BANGKOK, 10 April 2023: AirAsia continues its international expansion by adding four direct routes between Thailand and China, effective 30 April.
The four direct routes are Don Mueang-Chengdu (daily flights), Chiang Mai-Beijing (daily flights), Chiang Mai-Hangzhou (four weekly flights) and Chiang Mai-Changsha (five weekly flights).
Thai AirAsia chief executive officer Santisuk Klongchaiya pointed out: “This is a crucial time for us to focus on international route expansion as more nations welcome travellers … Thai AirAsia expects to resume 75% of its network to China pre-Covid-19 within the second quarter of this year.”
With three of the four new routes originating from its Chiang Mai hub, AirAsia is giving new opportunities for travel with direct flights between China and the popular northern city. The northern province has always been a top destination for Chinese travellers, and the newly reinstated routes will help the region’s economy to rebound.
The only shadow over the latest move to connect more Chinese cities with Chiang Mai is the annual smog season that cripples international tourism to northern Thailand and Laos during March and April. They were once peak months for travel between Thailand and China. Now, the annual forest burn-off, financed by agricultural conglomerates, lops off two months from the tourism season in North Thailand once the forest fires ignite at the end of February. More than 2 million residents of North Thailand are estimated to be undergoing hospital treatment due to hazardous levels in the air quality index.
