The Australian carrier Jetstar will reconnect Queensland and Thailand for the first time since the pandemic with direct services between Bangkok and Brisbane three times per week starting from Dec 13.
The new service is forecast to bring in more than 190,000 additional inbound seats to Queensland over three years, worth A$116 million in overnight visitor expenditure and up to 630 jobs, according to the Queensland Department of Tourism and Sport.
The route is supported by the A$200-million Attracting Aviation Investment Fund, which has now secured 32 new or returned aviation routes for Queensland since February 2022.
Queensland and Thailand have not had a direct air connection since Thai Airways International ceased its Brisbane flights on March 29, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Jetstar flights will be the only non-stop service between Bangkok and Brisbane. The flying time of just over eight hours is approximately half the current travel time via indirect routes.
Each flight, using a Being 787 Dreamliner, will also carry up to 15 tonnes of freight capacity for Queensland exporters including meat, fish, fruit and vegetable growers.
Compared to pre-Covid figures, Queensland has recently seen record numbers of visitors from Thailand, making the new route from Bangkok all the more important, said Michael Healy, Queensland’s minister for tourism and sport.
“It’s terrific to see Jetstar take flight between Bangkok and Brisbane for the first time,” he said.
“Being a low-cost carrier, Jetstar will help make travel to Brisbane more affordable for international students and passengers travelling from across Asia, the UK and Europe, using Bangkok as a hub.”
The service will depart Brisbane at 2.20pm on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Dec 13 and return at 8.25am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.