Following the reopening of Koh Samui Airport, Bangkok Airways have announced they will resume services from Bangkok to the popular holiday island, starting from 15th May onwards.
With Sukhothai and Trat airports also back open for business, Bangkok Airways expect further routes to become available again soon. The news comes as an encouraging sign that Thailand’s tourism network is beginning to pick itself up after the recent disruptions caused by COVID-19.
According to a statement from the airline, there will be two flights departing every day from the nation’s capital to the island of Samui, which is one of the country’s favourite tourism destinations. Two daily return services will also fly in the opposite direction.
The airline has confirmed it will comply fully with the COVID-19 safety protocols set out by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), which involve social distancing measures throughout the journey, from pre-boarding through boarding, flight, disembarkation and arrivals.
Additional health and safety measures will include seat distancing for passengers, suspension of in-flight food and beverage services, a ban on carrying of personal food or drinks, and the mandatory wearing of masks and gloves for crew members. Passengers will also be required to wear masks at all times.
Koh Samui Airport will restart operations on 15th May, handling passengers from 8am-7pm. Airport officials say they’ve implemented safety measures to “ensure the highest level of safety for all passengers and staff”. Along with social distancing arrangements, these protocols include stringent passenger and staff screening, body temperature checks and a rule that airport staff must wear face masks at all times.
In light of Thailand’s current restrictions, many airlines have suspended their services. Bangkok Airways has grounded all international flights from 22nd March until further notice, while Thai Lion Air suspended all domestic and international flights between 25th March and 30th April, THAI Smile and Thai AirAsia have cut their flights until further notice, and THAI have also grounded their European and regional operations until 31st May. The reopening of a major domestic route by Bangkok Airways shows that the wind is changing in Thailand’s aviation sector.
Thailand is currently operating under emergency decree – an increase in executive powers than began on 26th March and is expected to last at least until the end of May 2020. To stay updated with all the latest COVID-19 developments from Thailand, you can follow our social media channels:
