Thai AirAsia has inaugurated its Okinawa/Naha to Bangkok/Don Mueang route on April 2nd.
The service operates four round trips per week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, utilizing the Airbus A320neo equipped with 186 economy class seats.
The load factor for the inaugural flight was over 85% from Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi and around 70% for departures from Okinawa/Naha. A welcome ceremony hosted by Okinawa Prefecture and the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB) was held at Naha Airport to celebrate the arrival of the first flight.
Denny Tamaki, Governor of Okinawa, commented, “With the launch of the Bangkok-Naha route, we are greatly optimistic that many people will take an interest in Okinawa, and decide to visit. We sincerely hope that everyone will fully enjoy Okinawa’s beautiful nature, unique history and culture, and the warmth of its people, experiencing the various attractions our prefecture has to offer.”
Santisuk Klongchaiya, CEO of Thai AirAsia, expressed his confidence, stating, “With the cooperation of related organizations, we believe the awareness of this route will increase, promoting travel between Bangkok and Okinawa, and bringing economic benefits to both Thailand and Okinawa. Thai AirAsia, as the only airline directly connecting Bangkok and Okinawa, is confident in the success of this route.”
Currently, there are no other services connecting Okinawa/Naha and Bangkok. Before the expansion of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peach Aviation was operating this route. The target occupancy rate is set at an average of over 80%, with various promotions being planned.
