(March 19) The Edge Malaysia: Bangkok Airways Pcl is set to purchase up to 30 new aircraft under its replacement policy, after a tourism boom fueled by hit TV series The White Lotus.
The Thai airline is in talks with Airbus SE, Boeing Co, and Embraer SA to purchase a minimum of 20 single-aisle jets in the first half of the year with an option for a further 10, Chief Executive Officer Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said. It plans to double its fleet to at least 30 planes within four to five years, including leased aircraft.
We have to expand, and we must upgrade our fleet,” Puttipong told an interview. The company now has 25 jets, some of which are older than 20 years.
Bangkok Airways serves major tourist spots from Bangkok, such as Koh Samui, which was a setting for shooting the latest season of The White Lotus. The show will generate additional tourists, and the government foresees a record 40 million this year.
The airline has already recorded a 14% increase in bookings for the second quarter, defying the low season in Thailand’s tourist calendar.
Traffic on flights to Koh Samui is expected to rise by 10% to 20% from last year’s 2.7 million tourists. Bangkok Airways, which owns the island airport, has a virtual monopoly on flights to the holiday resort.
To manage the increased traffic, the carrier has ordered a 1.5 billion baht (US$45 million or RM198.12 million) renovation of Samui Airport in the second half of the year. The project will be completed in three years, although the airport will remain operational. The carrier also received approval to increase daytime flights from 50 to 73.
Overall, Bangkok Airways expects to fly a record 4.7 million passengers in 2025, up from 4.3 million in 2024, Puttipong said.
