Nok Air links North and South

Nok Air will link Chiang Mai in the North and Hat Yai in the South from 1 January 2013 doubling the available capacity on the route. The route is currently served by Thai AirAsia, which launched its service in January 2011. Nok Air will operate a aily Chiang Mai-Hat Yai service using a 189-seat B737-800. Meanwhile, Thai AirAsia also operates daily, but uses a 180-seat A320-200. It will give the route a weekly capacity of 2,583 seats. The Hat Yai-bound flight will depart at 0830, while the Chiang Mai-bound flight will depart at 1105. The flight time is around two hours. Nok Air quotes fares from Bt4,380 round trip including 15 kg of checked baggage and a snack. Thai AirAsia sells fares from Bt4,960 with only carry-on baggage included. In the previous announcement, the airline, said it would resume services to Buriram, 1 September. It suspended the service after Don Mueang Airport flooded last October. It will offer three weekly services to the province using a SAAB aircraft. On the same day, the carrier will increase frequencies to Chiang Mai and Hat Yai from four to five flights daily; Sakhon Nakhon up from two daily to three; Roi Et, from 11 flights a week to double daily; Phitsanulok, from three daily to five. Also on 1 October, it will commence a daily service to Chumporn, a mainland town on the coast of the Gulf  of Thailand and the closest point for trips to  Tao island, a popular dive destination.