BANGKOK (Bernama): Vietjet Thailand has launched daily flights between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, with the low-cost carrier eyeing higher frequencies next year in response to demand.
Thai Vietjet Air Deputy Head of Commercial Department Bhubet Kittiyanpanya said the airline had been considering the route for about five years, describing Kuala Lumpur as a stepping stone for further expansion in Malaysia.
He said the route was an important addition to the airline’s regional network, with demand for travel between the two cities presenting an opportunity for growth.
"We see an opportunity as no other budget airline operates between Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. That is why we believe there is demand,” he told Bernama on Friday during the inaugural Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur flight ceremony.
Earlier, Malaysian Ambassador to Thailand Datuk Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah officiated the ceremony, which was attended by Thai Vietjet Vice-President of Operations Sathirawat Ponnark and Tourism Malaysia Bangkok Director Nurul Ain Mohammed Yunus.
Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Malaysia in Bangkok Ahmad Phadil Mohamed Ismail was among the passengers on the inaugural flight.
The new service connects Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport with Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA T2), marking Vietjet Thailand’s first direct service to Malaysia.
Bhubet said the airline would consider increasing flight frequencies based on demand, while exploring opportunities to expand its network to other Malaysian cities.
"The world is changing very quickly, so we need to keep track of developments. Kuala Lumpur is our first step, and we may consider operating more routes in Malaysia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wan Zaidi said the daily service would support Malaysia’s tourism promotion efforts while offering travellers greater flexibility and more travel options between the two countries.
"I am confident that the launch of these new flights to Kuala Lumpur will help increase tourist arrivals between the two countries,” he said.
He said the service could initially add between 100 and 160 passengers a day travelling between Malaysia and Thailand.
Vietjet Thailand currently operates 12 domestic routes, including services from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, as well as regional routes linking Phuket with Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
The airline is also expanding its international network across the Asia-Pacific region, connecting Thailand with destinations in Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Cambodia, India and South Korea, among others. -- BERNAMA
