Secondary destinations and interregional routes in Thailand are the name of the new game for Thai AirAsia (TAA), as all trunk lines have been filled up.
The country's biggest low-cost carrier is proceeding with the strategy in order to create new travel markets and expand its domestic network.
Santisuk Klongchaiya, TAA's director of commercial operations, yesterday said the airline intended to fly to all airports in Thailand that were capable of handling the Airbus 320, a single-aisle jet common in its entire fleet.
Yesterday's announcement of a daily flight from Bangkok to Buri Ram beginning on April 2 underscores TAA's move in that direction.
Buri Ram province, best known for its world-renowned Khmer-style Phanom Rung temple, is the fourth secondary destination that TAA has added to its network so far this year.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 402 metres.
The Fine Arts Department spent 17 years from 1971-88 restoring the complex to its original state.
Santisuk: Bypassing Don Mueang airport
Earlier this month, TAA launched three secondary routes from its base at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport to Nan, Loei and Roi Et.
Mr Santisuk hinted Chumphon province could be next in line, followed by a revisit to Ranong, which TAA used to serve some years ago before suspending the route due to poor traffic.
There will also be new routes linking one region to another region in Thailand with flights from sub-hubs in Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi.
That will enhance TAA's interregional linkage, which has already seen the airline offering Udon Thani-Phuket, Chiang Mai-Hat Yai and Chiang Mai-Krabi flights overflying Bangkok, previously an intermediate stopover.
"So we may directly connect Khon Kaen with the southern region," Mr Santisuk said.
Trunk routes, referring to high-traffic routes such as Bangkok-Chiang Mai and Bangkok-Phuket, have been well served by TAA and other airlines, yet take-off and landing slots at the airports involved are scarce.
For instance, TAA operates 14 flights a day between Bangkok and Phuket.
The four new domestic routes announced by TAA this year compete directly with rival Nok Air, which has been operating smaller turboprop aeroplanes from Don Mueang airport.
Nok Air has an edge over TAA in some secondary domestic destinations such as Mae Sot and Mae Hong Son due to shorter runways at those airports.
TAA's A320s require a runway of about 2,000 metres in length.
As soon as the runways at those smaller airports are extended, TAA will start its descents, Mr Santisuk said.
In Buri Ram — best known as the home of Buriram United Football Club (aka the Thunder Castles) and an international-grade motor circuit and football stadium — TAA will break the monopoly of Nok Air, which offers a daily turboprop service from Bangkok with 70-86 seats versus TAA's 180 seats.
In line with its cabin factor target, TAA hopes to fill more than 80% of its A320 seating capacity by developing demand related to sporting and tourism activities in Buri Ram.
The airline is offering a promotional fare starting from 390 baht one-way for the Buri Ram flights.