Thai Air Asia is set to introduce a new international flight service between Bangkok and Vizag, commencing from April 9, 2024, pending consultation with airport authorities.
The airline intends to operate the service three times a week, likely on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, utilizing A320 and A321 aircraft.
Regular flights would be another step towards restoring ties between the two Middle Eastern rivals. A Chinese-mediated agreement in March restored diplomatic relations after years of tension that threatened the security of the entire region and fuelled conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. There have been no regular direct flights between the two countries for years. Currently, only occasional direct flights take off from Iran carrying haj pilgrims.
The proposed schedule involves the flight arriving in Vizag from Bangkok at 8 pm, departing from Vizag at around 8.30 pm-8.45 pm, and reaching Bangkok by 1 am. However, concerns have been raised by the Tours and Travels Operators Association of Andhra Pradesh (TTAA) regarding the inconvenient timing, which may result in additional hotel expenses for travelers reaching Bangkok at midnight.
TTAA has communicated this issue to Thai Air Asia, advocating for a revision in the flight schedule.
