AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES AND THAI AIRASIA GIVE PHUKET A BOOST
Phuket seems set for a growth in popularity with foreign travellers as many new airlines will operate new flights this coming winter. Australian holidaymakers this winter will benefit of new routes inaugurated by two Australian carriers, Jetstar and Virgin Blue. Jetstar Group is already present in Phuket with frequencies to Singapore and Sydney. However, the airline will add a second daily flight from Phuket to Singapore with continuation to Perth in Australia. The new Jetstar route will be served with an Airbus A320 and is due to start from the 15th of December, offering then some 7,000 weekly seats to Thailand’s Southern island. Jetstar operates already three weekly flights from Phuket to Sydney in an Airbus A330-200.
Jetstar will get a competitor on the same route with Pacific Blue, a subsidiary of Australian Virgin Blue starting with two flights a week from Perth to Phuket, from November 14. it will be Pacific Blue’s second international destination out of Perth, following the opening of daily flights to Bali in June.
Airports of Thailand (AOT), the owner of Phuket International Airport, announced at the end of last year to invest 170 million USD into the expansion of the crowded airport with ageing passengers’ facilities. Phuket receives over 5,7 million passengers a year and needs a complete overhaul to be brought to international standards of comfort. AOT plans to build a new international terminal for 6 million passengers, bringing the total airport’s annual capacity to 12,5 million passengers. AOT now expects that Phuket airport’s expansion – which includes the new international terminal, the improvement of the existing terminal as well as the upgrading of the jet fuelling system and runway’s layout – will commence by the end of 2010 and be completed by 2013. AOT gave already last may the go ahead to Hong Kong-based aviation services company ASA Group to develop Thailand’s first dedicated VIP private jet terminal at the airport.
The largest inbound markets to Phuket in 2008 were Sweden, Australia and Korea.