Thailand’s six major airports served nearly 120 million passengers in the previous fiscal year ending on September 30, with Airports of Thailand (AoT) indicating that air traffic is set to continue rising this year.
The airports operated by AoT—Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Fae Fah Luang in Chiang Rai, and Krabi—recorded 119.2 million passengers last fiscal year, representing a 19% increase compared to the prior year.
Among these, there were 72.6 million international arrivals, reflecting a 34.8% rise, while domestic passenger numbers reached 46.6 million, up by 1%.
In terms of flights, the six airports handled a total of 732,690 flights, marking a 14.5% increase over the previous fiscal year. This total comprised 416,190 international flights, which saw a 29.3% increase, and 316,500 domestic flights, which experienced a slight decline of 0.73%.
AoT President Kerati Kijmanawat projected that the current year will see approximately 129.9 million visitors, representing an 8.9% year-on-year increase, along with more than 800,000 flights at these airports.
For the 2024/2025 winter flight schedule, Mr. Kerati noted that 370,239 flights are planned to arrive and depart from these airports, which is a 22.1% increase compared to the 2023/2024 season. Of these, 222,780 will be international flights, a 33.1% rise from last year, with the majority of inbound flights expected from China, Malaysia, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
The anticipated traffic increase is projected to result in a 23% rise in visitors during the current cool season, according to Mr. Kerati.
“The AoT is committed to enhancing services at the airports as we aim for the title of the world’s best flight operator,” Mr. Kerati stated.
In other news, aircraft approaching either Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang may be required to fly over the city center as they make their descent during the cool season months, according to the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai).
Aerothai President Nopasit Chakpitak reported that if there are changes in wind speed and direction that make the usual flight path unsafe for landing, planes approaching the two primary airports will need to reroute over the city center prior to landing.
A shift in weather patterns is expected following the official transition from the rainy season to the cool season, which occurred on Tuesday, with temperatures predicted to drop across most regions of the country over the next four months.
Mr. Noppasit mentioned that Aerothai will collaborate with the Meteorological Department on aviation traffic management this season to ensure passenger safety.
