Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by Nereus »

Hua Hin tipped to get international air link

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transpo ... l-air-link

Hua Hin may soon get a long-awaited steady international air link for the first time in years with the arrival of AirAsia from Malaysia.

The parent of Asia's largest low-cost carrier group is keen to launch scheduled flights from Kuala Lumpur to the Thai beach city in the next four months.

AirAsia is in talks with the Department of Airports, which operates Hua Hin airport, about the possibility of initially operating five flights a week starting in November, insiders told the Bangkok Post yesterday.

The department, local authorities and the Hua Hin tourism and hospitality industry are enthusiastic about AirAsia's plan, which will address the lack of regular commercial flights to the vacation destination.

With about 30,000 hotel rooms and extensive new amenities to serve a growing population of international tourists and residents in the area, the district of Prachuap Khiri Khan has yearned for both domestic and international air connections.

Commercial air services to Hua Hin were sporadic in the past as airlines retreated due to inadequate passenger traffic volumes.

Thailand's commuter airline Kan Air was the last to stop its limited domestic flights to Hua Hin early this year due to aircraft issues.

Earlier, no-frills Thai Lion Air dropped its Hat Yai-Hua Hin flights.

In late 2013, Nok Air commenced flights from its Don Mueang hub in Bangkok to Hua Hin but they were suspended shortly after wards.

While Hua Hin has not been served by commercial airlines recently, its airport attracts private business jets due to the increasing number of upmarket resorts nearby.

Its relatively short distance from Bangkok -- about three hours' drive -- has been blamed for making commercial air transport to Hua Hin unpopular.

AirAsia, which is well known for venturing into uncharted destinations, said it is aware of the risks and asked for a list of requirements to get its Kuala Lumpur-Hua Hin off the ground and stay afloat.

The airline has asked the department to waive parking and landing fees and reduce the passenger service charge, otherwise known as airport tax, which is at 400 baht for an international passenger, and reducing office space rental charges at the airport.

A meeting between the Hua Hin local government, the airport authority and tourism and hospitality bodies is scheduled for Aug 3 at the airport to discuss incentives that will make AirAsia flights to Hua Hin possible.

Department officials have indicated their willingness to at least waive parking and landing fees for AirAsia.
They also said the airport is capable of serving AirAsia's flights, which will be on Airbus A320 single-aisle jets with 180 seats.

Hua Hin airport's runway is 2,100 metres long, which matches the A320's requirements, while its passenger terminal can easily handle 300 passengers an hour.
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by aragon »

Nereus wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:05 amIts relatively short distance from Bangkok -- about three hours' drive -- has been blamed for making commercial air transport to Hua Hin unpopular.
It may be relatively short, but when you've just stepped off along haul international flight and you've still got that staring you in the face, it doesn't seem quite so short IMHO. :wink:
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by Bristolian »

We will need to wait and see what schedule Air Asia will propose. I can not see more than a daily flight, in and out, being justified. If that is the case finding connecting long-haul flights without long stopovers will be difficult. I still can't see how Air Asia can make it pay. Let's see.
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by Big Boy »

I was thinking exactly the same. The Bangkok flight was next to useless for me personally, due to the very late departure, and only one flight per day (can't remember if it was every day). I used it once when there was a lot of Red Shirt disturbance between Hua Hin and Bangkok, but it meant additional hotels.

The Chiang Mai service on the other hand was timed perfectly for me.

Here's hoping they don't just throw Hua Hin into a slot that nobody else wants. I guess it all comes down to market research, which isn't always at it's best in Thailand.
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International flights set to take off from Hua Hin Airport

Post by DTHHSA »

There's an update on the Hua Hin today facebook page. Apparently Air Asia are going to operate flights going all over the world from Hua Hin.

[Mod edit: link removed, this story has already been reported with links from appropriate news sources, not facebook.]
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by Thistle »

And of course, they will all be direct to all destinations worldwide. Comments please,,,,,,,,,,,Hua Hin/KLIA,,,,,,,,,what benefit that to Hua Hin.
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by Thistle »

Also,i will revert to my post possibly 3 years ago,,,,,it was Air Asia that canned the route,after taking over Berjaya.They even had an office open at the bottom of soi 10,where you could buy a ticket 300 baht cheaper than on-line.Air Asia decided the route not viable,interested to know what has suddenly altered,considering the ATR which they flew then was perhaps 50% capacity
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by Big Boy »

Hmmm....... 19th Dec'17 - can't see it happening now.
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by migrant »

Oh come on Big Boy, have faith!! Still have a week plus!! :cheers:
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by usual suspect »

Many years ago I used to catch the early morning BKK Airways flight from DM to HH (No airport bus back in them days)...
..This flight (& many others thru the day) landed at HH on it's way to Samui, & same on the way back..it was flying overhead anyway.
BUT what killed this service was the HH airport fees..BKK Airways tried to reason with the HH airport folk, but in the end all the flights to/from Samui just flew by overhead..Bye-bye Hua Hin.
Now I read that Air Asia are hoping HH airport big-wigs will do them a deal in return for opening up this new route...
...Let's wait and see eh..?
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Re: RE: Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by 404cameljockey »

handdrummer wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:20 am
hhinner wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 4:46 pm
handdrummer wrote:
I've found flights to Bangkok only. maybe someone more enterprising than me knows of others.
I thought there no commercial flights from Hua Hin at all. Which airline did you find?
that was a yr. ago, I just checked and there aren't any now. why is there an airport here?
As it's close to a Royal Palace it was closed after the US terror attack on 9/11.
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by 404cameljockey »

I'll cross-post this comment from the other thread because it seems reasonably important:
StevePIraq wrote: Thu Jul 20, 2017 5:03 pm I believe there is no Instrument Landing System at HH airport as such I doubt any credible international airline would consider landing here.
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by uncle tom »

Airlines like Air Asia have their place, but I do wonder if Thai airways realise how many more passengers would be swayed to using their services from Europe, if they ran connecting flights down to HH?

I will shortly be flying over on EVA, because they were a little cheaper than Thai; but that cost advantage would have been blown away if Thai had had a connecting flight to offer..
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by Stargeezer »

If there is no ILS system in Hua Hin, in my opinion, there will not ever be any jets fly commercially into the airport.
It is a shame that even Air Asia or Bangkok Air will not fly into Hua Hin with their jets because they need the
means to fly into the airport in good weather and bad. An Instrument Landing System is not cheap to install
or maintain so I doubt that much will change in the short term. I used to work at small airports in Canada
and know that an ILS system is necessary as well as a long enough runway to have B737 or larger jets
to operate into any airport.
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Re: Hua Hin Airport to Operate International Flights by End 2017

Post by uncle tom »

because they need the
means to fly into the airport in good weather and bad
Yes, but think about the weather in Hua Hin - how often would ILS be necessary?

Does it ever get misty enough in HH to cause a problem for aircraft? - I've never seen it like that (although I'm rarely up at dawn..)

Yes, the heavens open from time to time - but does that ever pull visibility down too low to land?

- If ILS was unnecessary 99% of the time, would its absence deter Thai that much?
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