Thai AirAsia X (TAAX) is sharpening its focus on Japan with the launch of its third route linking Bangkok with Sapporo.
TAAX will be the first low-cost carrier (LCC) to operate a non-stop service on the city-pair when it launches a daily service on May 1.
It looks set to break new ground on the route for which Thai Airways International is the only carrier offering a direct service between the Thai capital and the ski resort in northern Japan.
The Sapporo launch is seen as a threat to Thai Airways, whose fare is roughly 30% higher.
TAAX, part of LCC giant AirAsia, is offering an introductory fare from 3,990 baht for a one-way flight from its Bangkok base at Don Mueang airport to New Chitose Airport, which serves metropolitan Sapporo.
The airline's decision to kick off the Sapporo service with a daily frequency, rather a limited weekly service, reflects its confidence in the potential of the route to one of the "dream" Japanese destinations among Thai tourists, said TAAX chief executive Nadda Buranasiri.
It hopes to carry 150,000 passengers on the Bangkok-Sapporo route between May and December this year, utilising an Airbus A330-300 wide-body jet with 377 seats.
Pending stronger travel demand, the airline will respond by ramping up the frequency.
"It's possible to have a double daily service but we need to work hard to strengthen demand," Mr Nadda said yesterday.
The launch of the Sapporo service reflects TAAX's preoccupation with expanding its footprint in Japan.
The airline yesterday reconfirmed that from March 26 it will double its Bangkok-Narita service to twice a day and increase Bangkok-Osaka flights to daily from five a week.
Together with the Bangkok-Sapporo route, TAAX will fly four times daily between Thailand and Japan with seating capacity of more than 3,000.
Mr Nadda hinted that Fukuoka in southern Japan would be the next city TAAX will serve from Bangkok but did not offer further details.
Japan is perceived by TAAX as a fast-growing market for Thai visitors, the airline's main clientele.