33 AM PDT by Gamecock
A senior Thai aviation official has warned of an "unimaginable impact" on revenues and passenger numbers of Thailand-based airlines after three major Asian destination countries refused them permission for charter flights.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha vowed speedy action to get the bans lifted after Japan, China and South Korea stopped Thailand-based airlines from flying new charters and routes due to safety concerns highlighted by an international audit.
The head of Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation, Somchai Piputwat, said nearly 120,000 passengers wanting to travel to Japan alone would be affected in the next two months - a busy time for Thais - because of the new restrictions.
"If we can't solve the problems (with the audit) in the next eight months, the impact will be unimaginable," Somchai told reporters.
Thailand's ruling junta will allow the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to inspect operations of the Thai aviation supervisory agency to help restore international confidence, the prime minister said.
"First we will let the EASA come in to create confidence," Prayuth told reporters, adding that the junta had set up committees to try to end the restrictions within a month.
Some 77,000 passengers who have booked flights to Japan for April and May with Thailand's largest long-haul, low-cost carrier Thai AirAsiaX will be affected by the Japanese ban, Somchai said.
In addition, 27,000 passengers of NokScoot, 10,000 with Thai Airways and 3,600 at Asia Atlantic Airline will be affected, he added.
LOST REVENUES
Long-haul, low-cost carrier NokScoot expects to have lost about THB400 million baht (USD$12 million) in revenue so far this year after Japanese authorities refused permission for 44 charter flights, the firm's chief executive Piya Yodmani said.
NokScoot will need to transfer about 20,000 passengers with flights to Osaka and Tokyo to Thai Airways in the period from March 30 to May 30, Piya said.
NokScoot, a joint venture between Nok Airlines and Singapore Airlines subsidiary Scoot, has also delayed plans to launch new flights to South Korea, he said.
Thai AirAsiaX could lose 150,000 passengers this year if Japan does not allow it to begin flights to Sapporo from July 1, chief executive Nadda Buranasiri said.
Thai AirAsiaX, part of Malaysia's AirAsiaX, has to reschedule flights to Japan to help the affected passengers, Nadda said, adding that the firm may miss its 2015 passenger target of one million people and lose THB500 million baht in revenues, currently forecast at THB6 billion for all-2015.
Analysts said the restrictions have so far had limited impact on tourism into Thailand as charter flights account for only about five percent of total flights.
Surapong Techaruvichit, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said he expected minimal impact on hotel bookings in Thailand during the peak Songkran period, or Thai New Year, next month.
I flew Thai Air last December, from Hong King to Bangkok.
I almost kissed the ground when we landed.
A week later I flew back to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific. Fabulous airline. Clean, modern planes. Aussie pilots. Would fly them again anywhere.
"New charters and routes" kind of sticks out. So regularly schedule flights are still running?
Oddly enough, yes.
I, too, have flown Cathay Pacific and agree that it is a good airline.
Obligatory
I was lucky enough to fly Cathay from LAX-HKG-ORD in business class. The flight ended too soon. It was that nice.
The aircraft are clean, the cabin crew are polite and attentive, and business class has nice amenities. A pleasant experience all the way ‘round.
Not to mention the lounges in Hong Kong! Best 4 hours I ever spent in an airport.
It doesn't hurt that they have eye candy quality flight attendants and transfer hubs which are second to nowhere on earth.
Well, one of them has got to be second and, if forced to choose, I'd give the edge to Singapore simply because there is no "very densely populated city" smells near the airport.
The new HK airport is,in fact,big...new...and modern.Other than that I wasn't particularly impressed but then airports,in general,don't impress me.But when anyone mentions HK airports to me I think "Kai Tak Heart Attack".
I experienced it...did you? ;-)
My wife even mentioned that that. I told her I didn't notice. That's my story.
EVA has the same, um, quality. Same business seat as Cathay. Service isn't quite as polished. But the do serve Krug champagne.
“The head of Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation, Somchai Piputwat”
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