THE Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) has begun offering discounts on service fees and other benefits to airlines that replace flights cancelled in their slots due to schedule changes to encourage faster resumption of flights which in turn increases the number of passengers while reducing revenue loss, Thai Rath newspaper said this morning (Jan. 13)
An airport slot gives an airline the right to take off and land at particular times. These slots may be traded and can be very valuable – one was sold in 2016 for a record amount of $75 million.
Ms. Paweena Jariyathitipong, AOT’s acting director-general, said this measure was approved by the AOT board on Dec. 24, 2025 and is effective during the current high season from Jan. 1 to March 28, 2026.
This step is expected to increase the number of international flights and total passengers at AOT’s six airports – Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Mae Fah Luang in Chiang Rai, Phuket, and Hat Yai.
This will have a positive impact on tourism, employment, and national revenue while reinforcing AOT’s role as a key organisation driving the Thai economy through sustainable aviation, she said.
For the fiscal year 2025 (Oct. 2024 – Sept. 2025), AOT registered total revenue of 33.047.30 billion baht from its aviation operations, an increase of 6.6%; total revenue of 68.586.38 billion baht; net profit of 18.125.20 billion baht; and a total of 788,095 flights, an increase of 7.56%.
Simultaneously, the total number of passengers served reached 125.99 million, an increase of 5.61%, comprising 76,636,387 international passengers and 49,353,118 domestic passengers. This reflects growth aligned with accelerated development of the capacity of AOT’s airports, particularly Suvarnabhumi Airport, which currently handles more than 62 million passengers per year.
Furthermore, AOT continues to upgrade its services, technology, safety, and environmental aspects under the “World Class Hospitality” concept to provide the best travel experience for passengers. This includes improving the management of areas within Suvarnabhumi Airport to streamline the entry and exit processes.
Being added are facial registration points via biometric systems and expanding Auto Channels at immigration checkpoints to speed up the process and accommodate future passenger growth.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Insert – Ms. Paweena Jariyathitipong. All photos – Thai Rath
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