Jetstar Asia Airways, the Singapore-based offshoot of the Qantas budget carrier Jetstar Airways, today is suspending all flights from Singapore to Phuket. The carrier reportedly is having trouble filling seats to Phuket and wants to use the aircraft capacity on other Asian routes that offer better opportunities.

Its afternoon arrival schedule on the southern Thai resort island is also considered unpopular among many travellers who prefer the better time slots of rivals such as Tiger Airways.

The approach of the low tourism season in Phuket, between April and September, was cited as another reason for Jetstar’s decision.

Jetstar Asia operated six flights a week on the Singapore-Phuket route, using an Airbus A320 that can carry 180 passengers. It is shifting capacity to other sectors, such Singapore-Medan, which is due to inaugurated tomorrow, and Ho Chi Minh City where frequencies will be doubled to two flights a day, as well as new flights to Macau.Jetstar Asia executives described the suspension of Singapore-Phuket flights as temporarily, though they did not say when the flights might resume.

However, Jetstar Asia’s twice-daily services between Bangkok and Singapore remain intact as sales have been good.

Its affiliate Jetstar also continues to fly three times a week on the Sydney-Phuket route, and has three flights a week between Melbourne and Bangkok.

Wichai Nurnlop, general manager of Phuket International Airport, said yesterday that Phuket remained a key port of call for many international carriers.

Flights through Phuket for the summer season, running from April to September, are increasing by 10% over the same period last year, he said.

In the winter schedule that ends this month, aircraft movements through Phuket rose 27% year-on-year. Passenger traffic is approaching the airport’s capacity of 6.5 million passengers.

Based on the current projections of 5-10% annual growth, airport officials say overcrowding looms in one or two years and capacity needs to be upgraded.

news by Bangkok Post – www.bangkokpost.com