Air India’s Phuket expansion: A direct challenge to IndiGo’s dominance

Air India, India’s largest international carrier by available seat kilometers (ASK), is expanding its international network with new flights to Phuket, Thailand. The airline will commence operations to Phuket from December 15, 2023, with four weekly flights initially, increasing to daily service from January 8, 2024. Phuket is the first of four new international destinations that Air India plans to launch by the end of March 2024.

Capitalizing on Visa-Free Travel

Thailand has added India to its list of visa-free countries, effective from November 10, 2023, until May 2024. Currently, four Indian carriers, four Thai carriers, and one Bhutanese carrier operate direct flights between India and…