News
AirAsia looking to launch Hua Hin flights
August 4th 2017
Hua Hin Airport has been lobbying for scheduled international flights for many years. At present the airport receives mainly private business jets that cater to the upscale resorts in the region, as well as the odd peak season charter service. Read More »
The airport’s single runway was extended to 2,100m years ago and talks with AirAsia and other mainly low-cost carriers to start flights to Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have been held continuously but without results.
The Bangkok Post has reported AirAsia is again considering five a week A320 flights between Hua Hin and Kuala Lumpur from November, although issues remain. Hua Hin Airport spokesperson, Darun Saengchai, has said AirAsia is requesting waivers of rental and landing fees in the start-up phase.
Hua Hin Airport is approximately 15 minutes from the town centre. Visitors typically fly into either of Bangkok’s airports and then spend three to four hours on the road to Hua Hin, depending on Thailand’s notorious traffic.
Another Thai coastal airport, U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya International Airport, has benefitted from the arrival of AirAsia and Lion Group carriers. AirAsia has been rapidly building its network from U-Tapao since it launched flights in 2015. It flies to Kuala Lumpur and Thai AirAsia serves Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Macau, Nanchang, Nanning, Phuket, Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani from U-Tapao. Thai Lion Air is rolling out international and domestic flights from U-Tapao.
Increasing flights at Hua Hin and U-Tapao airports would alleviate congestion at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, which are operating beyond design capacity.
