Thai AirAsia is all set to launch daily direct flights between Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok and Kochi, an important port city on India’s southwest coast. To celebrate the new route Thai AirAsia is offering a special fare of THB 1,990 per trip until March 27, 2016 for travel between May 16, 2016 and May 22, 2017.
Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO, Thai AirAsia said, “We are ready to move forward in India this year as we can clearly see opportunities both in the travel sector and trade segment. The AirAsia brand is already familiar to the people of India following the success of our Chennai and Bangalore routes, which both saw Load Factors of 84 per cent in 2015. Opening a direct flight to Kochi was very enticing and we expect to achieve Load Factors over 85 per cent within the first three months of the route’s operation as well as further growth in the future.”
Kochi is both an important port city and industrial hub for India, and has maintained an economic growth rate of 8.3 per cent per year, making it a rapidly developing economic city. It is considered the trade capital of Kerala State and is one of the top 17 industrial cities of India with main businesses including construction, marine transport, information technology, health services and financial services.
Kochi also has many tourism destinations and activities, such as Backwater Boathouses, allowing travellers a romantic way to view nature, and Chinese Fishing nets, a fishing technique that for 500 years was only practiced in China.
Presently, Thai AirAsia flies on Don Mueang-Chennai route five times weekly and Don Mueang-Bangalore five times weekly, while also providing Fly Thru service from Don Mueang to many destinations popular among Indian travellers, including to Phuket, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Krabi and Surat Thani domestically and to Singapore, Macao and Ho Chi Minh.