Thailand has fallen to No.3 in Southeast Asia’s flight seat rankings for the second consecutive month, with Vietnam overtaking the kingdom on rising domestic demand.
OAG’s August report found Vietnam’s flight capacity rose 10% year-on-year to 7.27 million seats, holding onto No.2 after first overtaking Thailand in July. Vietnam’s domestic capacity alone jumped 13.8% to more than 4.7 million seats. Thailand’s total capacity slipped 1.7% to 7.19 million seats, while Indonesia stayed at No.1 with 11 million seats, up 4.3%.
Suvarnabhumi remained the region’s third-busiest airport with 3.22 million seats, up 1%, trailing Singapore’s Changi (3.64 million) and Jakarta (3.32 million). Don Mueang fared worse, dropping 7.5% to 1.52 million seats, as low-cost carriers based there, including Thai AirAsia, cut capacity by 23.4% to 1.44 million seats.
Patsee Permvongsenee, executive director for Asean, South Asia and South Pacific at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the shift reflects Vietnam’s growing travel demand, multiple large airports, and bulk seat bookings and joint promotions by its tour operators. New destinations such as Da Nang and Phu Quoc Island are drawing direct flights, letting tourists bypass Bangkok’s transit hubs, unlike in Thailand, where most travellers still connect through the capital.
She added that Thailand still attracts a wider range of global carriers, and the government is developing new airports at U-tapao and Hua Hin to ease pressure on Bangkok.
Vichai Sahassapol, vice-president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said Vietnam is building new attractions and infrastructure faster than Thailand, giving it a fresher appeal, while its strong GDP growth and investment boom are drawing in both tourists and investors.
Southeast Asia’s total seat capacity reached 51 million in August, up 0.8%. International seats made up 56% of that figure, around 28.5 million.
Mainline carriers held 56% of regional capacity, growing 5.9%. Low-cost capacity contracted 4.9% to 22.5 million seats, led by cuts at Thai AirAsia (down 23.4%) and AirAsia (down 17%), pushing budget carriers’ share down to 44% from 47%.
Thai AirAsia had earlier cut 30% of flight capacity in May and June to offset rising fuel prices linked to the prolonged Middle East conflicts, reported Bangkok Post.
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