Published on: March 31, 2023 @ 00:39
Reporter: Aniruddha Pal
SPT News, Kolkata, March 30: Thai Smile flights are going to resume on the Bangkok-Kolkata route from May 1. The Thai Smile started its service to Kolkata during the Covid pandemic. Then Thai Airways started their flight service from this year. But many people have questions about why Thai Smile flights are going to be launched again.
Mr. Anil Punjabi, chairman of TAFI raised important questions
Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) Chairman (Eastern India) Mr. Anil Punjabi told SPT – Thai Smile is resuming its services from Kolkata from May 1. At the same time, the question arises in our minds, then what will happen to Thai Airways? Thai Smile is part of Thai Airways. It is a Thai regional airline. I think even though Thai Airways has re-introduced their service on Kolkata-Bangkok route from this year, passengers are not getting the same. Already Thai Airways fares are comparatively higher than Thai Smile. While the fare of Thai Smile is 20 thousand rupees, the fare of Thai Airways is 26 thousand rupees. Many people do not want to pay more than 6 thousand rupees. After that there are several flights on Kolkata to Bangkok route. The fares are very low in them. Naturally, Thai Airways could not capture the market. Maybe, this is also a reason. As a result, it has been decided to relaunch the Thai Smile flight service.
Mr. Anil Punjabi raised the question – The fare of Thai Airways on the Delhi-Bangkok route is 26 thousand rupees. The distance is too much. It takes four hours to go to Bangkok. Again, Thai Airways has kept the same fare on the Kolkata-Bangkok route, but it takes only two hours. Why this discrimination in terms of rent? Can you tell why the passengers of Kolkata will suffer this discrimination? Now the question arises in our mind, if Thai Smile is launched, what will happen to Thai Airways, will they continue to operate both flight services at the same time?
No fixed schedule has been made
In this regard SPT put questions to Mr. Samir Bhowmik, representative of Thai Smile in Kolkata. He said that the news is correct. From May 1, Thai Smile is resuming its flight services on the Kolkata-Bangkok route. There will be daily flights on this route. However, no specific schedule has been made in this regard so far. It will be done in the next two-one days. Only then can we tell the details.
Published on: March 31, 2023 @ 00:39
