Taiwan

Taiwan has lifted many COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, enabling the resumption of tourism with certain limitations. The easing of travel restrictions, coupled with the reopening of China’s border, has significant implications for the recovery of cross-strait air traffic. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the country’s largest international airport, experienced a dramatic increase in passengers during the first quarter of 2023. However, despite this positive trend, uncertainty remains regarding the future progress of the market, as passenger numbers still fall short of prepandemic figures.

Following the reopening of airspace surrounding Taiwan, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications reported a gradual return to normalcy in air traffic. Most scheduled flights to and from the island continued operations during Chinese military exercises, with an average of approximately 150 departures and arrivals per day. Foreign airlines that typically used the airspace opted for alternative routes through Japan and the Philippines. Korean Air Lines and

Thailand

During the fiscal year 2022, Thailand’s civil aviation market experienced significant developments and challenges. Following are the market’s key indicators, including international and domestic flights, passenger numbers, and cargo volume at various airports in Thailand.

Airline Operations

In 2022, Thailand’s 6 international airports served a total of 114 scheduled airlines. These included 100 mixed passenger/cargo airlines and 14 pure cargo airlines. Among them were five Thai airlines, namely Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Thai Air Asia X, Thai Lion Air, and Thai Vietjet. Additionally, there were 24 foreign airlines operating in Thailand.

Aircraft Movements

The total number of aircraft movements at the Airports of Thailand (AOT) increased from 2,45,254 flights in 2021 to 3,94,469 flights in 2022. This represented a significant growth rate of 60.84 per cent. Of these movements, 1,37,497 were international flights, experiencing a remarkable increase of 105.75 per cent, and 2,56,972 were domestic flights, showing a substantial growth rate of 44.02 per cent.

Passenger Traffic

Thailand’s airports experienced a significant increase in passenger numbers during the fiscal year 2022. The total number of passengers handled across the six airports operated by AOT increased from 20.01 million in 2021 to 46.69 million in 2022, reflecting a remarkable growth rate of 133.35 per cent. Among these passengers, 13.90 million were international passengers, marking a substantial increase of 1,364.94 per cent, and 32.79 million were domestic passengers, indicating a notable growth rate of 72.04 per cent.

Cargo Volume

In terms of cargo and postal parcel transport, the fiscal year 2022 witnessed a positive trend. The total volume of cargo and postal parcel handled at Thailand’s airports reached 1.23 million tonnes, representing a growth rate of 12.35 per cent compared to the previous year. International freight accounted for 1.20 million tonnes, marking an increase of 11.81 per cent, while domestic freight reached 27,027 tonnes, reflecting a growth rate of 43.19 per cent.

IMPACT OF COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on Thailand’s civil aviation market. The decision to implement a country lockdown and restrict tourist entry from December 2021 resulted in a decrease in international and domestic passenger numbers in January and February 2022. Compared to December 2021, the average daily international and domestic passengers decreased by 9.84 per cent and 13.99 per cent respectively.

RECOVERY AND REOPENING:

As the COVID-19 situation improved, Thailand gradually lifted restrictions and implemented measures to revive the tourism industry. The Test & Go process was introduced on February 1, 2022, allowing both Thai and foreign tourists to enter the country. Additionally, on July 1, 2022, the Prime Minister announced the reopening of the country to foreign tourists and cancelled the Thailand Pass system. Consequently, the number of international and domestic passengers increased in July 2022, with average daily figures rising by 27.35 per cent and 11.26 per cent respectively compared to June 2022. However, the Zero COVID-19 strategy implemented by the People’s Republic of China in March 2022 resulted in a slow recovery of international passenger numbers, with a modest increase of 1.21 per cent compared to 2019. The Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022 also