Nok Air flew from Bangkok to Mae Hong Son Airport in northern Thailand for the ultimate time yesterday, bidding farewell to the route for good. The province, house to the popular backpacker town Pai, is now only accessible by highway since Nok Air was the only airline servicing the airport commercially.
Governor of Mae Hong Son province Chettha Mosikarat, Tourism Authority of Thailand officers, and Mae Hong Son Airport employees welcomed eighty four passengers and handed out souvenirs as they stepped off the aircraft yesterday.
The airline said they’ll no longer fly the Don Mueang – Mae Hong Son route because they’re bidding farewell to their fleet of Q400 plane (86-seat turboprops) and swapping them for Boeing 787-800 jets (189 seaters).
Senior President of the Mae Hong Son Chamber of Commerce, Chanakhet Boonyakhan, said that a 737-800 jet could land on the runway at Mae Hong Son Airport, which is 30 metres by 2000 metres. After all, Thai Airways used to fly a 747-400 plane, one other massive jet, to Mae Hong Son with no drawback.
However, the cost-effectiveness of servicing the route with a 189-seat aircraft is low. The 80-seat flights are often full, but the demand just isn’t larger than that, said Chanakhet. There should be a minimum of one hundred individuals on the flight to make it cost-effective.
Bangkok Airways’ ATR-72 propeller planes, with round 70 seats, can be suitable to fly to Mae Hong Son province, mentioned Chanakhet.
Now, the province can only be accessed by car on three routes, namely 1) Chiang Mai – Pai – Mae Hong Son (1095), 2) Chiang Mai – Hod – Mae Sariang – Mae Hong Son (108), and 3) Chiang Mai – Doi Inthanon – Mae Chaem – Khun Yuam – Mae Hong Son (1263).
Controversial trying to journey to Pai take a minivan from Chiang Mai, which is way cheaper than flying and only takes two to three hours.
However, taking anti-car sickness medicine (which could be bought at 7-Eleven) is very really helpful on the steep and winding road up into the mountains, which incorporates 762 turns..