AirAsia expands international links from Pattaya

AirAsia will continue its international expansion from Pattaya‘s U-Tapao Airport in November 2015, with the launch of new direct services to Macau and Singapore.

Following the launch of its inaugural international routes from U-Tapao, which commenced this month to the Chinese cities of Nanning and Nanchang, Thai AirAsia has now confirmed that it will start linking Pattaya with Macau and Singapore from 27 November.

The Macau route will operate daily, departing U-Tapao at 1115 and arriving in the former Portuguese colony at 1450. The return service will then leave Macau at 1525 and arrive back in U-Tapao at 1710.

The Singapore service meanwhile, will leave U-Tapao daily at 1735, arriving at Changi Airport at 2040. The return service will depart Singapore at 2125, getting back into U-Tapao at 2240.

Like all Thai AirAsia’s flights, the new routes will be operated using 180-seat, all-economy Airbus A320 aircraft.

And also from 27 November, the airline will launch a new daily domestic service between U-Tapao and Udon Thani, in northeast Thailand.

“The reason we are continuously launching new routes from U-Tapao Airport this year end is because we see its potential and the opportunity to draw travel and investment to the eastern region, whether it is to the popular entertainment destination, Pattaya or to Rayong’s industrial centre,” said Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia.

“We especially want to allow Chinese and foreign travellers to conveniently access the eastern region while affording residents of the area new exciting ways to travel with AirAsia.”

By the end of 2015, AirAsia plans to have two A320 aircraft based at U-Tapao Airport. AirAsia’s Malaysian unit also flies direct from Kuala Lumpur to U-Tapao.