Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) is predicting more than 50 million travellers will enter the country via its six major airports during the peak tourism season.
Acting president of AOT Nirandra Theeranatsin said that from now until March 2015, which marks the country's high season for tourism, the company expects the number of Thai and foreign passengers passing through the six airports to rise to 50.95 million, or 10% more than in the same period the year earlier.
The six AOT-run airports are Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai and Chiang Rai.
AOT also expects the number of flights to and from the six airports in the same period to increase to 337,500, or 6.6% higher than the previous year as new airlines enter service. Airlines now operating also plan to boost their flight frequencies, especially out of Don Mueang. These airlines include Scoot, NokScoot, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Nok Air and Thai Lion Air.
Suvarnabhumi is the main international airport which the AOT forecasts to receive approximately 826 flights a day during the high tourism period, up from 780 flights now. The company expects daily passenger numbers to rise from 122,600 to 137,800, 117,100 of them international passengers and 20,700 domestic.
Several airlines have asked to increase flight services out of Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Suvarnabhumi and Phuket international airports.
During the peak tourism period, AOT expects Don Mueang airport to operate 526 flights a day, up from the current 515 flights, with passenger numbers through the airport rising from 68,500 to 71,200 a day, the majority domestic passengers.
Chiang Mai International Airport is expected to receive 180 flights and 22,700 passengers during the period, up from 155 flights and 18,400 passengers a day now.
AOT also projects Phuket International Airport to handle 233 flights and 36,100 passengers a day, up from 200 flights and 29,900 passengers a day currently.