BANGKOK, THAILAND – During the Songkran holidays, Aerothai expected an average of more than 2,500 flights per day, with traffic focused on major airports and key tourist destinations.
Forecast for the holiday travel period
The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) projected an average of 2,562 flights per day between 10 and 19 April. According to the agency, this represented an increase of 1.8% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Aerothai stated that the additional traffic remained concentrated on the country’s largest hubs and major tourist gateways. The agency focused its planning on managing this higher volume efficiently during the core holiday window.
Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang remained key hubs
Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport remained the most heavily used, with around 1,050 flights per day. It continued to carry the largest share of Songkran-related air traffic.
Don Mueang followed with about 692 flights daily, Aerothai reported. Both Bangkok airports therefore handled the majority of movements over the holiday period.
Tourist airports in Phuket and Chiang Mai in focus
High volumes were also expected at major tourist destinations. Phuket Airport was forecast to handle an average of 298 flights per day.
For Chiang Mai, Aerothai anticipated 193 daily flights. The agency noted that most of these services were domestic connections within Thailand.
Peak hours during the day
Flight schedules were not spread evenly over the day, leading to distinct peak periods. Aerothai identified these patterns as a key operational challenge.
The strongest time windows, according to Aerothai, fell between 9 and 11 a.m., and again between 4 and 7 p.m. These hours were expected to see the highest concentration of departures and arrivals.
Measures to manage air traffic
Aerothai said it had prepared for the holiday traffic and implemented air traffic flow management measures.
“We are prepared for the holiday traffic and have implemented measures for air traffic flow management.”
said Aerothai, air navigation service provider.
Additional support systems were intended to ensure smooth operations during the main travel period. These tools were designed to help controllers and airports handle increased demand.
Coordination with airlines and advice for passengers
According to Aerothai, real-time coordination with airlines was under way to adjust procedures at short notice. This was meant to keep operations flexible during sudden changes in demand or scheduling.
Travellers were advised to allow extra time and to follow current information and any potential changes closely.
“Travellers are advised to plan more time and to follow current notices and possible changes closely.”
said Aerothai, air navigation service provider.