!
Latest updates
kiwi Guarantee Book now and get protection against cancelations that would wouldn't get if you booked direct
Chiang Mai's Food Odyssey: Street Eats to Gourmet Feasts
Bangkok Airways to Resurrect Vital Flight Routes to Northern Thailand
Thai Vietjet Air: Exclusive May Offers for FUN Rewards Members
Hua Hin Airport anticipates surge in international flights after expansion
No more flights to Mae Hong Son
Really Cool Airlines to launch in December (Really!)
6 Steps to Grabbing Cheap Flights - DomesticFlightsThailand
Getting Around Bangkok
Koh Lanta: A Hidden Treasure Near Krabi
Sea, Sand, and Surf in Thailand: Top 5 Spots
All news
More travel guides
Krabi Airport Now Thailand's 6th Largest
11th May 2014
Krabi Airport, the principal airport serving the southern tourist getaway of Krabi province in southern Thailand, has overtaken Koh Samui Airport for the first time, as the 6th largest in the country.
In the latest monthly data available, the airport posted a seat capacity of 58,906 as against Koh Samui's 58,492 from April 28, 2014 to May 4, 2014. The airport is now the largest outside the Airports of Thailand (AoT) system, a group of six state-controlled international airports in the country. The Thai government holds the majority stakes (70%) of Airports of Thailand, which is a publicly-listed company.
Krabi Airport, on the other hand, is operated by Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation. The same agency operates all other airports in the country.
The current seat capacity shows an improvement of more than 70% over the same period in the previous year. The country's travel market has been growing rapidly in recent years driven primarily by the influx of foreign tourists and the growing interest of Thais to travel within their own country.
Krabi Airport seat capacity rapidly expanding
Krabi has been able to attract a sizable number of tourists who want to enjoy the tropical allure of the resort town located southwest of the country along the Andaman coast. The city and its surrounding areas have several national parks and unspoiled beaches where tourists can experience true Thai countryside at its best.
The Krabi Airport is located on the mainland while Koh Samui is located in an island southeast of the country, along the Gulf of Thailand. The advantage offered by Krabi Airport over Koh Samui Airport are manifold, foremost of which is its location which is very accessible to any type of transport to almost all major towns and cities in the country. Arriving visitors will only need to travel over 180 kilometers by road or a 60-kilometer boat ride to reach Phuket.
The present seat capacity of Krabi Airport shows a growth of over 70% compared to the same period last year which was 34,000 seats. The seat capacity last year, in turn, was a tremendous 120% growth over the same period in 2012, which saw 26,000 seats only.
Currently, eight carriers offer flights to and from Krabi Airport including five from two airline groups, namely: AirAsia group (Thai AirAsia, Malaysia AirAsia) and Thai Airways group (Thai Airways, Thai Smile and Nok Air). Bangkok Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Tigerair Singapore.
The AirAsia group accounts almost half of the total seat capacity with a share of 43%, followed by Thai Airways group which accounts 36% of the total, leaving only 11% to three other carriers.
Thai AirAsia links Krabi to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Singapore while Malaysia AirAsia offers services to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. To date, Krabi is linked to two regional destinations (Kuala Lumpur and Singapore) and three local destinations (Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui). Soon, Finnair will launch a scheduled service between Krabi and Helsinki in Finland.
MAS bullish on Krabi
Malaysian Airlines is a relatively new airline operating at Krabi Airport, having launched the Kuala Lumpur-Krabi route only on February 3 this year. It initially started with four-weekly service on the route but recently added a single frequency making it a 5-times weekly affair. Soon, the Malaysian flag carrier is planning to increase its weekly frequency by four flights starting May 18 this year and five more frequencies are to be added by September 15, 2014, or a total of 16 weekly flights between the Thai resort town and the Malaysian capital.
The low-cost AirAsia, meanwhile, offers 14 weekly flights on the same route using its narrow-body A320 aircraft. The carrier started its Kuala Lumpur-Krabi service in 2007 with a single daily frequency. It increased its daily frequency to two flights in 2012.
Malaysian Airline is the only full-service carrier operating from Krabi Airport offering international flights. The airline, though competes head-on with AirAsia on the route, has an edge over the latter as it offers connections to long-haul and regional destinations in Australia, Europe and greater part of Asia.
Finnair to link Krabi with Helsinki
An added boost to Krabi's seat capacity is the upcoming service by Finnair linking the resort town with the Finnish capital of Helsinki.
Krabi is now the latest favorite destination for European tourists and tourists coming from the continent have been increasing recently. Lately, it has attracted Finalnd's flag carrier, Finnair, which is going to launch its Helsinki-Krabi seasonal service in December this year.
The long-haul flights will be a twice-weekly service during the winter season in the northern hemisphere, starting on December 10, utilizing one of its wide-body A340 aircraft.
The airline considers Krabi as an emerging tourist destination in Thailand and offers an exciting experience for European tourists who would be escaping the cold and often harsh winter in the northern hemisphere.
Related News
Thai Vietjet Air: Exclusive May Offers for FUN Rewards Members
Hua Hin Airport anticipates surge in international flights after expansion
