TOURISM SLUMP: Landing fees waived at Phuket to boost flights

[Expat]

TOURISM SLUMP: Landing fees waived at Phuket to boost flights
Airport fees also cut in Krabi to help boost new arrivals

PHUKET: -- Airlines using Phuket and Krabi airports would be temporarily exempted from paying landing fees under a Tourism and Sports Ministry proposal designed to attract flights back to the tsunami-hit southwestern coast.

“The cancellation of landing fees at the two airports would be a good way to rebuild tourism in Phuket and Krabi as well as the Andaman Coast,” Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told reporters yesterday.

He did not say when the Cabinet was expected to consider the proposal.

Since the tsunami hit Phuket in December, the number of flights has nosedived to 35 per week, compared to 192 during the last low season. Ten charter companies have stopped servicing the island.

The two airports charge Bt60,000 or Bt120,000 per landing, depending on the size of the aircraft.

Somsak said he wanted the airports to drop the fee until the end of this year. The travel business in other Andaman areas such as Phi Phi and Phang Nga has also hit rock bottom.

During last year’s peak season Phuket airport welcomed 365 scheduled flights a week from five international and six domestic airlines, as well as 24 charter flights a month.

Low season always sees the frequency of regular flights cut almost in half.

Phuket International Airport is managed by Airports of Thailand, while Krabi Airport is run by the Aviation Department.

Earlier, hotels, airlines, tour operators and related businesses asked the government to reduce landing fees at Phuket and Krabi airports as a partial subsidy for airline operations.

Apichart Sankary, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, suggested the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand call the Andaman coast something different, for example using

each individual province’s name instead.

The country needs to distance itself from the Andaman image, which is still tinged with the risk of tsunamis, he said.

A member of the Thai Hotels Association has asked the ministry to launch a new national tourism campaign to woo international tourists, following up on the
successful Visit Thailand Year and Amazing Thailand efforts.

--The Nation 2005-06-09

[stevem]

I fail to see how this will increase tourist arrival numbers. Image it, Homer and Marg are sitting at their friendly local travel agent deciding where to go for a holiday. Marge says to Homer, oh look Phuket isnt charging aircraft landing fees, lets go there!!!

In reality, the landing fee normally amounts to about 200-300B per seat.

Another case of worrying about things which dont really matter or have much of an impact on the real world, when they should be worrying about real issues.

[CeeGee]

Totally agree.The issue is to fill the plane with tourists.Do that and the landing fee is not a problem to anyone.Attract more people,demand on planes increase, everybody wins.
Think they need to think about the overall plan, not just make announcements that look good as headlines.
This plan will not increase tourist numbers by one person.

[crazymenace]

Just out of interest, how much can i expect to pay to fly from BKK To Phuket? Would be any cheaper now they have cancelled landing fees?

[stevem]

Originally Posted by crazymenace

Just out of interest, how much can i expect to pay to fly from BKK To Phuket? Would be any cheaper now they have cancelled landing fees?

Check all the airlines web sites.

[IRISH JONNY]

The Only Way To Get The Tourists Back Is To Decrease The Price Of The Airline Tickets...........
Summer Tour...all In 1020 Euro
Xmas Tour....all In 1080 Euro
Pretty Expensive !!!!!!!!
Ij

[aussie dollar]

agree with IJ drop flight prices drop 500 baht exit tax
deals for staying at hotels say 14 nights pay 7 nights

[Werwolf]

Originally Posted by aussie dollar

agree with IJ drop flight prices drop 500 baht exit tax
deals for staying at hotels say 14 nights pay 7 nights

I agree with you and IJ
. for example:
Thai Air flights price till 24th June about € 400.
..after about € 800

That´s not the way that more people come to LOS

[river]

To be fair Thai usually do at least one good deal per off season and hotels are usually half price for this period, rising fuel costs and inreased competion has to come into play when running an airline.

Yes agreed to get them there is half the problem to keep them coming back is another story, a few more happy hours at the bars wouldn't go a miss either.

[Expat]

PHUKET (Gazette/The Nation): The Director of Phuket International Airport has expressed reservations over a proposal to waive landing fees until the end of this year in an attempt to boost post-tsunami tourism.

Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told reporters last week that lifting landing fees at Phuket and Krabi airports could help in the recovery of tourism in the two provinces and the rest of the Andaman region.

The two airports charge between 60,000 and 120,000 baht a landing, depending on the size of the aircraft.

But Phuket International Airport Director Sq/Ldr Pornchai Eua-aree told the Gazette he was uneasy about the proposal, because it was not yet clear how it would be implemented.

He said: “Will it be like Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia, which waives fees for certain airlines – the ones that start flying into KLIA or increase the nu mber of flights to the airport?

“Which airlines would be exempt at Phuket? How would this affect the income of the airport authorities? I don’t think it’s a good idea right now.”

Since the tsunami, the number of flights to Phuket has slumped to 35 a week, compared with 192 during the low season last ear. Ten charter companies have suspended services to the island.

K. Somsak said he wanted the airports to waive the fee until the end of this year; he did not say when the Cabinet was expected to consider the proposal.

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