BANGKOK, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has worked with six airlines to meet Songkran travel demand and reduce costs for passengers, with airfares cut by 15 to 30 percent across 11 domestic round-trip routes.
During the Songkran holiday period from April 10 to 15, a total of 191 flights are covered under these measures, with some routes upgraded to wide-body aircraft and additional flights added, bringing the total seat capacity to 29,685, said the CAAT.
The discounted routes include Bangkok to popular destinations such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Samui.
Amid strong demand, the CAAT said lower-priced tickets for the Songkran period have nearly sold out, yet airfares are expected to ease toward the end of April as travel demand declines.
The regulator also noted that the Middle East conflict has led to significant volatility in jet fuel prices, which have risen by more than 100 percent compared with last month's levels. Despite this, the airfare reduction measures for the festival period remain in place. ■
