Airports nationwide see volume growth

Airports nationwide see volume growth

A passenger checks flight schedules at Don Mueang. Passenger traffic through Thailand's six major airports continues to grow thanks to strong tourism. TANAPHON ONGARTTRAKUL
A passenger checks flight schedules at Don Mueang. Passenger traffic through Thailand's six major airports continues to grow thanks to strong tourism. TANAPHON ONGARTTRAKUL

Passenger traffic through Thailand's six major airports continues to show robust growth, leaping 12.3% to almost 112 million in the fiscal year to September.

The figures reflect the country's vibrant aviation industry, fuelled by flourishing tourism, growing economic activity and Thailand's importance as an air hub in the region.

Rising in tandem were aircraft movements (take-offs and landings), which soared 9.8% year-on-year to 776,992, according to data from Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT).

Cargo movements through airports like gateway Suvarnabhumi have also recovered from the doldrums with an increase of 3.9% to 1.4 million tonnes.

Combined international passenger traffic surged 11% in the fiscal year to 68.1 million with domestic passenger volumes outpacing that rate to clock in at 14.1% with 51.9 million people.

The bulk of total passenger, aircraft and cargo traffic continued to go through Suvarnabhumi because of its size and hub status.

Suvarnabhumi processed 55.5 million passengers, 5.9% more than the previous year, accounting for 46.3% of all passenger traffic through AoT-run airports.

Aircraft movements through Suvarnabhumi, which serves more than 100 airlines, rose 7.2% to 333,263.

The 10-year-old airport handled 1.26 million tonnes of cargo, representing 90% of all air freight pushed through major Thai airports.

Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, billed as Southeast Asia's largest hub for low-cost carriers, registered the steepest growth in the fiscal year to date as budget air travel continued to grow strenuously.

Passenger traffic at Don Mueang soared 21.3% to 34.68 million, making it Thailand's second-busiest airport.

Phuket airport, which has long struggled with being overcrowded, trailed behind in passenger volumes, rising 17.4% to 14.7 million.

Chiang Mai airport also saw double-digit growth with a 14.1% increase in passenger numbers to 9.2 million.

Hat Yai airport recorded an 8.5% uptick to 3.87 million passengers, while Chiang Rai airport finished the year with the second-highest growth rate, at 19.5%, tallying 1.95 million travellers.

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