Thai airlines fill network gaps

During the last few years air links across Thailand have improved thanks to the growth of budget and low-cost airlines. Small community airlines have also been trying to establish services to lesser known towns that do not have enough traffic potential to attract larger airlines. They face tough times to survive on routes that barely breakeven, but they are making some progress and offering more options for travellers. The newest player is Thai Regional Airlines, which started operations late 2011 using an eight-seat Piper Navajo Chieftain. It started services to Surin, Buriram, Phetchaboon, but is currently just flying from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin. Other small airlines include Don Mueang airport-based Solar Air and Chiang Mai-based Kan Air. Solar Air after floods at Don Mueang airport,late last year, halted all services. It has resumed just a daily flight to Chumporn. Kan Air is operating to four destinations – Pai, Mae Hong Son, Nan and Phitsanulok. It ceased services to Chiang Rai, Mae Sot and Khon Kaen Among the big players are Nok Air which has the most extensive domestic network out of Bangkok with 20 destinations, while Thai AirAsia operates the most inter-provincial air links as it has set up regional bases in Chiang Mai in the north and Phuket in the south. Thai Airways International’s so-called light premium brand, THAI Smile, is taking over secondary destinations from the full-service carrier with plan to build its own inter-provincial network starting with Phuket-Chiang Mai from 1 October. Bangkok Airways is the only full-service carrier operating flights to small towns that are also tourist attractions such as Samui, Trat, Lampang and Sukhothai. Fares to secondary destinations Nok Air is selling fares ex-Bangkok to Chumporn (daily from 1 October) at Bt3,180; Buriram, Bt3,980 (thrice weekly);Mae Sot, Bt2,580 (twice daily); Trang, Bt3,480 (twice daily); Chiang Rai, Bt3,580 (twice daily); Nakhon Phanom, Bt3,448 (twice daily); Nakhon Si Thammarat, Bt3,780 (four daily); Nan, Bt5,180 (thrice daily); Phrae, Bt4,780 (daily); Roi Et, Bt3,580 (twice daily); Loei, Bt3,980 (daily); Sakhon Nakhon, Bt3,398 (twice daily) Surat Thani, Bt3,730 (thrice daily). Also until 16 September, the carrier is selling promotional fares under its Discover Thailand campaign quoting all-in one-way fares of Bt990 to Phitsanulok, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani and between Chiang Mai and Mae Sot. Meanwhie, it is offering a Bt1,110 one-way fare for flights to the rest except Bangkok-Mae Sot. The travel period is from 11 September to 30 March 2013. The carrier also cooperates with bus and ferry companies to offer a convenient transfer to Mukdahan, Bt4,000; Phangan Island, Bt5,380; Lanta Island, Bt5,280; Phi Phi Island, Bt5,980; Samui Island, Bt5,080 and Lipe Island, Bt5,380. Thai AirAsia sells regular fares to Narathiwat from Bt4,146.50 (daily); Nakon Si Thammarat, Bt3,046.5 (twice daily); Chiang Rai, Bt3,400 (thrice daily); Trang, Bt2,556.5 (twice daily); Krabi, Bt3,606.5 (four daily); Nakhon Phanom, Bt2,566.5 (daily) and Surat Thani, Bt2,946.5 (thrice daily). Bangkok Airways sells fares to Samui from Bt6,800 (around 20 daily); Trat Bt6,480 (twice a day); Lampang Bt4,730 (twice a day); Sukhothai, Bt4,000 (twice a day). Thai Regional Airlines quotes Hua Hin fare at Bt4,150 roundtrip. It operates the service five times a week. Solar Air pitches its Chumporn fare at Bt5,400 roundtrip and it also sells island destinations in cooperation with a ferry company, Lomprayah to Samui and Pha Ngan at Bt6,600 roundtrip), Tao and Nangyuan islands, Bt5,800 roundtrip. From Chiang Mai, Kan Air sells Mae Hong Son at Bt2,980 roundtrip (three times daily except Saturday, two); Phitsanulok and Nan, Bt3,780 (four times a week) and Pai, Bt3,380 (three weekly) Nok Air quotes fares to Hat Yai from Bt3,980 (daily starting from 1 January) and Mae Sot, Bt2,580 (daily). Thai AirAsia sells Chiang Mai-Hat Yai from Bt4,960 (daily); Phuket, Bt4,800 (twice daily); Ubon Ratchathani, Bt3,125 (three wekly). From Phuket, THAI Smile quotes fares to Chiang Mai from Bt9,110 (daily from 1 October). Thai AirAsia quotes Ubon Ratchathani from Bt4,326.5 (thrice weekly) and Udon Thani, Bt4,326.5 (daily). Bangkok Airways sells fares to Samui from Bt5,900 (four daily) and U-Tapao, from Bt4,930 (daily). The carrier also has services between Samui and Krabi and Samui-Utapao sold from Bt5,850 and Bt7,730 respectively (daily each). All fares are subject to availability. From ttrweekly