BANGKOK, 17 January 2020: Thai Lion Air is planning to resume flights this September between Pattaya’s U-Tapao airport and Changsha in China.
The airline dropped the route in December 2018 citing poor response in the market. It had hoped to pick up some local sales in Pattaya, but the main source of bookings came from Chinese tour operators in Changsha.
Airlineroute timetable information says the airline is now planning a four-weekly service using a Boeing 737-400. Departures will be scheduled Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan province, is a major commercial city that has a history dating to the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). Today it’s known for its rare collection of excavated Western Han dynasty tombs, known as the Mawangdui.
Thai Vietjet is the latest airline to fly to U-Tapao which is located on the coast around 30 km south of Pattaya city.
It offers daily flights from the popular Thai coastal city to Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam. Most of the passengers are Vietnamese looking for cheap flights and holidays in Pattaya famed for its nightlife, entertainment and shopping.
To launch the route the airline promotes its standard zero cost fares (pay just the tax and fees) with the booking window closing today 17 January. The travel period stretches to 31 May.
The airline makes it difficult to book the flight with the sales window open for just two hours noon to 1400.
The lowest fares, excluding the teaser, start at THB1,229 including tax and fees.
With a flight time of one hour and 30 minutes, the new service departs Ho Chi Minh City at 1325 and arrives in U-Tapao airport at 1440. The return flight from U-Tapao departs at 1125 and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 1255.
