Airports of Thailand (AOT) is considering bringing back duty-free shops for arriving passengers, giving travellers entering Thailand another option to buy duty-free goods.
AOT president Paweena Jariyathitipong said the plan remains at the feasibility-study stage and no decision has yet been made to reopen the shops. If the service returns, AOT believes it could provide more shopping options for arriving travellers while creating additional revenue for airports.
Alongside the proposed return of arrival duty-free shops, AOT is considering introducing a Premium Service offering. The special lane service, which AOT said is used at leading airports around the world, would aim to give passengers greater choice, convenience and faster service.
AOT said the Premium Service could also help manage passenger flows and reduce congestion inside airport terminals.
The airport operator is also looking at ways to improve the management of aircraft parking stands as it prepares for an expected increase in flight numbers.
During the first nine months of the 2026 fiscal year, AOT’s six airports handled a combined 99.03 million passengers, an increase of 1.84% compared with the same period a year earlier.
The six airports also recorded a total of 605,838 flights during the nine months, representing a year-on-year increase of 0.61%.
AOT reported total revenue of 50.205 billion baht for the first nine months of the 2026 fiscal year, down 1.39% from the corresponding period the previous year.
Despite the decline in revenue, the company recorded a net profit of 14.81233 billion baht, up 3.86%, or 549.96 million baht, from the same period a year earlier.
A key factor behind the higher profit was a reduction in overall expenses. AOT also recorded a reversal of expected credit losses after one trade debtor repaid 993.88 million baht, reducing the amount set aside for potentially unpaid debts.
The possible return of arrival duty-free shopping is therefore among the measures AOT is studying as it looks to expand passenger choices, improve services and generate future revenue from businesses connected with its airports.
In related news, AOT announced that the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) for international departures increased from 730 baht to 1,120 baht on June 20 following approval from Thailand’s Ministry of Transport, while the domestic PSC remained unchanged at 130 baht per passenger.
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