(March 19): Bangkok Airways Pcl is gearing up to order as many as 30 new aircraft as it renews its aging fleet and plans for a tourism boost driven by the popularity of television series the White Lotus.

The mid-sized Thai carrier plans to tap planemakers Airbus SE, Boeing Co and Embraer SA for at least 20 single-aisle jets in the first half of the year, with options to order about 10 more, said chief executive officer Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth. Its goal is to grow its fleet to at least 30 jets in the next four to five years, including the lease of some aircraft, he said.

“We need to grow and a new aircraft fleet would be mandatory,” Puttipong said in an interview. The carrier currently flies 25 jets, some of which are already 20 years old.

Bangkok Airways operates routes between Bangkok and major tourist destinations including Koh Samui, one of the filming locations for the latest season of White Lotus and where the carrier owns the airport. The show is expected to drive an influx of tourists to Thailand, with the government predicting a record 40 million visitors to the country this year.

Puttipong said the carrier has already seen a 14% increase in advanced flight bookings for the second quarter, bucking the typically low season in the Thai tourism calendar.

Bangkok Airways is set to see 10% to 20% more passengers than last year’s 2.7 million on its routes to Koh Samui, according to Puttipong. The carrier’s ownership of the island’s airport gives it a virtual monopoly of flights to the holiday hotspot.

With the uptick in traffic, the company is set to start a 1.5 billion baht (US$45 million or RM198.12 million) renovation of the Samui airport in the second half of this year, he said. The project is expected to last for three years and the airport will continue to operate during that time. Bangkok Air has secured approval to increase the number of flights to 73 from 50 per day.

In total, the carrier is expected to fly a record 4.7 million passengers this year, up from 4.3 million in 2024, Puttipong said.

Uploaded by Jason Ng