BANGKOK, THAILAND – Airports of Thailand (AoT) reported a strong first-quarter profit and outlined extensive financial and infrastructure plans as rising passenger numbers pushed its airports closer to capacity limits.
Profit rise and revenue base
The state-controlled operator posted a net profit of 4.65 billion baht between October and December and generated total revenue of more than 17.3 billion baht.
“We want to use this financial tailwind to advance a progressive financial restructuring and thereby secure stable long-term growth.”
said Paweena Jariyathitipong, AoT president.
Flight volumes shift toward international routes
Across its six airports — Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai, Mae Fah Luang, Phuket and Hat Yai — AoT handled 208,281 flights in the first quarter, an increase of 1.82 percent year-on-year. Of these, 116,594 were international flights and 91,687 domestic, reflecting a continued shift in traffic toward international routes.
Passenger growth strains capacity
The six airports served 34.47 million passengers in the period, up 2.5 percent from a year earlier, including 20.92 million international and 13.55 million domestic travelers. According to Paweena, the increase in passenger numbers led to significantly higher use of existing infrastructure, bringing some locations close to their capacity limits.
Expansion projects through 2034
To meet growing air travel demand, AoT pushed ahead with expansion projects at all six airports, scheduled for completion by 2034. The plans were designed to raise their combined capacity to more than 214.5 million passengers per year and support expected long-term demand in international aviation.
Financial restructuring and new charges
Alongside the construction program, AoT worked on restructuring its earnings base, including a promotional campaign aimed at airlines that use additional services at its airports to boost aeronautical revenue. The company also planned to introduce a new regulation for collecting the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) around mid-year, from which AoT expected to strengthen its financial security by more than 10 billion baht.
Outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year
Against the backdrop of a global tourism recovery, Paweena** anticipated further revenue growth for the operator over the remaining nine months of the current fiscal year. AoT said the combination of rising passenger numbers, advancing expansion programs and new fee structures should enable the company to meet expected air travel demand on a sustainable basis.