Thai AirAsia (TAA) is raising the bet on its newly developed hub at U-tapao airport by adding three more routes to spur a new wave of traffic to the Eastern Seaboard, notably to Pattaya.
The no-frills carrier plans to launch daily flights out of U-tapao to Macau, Singapore and Udon Thani simultaneously on Nov 27.
The move underscores TAA's intention to develop U-tapao as a full-fledged hub, its fifth, to capitalise on routes others have shied away from.
Chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld said the introduction of the three new routes followed the inauguration of its first direct flights out of U-tapao, to Nanning and Nanchang last Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The airline offers four flights a week from the navy-operated airport in Rayong province to Nanning and three a week to Nanchang.
They came on the heels of the July 15 launch of regular flights from Kuala Lumpur to U-tapao by its Malaysian sister AirAsia Bhd, triggering traffic flow unseen at the airfield since it was handed over by the US in August 1966.
AirAsia Malaysia became the first budget carrier to operate scheduled services to U-tapao, now at four flights a week, with the 180-seat Airbus 320.
The airport has largely served international charter airlines bringing Russian and Chinese tourists to Pattaya.
"The reason we're continuing to launch new routes from U-tapao is we see its potential and the opportunity to draw travel and investment to the Eastern Seaboard, be it to the popular entertainment destination Pattaya or Rayong's industrial centre," he said.
Mr Tassapon said TAA especially wanted Chinese and foreign travellers to access the East with convenience while providing residents of the area another travel option.
The Nanning and Nanchang flights have seen load factors of 70-75%, proving their popularity, he said.
AirAsia offers city and island transfer services using shuttle buses and ferry boats from U-tapao to major destinations such as Koh Samet, Pattaya and Rayong, with plans to offer transfers to Koh Lan off of Pattaya very soon.
By year-end, it will have stationed two Airbus A320s at U-tapao.