AirAsia looking into market opportunities in South India

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/article2978119.ece

Chennai, Mar 9:

Low cost airliner, AirAsia, said on Friday that it is studying the market opportunities in connecting Bangkok with southern cities in India.

Announcing the launch of a direct flight between Chennai and Bangkok, to be offered five times a week, Thai AirAsia CEO, Mr Tassapon Bijleveld, said they were studying the opportunities in connecting southern cities with Bangkok.

“We are currently studying the market..,” he told reporters here.

The direct flight between the two cities would begin on March 23, he said.

Air Asia is looking to introduce direct flights between Bangalore, Kochi, Hyderabad to Bangkok and other places in Thailand, he added.

The Thai airline operates in various cities, including Chennai, Kochi, Bangalore, Tiruchirapalli and Kolkata offering 47 flights per week to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and other places.

Noting that the number of tourists visiting the South East Asian country was growing in the last few years, he said with the launch of direct flights between Chennai and Bangkok, they were expecting about 75—80 per cent “occupancy rate” in their Airbus A320 flights.

Consul General Royal Thai Consulate, Mr Chanchai Charanvatnakit, said the number of Indian tourists visiting Bangkok was expected to cross over 10 lakh this year.

“Last year about 9.8 lakh tourists from India visited Thailand... This year we expect it will be over 10 lakh...,” he said.

He added that the number of tourists from Thailand was less than a lakh in 2011 as most of them visited North Indian cities.

As part of attracting more Indian tourists, Air Asia offers an introductory price of Rs 3,999 on one way route from Chennai to Bangkok.

The fare is available for online bookings from March 9—15 and for travel between July 1 and January 31, 2013.