Niche air operator to expand its fleet

The nine-seat aircraft will join, in the middle of next year, anoth-er nine-seat plane and a smaller model with only four seats.

General manager Stiphan Beher said the company is focusing on high-end customers, such as celebrities, as well as niche mar-kets like photo and video shoots and exotic air tours.

Its floatplane service operates from Phuket International Airport to the Phi Phi Islands, Muk Island, Lanta Island, Phulay Bay and other island destinations and resorts on the mainland.

The airline was established in 2007 by Destination Air, which is owned by local resort owner and developer Destination Properties.

The airline would add more destinations such as Similan Island next month and was negotiating code sharing with national carrier Thai Airways International.

"We are offering tailor-made services so the service rate depends on distance and season and length of service," Beher said.

Although its rates are much higher than ferries or cruises con-necting the islands, business is good because its target market cares little about how much travel costs, but more about how time can be used efficiently, he said.

A one-way trip from Phuket to Phi Phi costs Bt5,000 and to Lanta Island Bt10,250. A charter flight from Phuket to Muk runs at Bt69,000.

About 70 per cent of the airline's customers are from overseas.

It serves 60 to 70 travellers per day in the high season and about 10 in the off season.