During the Songkran holiday, six airlines are set to introduce 104 extra flights and offer discounts of about 20% on domestic flights early in the morning and late at night as an economy option for travellers, as announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
CAAT deputy director-general Sarun Benjanirut revealed that this initiative is a response to Transport Minister Suriya Juangruangreangkit’s recent request for reduced airfares during holiday periods to tackle the issue of expensive domestic flight tickets.
The CAAT had a meeting with six airlines — Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Thai LionAir, NokAir, and Thai Vietjet — on February 28 to discuss the high airfare prices.
Mr. Sarun disclosed that these airlines have agreed to add 104 additional flights, providing 17,874 more seats on April 11, 12, 15, and 16 to several destinations such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Samui, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen.
He explained that many of these extra flights would be scheduled outside the standard flying hours, either early in the morning or late at night, to offer lower fares and attract more travellers for Songkran, with discounts anticipated to be around 20%.
Mr. Sarun added that the discount would be around 20%, presented as a budget-friendly choice for Songkran journeys.
The airlines have submitted their applications for the additional flights to the CAAT, with the booking for these extra seats expected to start on Tuesday.
The CAAT deputy director-general recommends that travellers schedule their trips and secure their bookings well ahead of time to guarantee seats and access to lower fares.
It is also suggested that reservations be made through the official websites of the airlines, where prices are controlled and kept within a maximum limit for each route, as overseen by the CAAT.
The Transport Ministry estimates that about 15.45 million people will use public transport from April 11 to 17, with interprovincial buses remaining the preferred choice for those travelling to the provinces.
Mr. Suriya has directed relevant agencies to prepare for the holiday season to ensure safe and convenient travel and to intensify efforts to reduce road accidents.
Tolls on specific expressways will be lifted during the holiday for drivers on the eastern motorway (Highway 7), Kanchanapisek Road (Highway 9), the Buraphawithee Expressway (Bang Na-Chon Buri), and the Kanchanaphiske Expressway (Bang Phli-Suksawat).
The Srirat, Udon Ratthaya, and Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressways will also be toll-free from April 13 to 15.
