BANGKOK, 15 November 2023: Thai Airways International forecasts rising travel demand during Q4 2023 and Q1 2024, traditionally the high season for travel to and from Thailand.

But it warns the aviation industry remains highly competitive as airlines resume services and redeploy aircraft to increase seat capacity to reach pre-pandemic levels. This can be seen in the resumption of a Bangkok-Copenhagen service by SAS for the winter timetable to tap what is popularly called the snowflake market as Europeans escape the severe winter weather for warmer climates. Lufthansa has scheduled the return of its A380 on the Bangkok-Munich route for the winter season.

In the look-forward notes attached to its financial results for Q3 2023, the airline points to the slow recovery of Chinese tourists mainly due to the country’s economic recess, rising fuel prices, and costs of overseas ground customer services. They remain a challenge for THAI in managing yield, optimising expenses, and implementing the organisational transformation plan to complete the debt and capital restructuring processes under the rehabilitation plan’s timeframe. 

THAI reported its operational performance results for the third quarter of 2023 (July to September) earlier this week, confirming total revenue, excluding one-time transactions, reached THB37,008 million, higher than last year, which stood at THB32,860 million. 

Passengers carried reached 3.27 million, 2.19 million by THAI and 1.08 million by THAI Smile Airways, an airline subsidiary due to be phased out by the end of 2023. THAI’s overall average cabin factor stood at 77.3% (THAI: 77.1% and THAI Smile Airways 80.9%), up just three percentage points from the same period last year, which was 77%.

THAI and its subsidiaries reported the total expenses, excluding one-time transactions, at THB29,289 million, higher than the previous year, which was THB28,940 million due to an increase in variable costs and fuel expenses, which was THB11,995 million. 

However, THAI and its subsidiaries reported a net profit of THB1,546 million compared to a net loss of THB4,780 million in Q3 2022. 

In the first nine months of 2023, THAI and its subsidiaries reported revenue, excluding one-time transactions, at THB115,897 million, higher than last year’s THB65,567 million. Total expenses, excluding past transactions, stood at THB86,567 million.

For the full nine months, Q1 to Q3, the airline reported an operating profit of THB29,330 million, up from an operating loss of THB548 million in 2022. The airline reported a net profit of THB16,342 million for the first nine months of 2023. 

BANGKOK, 15 November 2023: Korean Air will introduce seasonal flights from Incheon Airport (ICN) Seoul, South Korea, to Don Mueang Airport (DMK) Bangkok from 3 January to 24 February 2024 to meet growing leisure travel demand for holidays in Thailand.

The airline has scheduled two flights weekly with late evening departures from Incheon on Wednesday and Saturday using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The return flights from Don Mueang Airport Bangkok are scheduled for early morning on Thursday and Sunday. 

The flights are in addition to scheduled services between South Korea and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Flight Schedule
Flight KE677 departs ICN in 2005  and arrives in DMK 0015 on Wednesday and Saturday.
Flight KE678 departs DMK at 0145 and arrives in ICN at 0915 on Thursday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, Korean Air will resume scheduled services to Komatsu and Aomori in Japan from Seoul Incheon in December 2023 and January 2024, respectively. The resumption will see the airline fully restore its Japan network to pre-pandemic levels.

The Seoul Incheon-Komatsu route will resume operations on 28 December. The flight departs from Seoul Incheon at 0735 and arrives in Komatsu at 0920. The return flight will depart at 1115 am and arrive at Seoul Incheon at 1325.

Korean Air will also resume its Seoul Incheon-Aomori service on 20 January 2024. The flight will depart from Seoul Incheon at 1030 and arrive in Aomori at 1250. The return flight departs at 1355 from Aomori to land at Seoul Incheon at 1555. Both routes will operate thrice weekly, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Located in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, Komatsu offers convenient access to the area’s renowned Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, making it an attractive destination for mountain lovers. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking seaside views while driving along the coastal roads. The city is also renowned for its heavy winter snowfall, attracting winter sports enthusiasts and traditional Japanese crafts, including pottery and lacquerware, with a history and heritage dating back to the 17th century.

Referred to as Japan’s hidden gem, Aomori is an attractive region to explore with its stunning nature. The city features UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Shirakami Mountains and the scenic Sanriku Fukko National Park. Visitors can also enjoy cultural festivals, fresh local produce such as Aori apples and relaxing hot springs.

With the resumption to Komatsu and Aomori, Korean Air is restoring its pre-pandemic Japan network out of Seoul Incheon to the following 12 destinations: Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Niigata, Okayama, Kagoshima, Okinawa, Komatsu and Aomori.