Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

14 Nov, 2012

More Flights Approved Between Australia and Thailand

=========

Canberra, Ministry of Infrastructure & Transport, 13 November 2012 -Australia and Thailand have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on air services, allowing for more flights between Australia and Thailand.  The new MOU will allow Australian and Thai airlines to increase their flights in this key travel market—each side can now operate up to 20,000 weekly seats to and from Australia’s four major gateways of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

Australia’s regional airports, including Cairns, Darwin and Broome also stand to benefit with the inclusion of a Regional Package which will provide Thai airlines with open access to all other international airports in Australia. Already, regional areas have enjoyed growth of 8 per cent in visitor nights over the past two years and the new MOU will help to ensure growth in our regional tourism sector continues.

Across the board, international passenger numbers reached a record 28.9 million in 2011–12 and the number of people travelling between Australia and Thailand has doubled in the last six years. These new arrangements will help deliver the travelling public greater choice in when they fly, who they fly with, and access to cheaper, more competitive airfares.

Key areas of the new MOU provide for:

  • An effective capacity increase up to 20,000 seats a week for airlines of both sides;
  • Unrestricted code share arrangements, allowing greater flexibility for airlines of both sides to code share with their alliance partners; and
  • A modernised regulatory framework covering up to date provisions for safety and security, tariff approval and the application of competition law.

This new MOU provides a strong foundation for the future development of Australia’s bilateral aviation relationship with Thailand and reinforces the importance of Australia’s economic links with Asia. The new MOU will enter into effect once Thailand has completed its domestic approval process.