SIA Regional Arm Eyes Singapore-Samui Slot

By Boonsong Kositchotethana, Bangkok Post, Thailand

Feb. 26–SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, is planning to introduce scheduled flights between Singapore and Koh Samui in a move that would break the monopoly on the route by Bangkok Airways.

The airline has sounded out the possibility of launching a daily service on the route with Bangkok Airways, which also operates the privately owned Samui Airport on behalf of the Samui Airport Property Fund, according to industry sources.

But SilkAir was advised to seek the permission from the Department of Civil Aviation and related authorities, which restrict the numbers and timing of commercial flights through the resort island in the name of environment protection.

A maximum of 36 flights a day are currently allowed to operate through the Samui airport between 6 am and 10 pm. All but two of the total permitted daily flights are granted to Bangkok Airways.

The rights to operate the other two flights were given to Thai Airways International, which began flights between Samui and Bangkok for the first time in the middle of this month.

The restriction will be the main hurdle SilkAir has to overcome if it wants to start the Singapore-Samui route.

Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, founder and chief executive of Bangkok Airways, said he welcomed SilkAir’s plan to offer regular Singapore-Samui flights to help contribute to the tourism industry on the resort island and increase the utilisation of Samui Airport.

He pointed out that due to the reputation of Samui as a world-class destination, the number of Singaporeans visiting the island for vacations was increasing while those coming to the island from other countries through Singapore were also on the rise.

Bangkok Airways operates Boeing B717 and Airbus A319 planes for the daily Singapore-Samui service.

Last year, it ferried 27,550 passengers from Singapore to Samui. About 45 percent of them originated from Singapore and 55 percent were connecting passengers, especially from Australia.

Samui would become the third destination in Thailand which SilkAir would serve from Singapore after Chiang Mai and Phuket.

—–

To see more of the Bangkok Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangkokpost.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, Bangkok Post, Thailand

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

SIAL,