Bangkok Post wrote:THAI hikes domestic fares by B200 to B700

BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

Flying on Thai Airways International's domestic routes will cost between 200 and 700 baht more starting tomorrow as the national carrier quietly raises fares to offset higher costs. The increase for trunk routes _ from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Phuket _ will be 200 baht one-way. The fare on secondary routes _ from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, Krabi, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani and Phitsanulok _ will rise by 500 baht one-way.

The fare on the northern feeder route, from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son, will go up by 700 baht one way, THAI executives confirmed yesterday.

The increases, approved by the Department of Civil Aviation, reflect the average cost per seat, with higher passenger volumes on specific routes helping to curb the margin of increase, according to the airline.

The new one-way fare from Bangkok to Chiang Mai will be 2,570 baht, excluding extras such as the fuel surcharge, taxes and insurance. A Bangkok-Khon Kaen ticket will be 2,300 baht and the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son fare 1,465 baht _ almost double the current 765 baht.

Other domestic airlines _ including low-cost carriers _ are expected to follow suit as THAI's fares have been used as a benchmark.

Except for the trunk routes, THAI has been losing money on all other domestic routes, many of them operating because of political pressure to maintain air connections.

Meanwhile, THAI is looking at the possibility of bringing down the fuel surcharges on its international routes in line with the drop in jet fuel prices.

One proposal is to abolish the current system under which the airline imposes a fuel surcharge on each flight sector. It would be replaced by a single charge that would result in the overall levy per ticket being reduced.

The timing of the change has not been decided.

The last adjustment of fuel surcharges was made on June 1, with international rates variable by route and country of ticket issue, while the flat rate of 300 baht per sector for domestic routes was lifted to 400 baht.

stoneman wrote:Don't I remember that it was less than 2 years ago that the total fare on Nok Air from BKK to UTH was 499 baht?