- With new routes to Phuket, Air India is growing its global network.
- The airline will begin operations on December 15, 2023, with four weekly flights.
- Still, IndiGo is the only airline operating flights to Phuket.
With new routes to Phuket, Thailand, Air India, the largest international carrier in India based on available seat kilometers (ASK), is growing its global network.
The airline will begin operations on December 15, 2023, with four weekly flights. On January 8, 2024, the airline will expand to daily service. By the end of March 2024, Air India intends to introduce four new international destinations, including this expansion.
Air India
India is now exempt from visa requirements in Thailand as of November 10, 2023, and will remain so until May 20, 2024. There are currently six airlines that offer direct service between India and Thailand: four from India, four from Thailand, and one from Bhutan.
Still, IndiGo is the only airline operating flights to Phuket. Thanks to its previously accessible and reasonably priced visa, Thailand has grown in popularity as a travel destination.
Since all of its operations are housed under one roof, Air India has an advantage over IndiGo when it comes to passenger transfers. On the other hand, both airlines are equal for transfers within the same country.
Asia makes up seven of Thailand’s top ten source markets; the other three are the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. From London to Phuket, Air India’s timings are competitive for two-way connections; however, connecting flights from other American and European cities have lengthy layovers.
Air India intends to challenge IndiGo, the only carrier providing nonstop service from Delhi to Phuket, head-on with its expansion to Phuket. Every day, on average, 5,000 people travel nonstop from India to Thailand. Air India wants to use its interline agreement with Bangkok Air to give it an advantage over IndiGo.
With one new aircraft being introduced every six days, Air India intends to expand quickly both within India and internationally. The new flights will complement the current 265 weekly departures between India and Thailand.
More details about the airline’s intentions to challenge IndiGo will become clearer if it can strike a balance between its full-service and budget options.
