About 300 seats sold on Jul 1 Phuket flights, 500 COEs approved

[Thaiger]

Tomorrow Phuket opens its doors to vaccinated international travellers. It’s the first time the lights have gone on at Phuket’s International Airport since the international terminal was closed in April last year. But who’s coming? Last week the Tourism Authority of Thailand announced there would 1,500 people arriving on the first day. The real figures for Phuket flights appear to report an entirely different story and it’s understood many of these passengers are Thai. The TAT is also bringing in a number of international influencers to share their Phuket visit to their followers around the world. The opening of the […]

The post About 300 seats sold on Jul 1 Phuket flights, 500 COEs approved appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[AlexPTY]

Red carpet EY430 with 37 passengers is a Boeing B77W which capacity is 212, I just wonder how long Etihad will buy magic TAT numbers?

[AlexPTY]

All tomorrow's flights to Phuket are now on phuket.airportthai website arrival section, so far flight numbers are correct, looks like all domestic flights are getting cancelled (i cannot blame locals tho)

i have a friend who's driving tonight to Phuket, he's a adventurous type, wish you luck Jake!

Edited June 30, 2021 by AlexPTY

[Andrew Reeve]

Quote

Red carpet EY430 with 37 passengers is a Boeing B77W which capacity is 212, I just wonder how long Etihad will buy magic TAT numbers?

Etihad have had a type change for tomorrows flight and it is now a B787-9 in from Abu Dhabi with a capacity if full for 276 passengers. A standard B789 has 36 rows of seats and with only 37 passengers plenty of space on board.

[Andrew Reeve]

Just after checking and not a single flight due into Phuket from Europe tomorrow.

[Woifal]

I read these numbers with caution, because I was looking forward to Tim's nude run. Couldn't the magical Thai glass ball conjure up even more tourists?

[Scott]

Obviously, the Phuket sandbox reopening scheme will be slow at first.  However, it’s a start and something to build upon.  To be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised that the Thai authorities actually met the July 1 reopening date.  Putting all of the problems aside, they actually got it done! My heart and very best wishes are for the Thai workers in the tourist and hospitality industry.  

[JamesE]

I guess 249 is "about 300"... But nowhere near 1500. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2141115/four-flights-to-bring-first-tourists-to-phuket-sandbox

[Paco]

Not a surprise, everything the government say 25% is maybe the true

[Robert2020]

Thailand has been talking about targeting a different class of tourists for some time now, and getting rid of the hippy backpackers. So while most people in the world are not comfortable to travel internationally just yet, Thailand is making sure these hippies don't come back. They only want hippies that like the following:

People that like to escape to beautiful beaches, but also like walk around and think about the things they can and cannot do.

They like a nice balance of "can'not!" (thai accent) and "kaaa" at the same time.

They like to drink but only if it's non-alcoholic.

They like parties that have a max occupancy of 2 people.

And finally, people that think they have too much freedom in their own country and looking to live 2020 all over again.

Good job Thailand; you have found a market niche.
 

[Leo]

For comparison purposes, about 15,000 a day were arriving in 2019. Congratulations TAT! The numbers are down only 98%.

[TobyAndrews]

"We were talking about a lot more money than this!"

Sam Spade to Kaspa Gutman in the Maltese Falcon. 

Ha Ha Ha Har

[321BOOM]

Booked seats have nothing to say about how many people will enter Phuket or LOScam in general.

Nowadays Airlines operating more multiple stop flights to cover their cost than pre covid. For Example: When we left LOScam 3 weeks ago our flight to Dubai from BKK was already packed with Chinese from Hongkong on their way to the UAE.

Neverless 300 bookings is - as it was expected - much less than previous published by the Bangkok Dream boys and even this figures will go down once the few real holiday makers out of the guys who got their COE will share their experience online.

 

[Bob]

300 max. <xxx> do these phukers never learn 

Edited July 1, 2021 by King Cotton
Deletion of meaningless text-talk symbols, as per Guideline 15

[TobyAndrews]

Will the Thai be stupid enough to welcome these visitors, wearing full Hasmat suits, and shove cotten buds up their valued guests noses in public, like their esteemed guests are lepers?

I would not be surprise if these moronic peasants do. 

[EdwardV]

"The total number of seats booked for Thai Airways flights to Phuket this weekend is about 365 passengers." - These are flights from Europe, you know the actual target group. TAT better have a lot of lipstick for this pig. 

[Soidog]

7 hours ago, Scott said:

Obviously, the Phuket sandbox reopening scheme will be slow at first.  However, it’s a start and something to build upon.  To be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised that the Thai authorities actually met the July 1 reopening date.  Putting all of the problems aside, they actually got it done! My heart and very best wishes are for the Thai workers in the tourist and hospitality industry.  

I take on-board your sentiment Scott, but what exactly did get done? The original plan was to have quarantine free entry and essentially advertised as business as usual with 70% of the population of Phuket vaccinated. As it stands, around 65% have been half vaccinated (one vaccination only). In addition, the advertised “opening” is actually a very tightly regulated and controlled affair. I’m sorry, but if this is regarded as a success based on what the original criteria and expectations were, then it’s fallen well short. 
A PCR test 72 hours before departure for fully vaccinated (2 vaccinations) tourists is all that was needed and expected. This is no success I’m afraid and simply window dressing to keep local people thinking there is hope in the coming weeks. Actually I see it as a very cruel piece of propaganda. 

[Scott]

Your points are well taken.  Deep down, I agree with everything you wrote.  However, since the Thai people are hurting so much economically, I’m trying to put forth as positive of a spin as I can. I’m trying to remain hopeful in a situation of monumental odds. My concern is for those Thai’s in the bottom tier of the economic ladder.  Had the original 7 day plan been kept, the reopening scheme would’ve had a much greater chance of success.  

[highonthai]

When is the first flight to the sandbox due to land, and what country will it be from?

I'm hoping the the Tiger will be there to report on the first passengers off loading.

Or will it be a media blackout?

[JamesE]

37 minutes ago, highonthai said:

When is the first flight to the sandbox due to land, and what country will it be from?

I'm hoping the the Tiger will be there to report on the first passengers off loading.

Or will it be a media blackout?

First flight that actually looks like it's on the way is Etihad 430 from Abu Dhabi. Scheduled in at 1020. Two more are on the way from Doha and Tel Aviv.

[highonthai]

James,

Thanks for the info. I did pull up the flight aware page showing the flights to HKT. 

Flight aware

[tron]

Wow i seen like 2-3 articles a day on this samdbox. And 249 people showed up. Phuket is saved

[Objectivance]

10 hours ago, Scott said:

Obviously, the Phuket sandbox reopening scheme will be slow at first.  However, it’s a start and something to build upon.  To be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised that the Thai authorities actually met the July 1 reopening date.  Putting all of the problems aside, they actually got it done! My heart and very best wishes are for the Thai workers in the tourist and hospitality industry.  

Got what done? 

That's like having a grocery list and forgetting all but 2 out of 10 on the list and then saying "well, at least I went to the store."

[EdwardV]

Mostly returning Thais and media influencers. It’s freaking Kabuki dance. Everyone already knows the routine and yet still pretends to be surprised. 

[321BOOM]

34 minutes ago, Objectivance said:

Got what done? 

That's like having a grocery list and forgetting all but 2 out of 10 on the list and then saying "well, at least I went to the store."

Absolute correct.

But that's LOScam, a country run by morons for morons.

They can not organize anything. 'Solly no have' and 'Maybe tomollow' is prevalent. Did anyone really expected something else ?