Passenger service charge (PSC) for international departures are set to increase from 730 baht to 1,120 baht starting June 20, following approval from the Ministry of Transport of Thailand.
Airports of Thailand (AOT) president Paweena Jariyathitipong announced yesterday, May 6, that the revised passenger service charge (PSC) had officially received approval after earlier plans were proposed in February. The PSC for domestic passengers will remain unchanged at 130 baht per person.
The announcement prompted concerns among travellers about rising air ticket prices. Paweena acknowledged that the increase in the Thailand airport passenger fee would inevitably affect airfare costs.
However, she stated that AOT had conducted studies in line with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) before approving the adjustment. The revised charges were calculated based on operational costs and factual financial assessments.
Earlier reports indicated that AOT expects the higher PSC rate to generate more than 10 billion baht in additional revenue. Some members of the public speculated that the increase was intended to compensate for revenue losses after King Power cancelled its duty-free concession agreement with AOT.
Paweena denied the claim and said the additional income would instead be used to improve airport facilities and passenger services across the country. She added that travellers would ultimately benefit from the upgrades funded through the increased fees.
Paweena also stated that studies conducted by AOT and other organisations suggested the higher passenger service charge would not significantly affect travellers’ decisions to fly. She argued that fuel prices have a greater impact on airfare costs than the PSC increase.
The Thailand airport passenger fee increase comes alongside broader airport expansion plans announced by AOT. Paweena informed Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn that several major airport expansion projects are expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval this year.
The projects include expansion projects at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Don Mueang International Airport, and Phuket International Airport. The plans are expected to proceed under a budget of around 80 billion baht.
Paweena also confirmed that AOT has secured funding for the projects and currently holds approximately 10 billion baht in cash reserves.
In a separate aviation-related proposal, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports previously suggested introducing a 1,000-baht exit fee for Thai citizens travelling overseas. Officials stated the proposed fee would be used to support domestic tourism projects.
However, the Association of Thai Travel Agents opposed the proposal, arguing that the measure could reduce demand for international flights and negatively affect aviation businesses. It remains unclear whether the Cabinet will approve the proposed outbound travel fee.
The story Airports of Thailand confirms higher international passenger fee from June 20 as seen on Thaiger News.
