Thai Airways International, the national carrier of Thailand, has launched a promotional campaign this month to attract travellers in what is perceived as a low season.
It is offering a three nights and four days package for Dh1,350 which includes economy class airfare between Dubai and Bangkok, three nights accommodation including breakfast on a twin-sharing basis, airport to hotel transfer and a half-day of sightseeing tours, excluding tax.
“This is less than our normal return ticket on the Dubai-Bangkok route, which is Dh1 ,850,” Korakot Chatasingha, Thai Airways general manager for the UAE and Middle East told Gulf News.
The same offer in Business Class costs Dh3 ,460, which is less than the price of a return Business Class ticket.
“For the low season, we are offering value addition for travellers to encourage them to fly,” he said.
“For our premium passengers, we are currently offering a number of packages under the Royal Retreat programme that the Business Class passengers will find attractive.”
Thai Airways, which recently underwent a major make-up, has a new colourful livery.
Some of its 83-aircraft fleet has been retro-fitted with modern amenities that make them up-to-date with the latest hardware.
The airline, which this year celebrates 45 years in operation, has a number of firm orders, some of which will join its fleet.
“This is not just a change in our livery. We have also focused on the service elements to offer greater customer care,” Chatasingha said.
In the coming months, Thai Airways will facilitate online booking for Gulf passengers.
Last year, 60,000 UAE tourists visited Thailand to explore the country, half of them on medical tourism.
The airline operates 11 flights a week on the Bangkok-Dubai route, three of which extend to Kuwait. It also operates another three flights to Muscat via Karachi. Of the 11 Dubai-Bangkok flights, four stop at the south Indian city of Chennai.
Between Dubai and Bangkok, Emirates operates 28 flights, some of which also continue on to Australia.
Thai Airways last year carried more than 16 million passengers on its network of 73 destinations in 35 countries, of which 400,000 passengers embarked in Dubai. On the Dubai-Bangkok route, Chatasingha said, traffic would well exceed a million passengers annually, with Emirates catering to the majority number due to its sheer capacity.
“The sector is very busy. Last year, we had an average seat load factor of 75 per cent seat load factor. We are planning to put larger aircraft on the route due to the increased demand,” he said.
Gulf News
