Rewritten by ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
Qantas offshoot Jetstar is reconnecting Bangkok with Brisbane via a direct service from December.
Jetstar will fly the route three times a week as of December 13 using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner; the direct flight duration will be just over eight hours, about half the current indirect travel time.
The new service is forecast to bring in more than 190,000 new inbound seats to Queensland over three years, worth $116 million in visitor spending and creating up to 630 jobs.
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The service will depart Brisbane at 2.20pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from December 13 and return at 8.25am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
“We are delighted to be reconnecting … Queensland and Thailand. This route has been the most frequently requested in comments on Brisbane Airport’s social media accounts over the past two years,” said Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaf.
“A direct flight makes it easier for families and friends to connect and provides greater opportunities for Queensland exporters with up to 15 tonnes of freight capacity on every service.”
The new route is part of a major expansion of Jetstar’s Brisbane operations after the airline signed a deal with the airport in 2023. The agreement has unlocked 500,000 new low fares seats a year with direct flights from Brisbane to Tokyo (Narita), Osaka (Kansai), Seoul (Incheon) and Auckland.
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Qld Tourism Minister Michael Healy says the news “is terrific” given record numbers of visitors from Thailand making their way to Queensland.
“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,” he said.
Air freight from Brisbane to Thailand hit a record $46.5 million last year so the return flights will be terrific for our meat, fish, fruit and vegetable exporters.
Jetstar Group CEO Steph Tully said they expect the new route to prove “incredibly popular”.
“This is our 20th Brisbane route in what is Jetstar’s 20th year of flying and we’re focused on delivering for our customers with more new routes and new aircraft on the way.”
The new service marks the resumption of a direct Queensland-Thailand service since Thai Airways ceased flights on March 29, 2020, due to the pandemic.
The route is supported by the Qld Attracting Aviation Investment Fund.