Air India Express (IX) has announced the suspension of its non-stop flight between Amritsar (ATQ) and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK), effective August 2025. This decision follows a continued struggle with low passenger demand and a passenger load factor (PLF) that failed to meet expectations. Between January and May 2025, the route carried only 16,993 passengers, resulting in a disappointing PLF of 67.27%. This marks a significant setback for Southeast Asia connectivity from Amritsar, a city known for its religious and cultural significance, and highlights challenges airlines face in maintaining sustainable international routes.

As the demand for flights on this route has remained weak, Air India Express has decided to close bookings beyond July 30, 2025. This follows similar moves by other airlines such as Batik Air Malaysia, which is also exiting the Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Amritsar (ATQ) sector. Both airlines’ departures signal a growing concern regarding the long-term viability of direct Southeast Asia services from Amritsar, particularly in light of fluctuating passenger flows and structural market challenges.

Key Details of the Suspension:

• Route Affected: Amritsar (ATQ) to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK)
• Suspension Date: Effective August 2025, with flight bookings closed after July 30, 2025
• Passenger Load Factor: 67.27% between January and May 2025
• Total Passengers: 16,993 passengers transported during the period
• Route Challenges: Low demand, lack of premium business traffic, and weak onward connectivity

The suspension of the Amritsar to Bangkok route underscores the difficulties of operating international flights on non-hub routes, where reliance on point-to-point traffic often leads to instability and poor profitability. As a result, airlines must reconsider their strategies to maintain profitable international services from cities like Amritsar.

Challenges Faced by Air India Express on the Amritsar-Bangkok Route

Despite the competitive fares offered by Air India Express, the Amritsar-Bangkok route continued to underperform, leading to the eventual suspension. The route’s failure to achieve consistent passenger numbers is attributed to several key factors, including price sensitivity, low premium and business class demand, and minimal onward connectivity options for passengers traveling beyond Bangkok.

Low Yield and Inconsistent Demand

The average return fare on the Amritsar-Bangkok route ranged from US$170 to US$220, indicating low yields for the airline. These low fares, while attractive to leisure travelers, failed to generate enough revenue to cover the operational costs of the route, especially with low load factors.

The route also lacked a strong base of business travelers, who typically generate higher revenue for airlines, further compounding the airline’s financial challenges. Additionally, the absence of connecting flights to other Southeast Asian destinations made the service reliant solely on point-to-point demand, which proved insufficient to sustain profitability.

Seasonal Fluctuations and Dependence on Leisure Travel

The performance of the Amritsar-Bangkok route was heavily influenced by seasonal fluctuations. The peak periods, typically driven by leisure travelers, group bookings, and seasonal tours, saw brief spikes in demand. However, during the off-season, demand dropped significantly, leading to unstable traffic patterns. The lack of a consistent, year-round demand for flights has made it difficult for Air India Express to keep the route economically viable.

This situation was further exacerbated by weak onward connectivity from Bangkok, which hindered the ability of the airline to capture additional traffic from passengers traveling to other parts of Southeast Asia or connecting destinations.

Air India Express Shifts Focus to More Viable Routes

In response to the ongoing challenges, Air India Express will continue to operate routes from Pune (PNQ), Surat (STV), and Lucknow (LKO) to Bangkok, cities that show more consistent and stable demand. These routes, which feature stronger diaspora links, business traffic, and better year-round demand, have been deemed more commercially viable. By focusing on these markets, Air India Express aims to strengthen its position in the Southeast Asia market and reduce its reliance on underperforming routes.

Additionally, Air India Express has restructured its network to cater more effectively to profitable international sectors, leveraging better demand balance, stronger traffic flows, and improved yield management. These changes are expected to provide the airline with a more sustainable route network, while improving overall profitability.

Competitive Landscape and Regional Airline Challenges

Air India Express is not the only carrier to face difficulties on the Amritsar-Southeast Asia route. Thai Lion Air, which operates four weekly services between Amritsar and Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK), has also experienced lackluster performance. From November 2024 to May 2025, Thai Lion Air carried 26,775 passengers, achieving a PLF of only 63.09%, despite a temporary boost in traffic during the peak travel months of March and April. This mirrors the struggles of Air India Express, with both airlines seeing similar challenges in maintaining consistent demand.

The reliance on tourist traffic, especially during peak periods, without a solid base of repeat business customers or premium-class demand, has made the Amritsar-Southeast Asia routes financially unfeasible for these carriers. The absence of strong connecting networks at either end of the routes, compounded by a lack of hub connectivity, has further amplified the challenges of sustaining long-haul services from smaller, non-hub cities like Amritsar.

Southeast Asia Connectivity: A Continued Challenge for Amritsar

The suspension of Air India Express flights from Amritsar to Bangkok highlights a broader trend in the region: despite the growing demand for international travel, smaller cities outside of India’s major hubs struggle to maintain profitable international routes. Southeast Asia remains a popular destination for Indian travelers, especially for tourism, business, and cultural exchanges. However, as seen with Amritsar’s declining flight numbers, the viability of such routes is hindered by several market realities, including:

• Point-to-Point Traffic Dependency: Airlines operating direct flights without onward connectivity face greater difficulty in sustaining profitable routes.
• Price Sensitivity: With low average ticket prices, it is harder for airlines to generate sufficient revenue to cover operational costs.
• Seasonality: The fluctuating demand tied to peak travel seasons, without consistent year-round traffic, makes it difficult for airlines to rely on such routes for profitability.

These challenges highlight the need for strategic adjustments by both carriers and airports to ensure sustained connectivity between smaller cities and Southeast Asia. A potential solution lies in developing stronger regional alliances, improving hub connectivity, and creating tailored marketing efforts that target the right customer segments.

The Future of Amritsar’s International Connectivity

As the suspension of Air India Express’s Amritsar-Bangkok flight makes clear, airlines must carefully evaluate the demand dynamics and long-term sustainability of routes before launching or maintaining international services. While Amritsar holds cultural and religious significance, which draws many tourists, the city’s role as an international hub is still evolving.

To succeed in the future, Amritsar’s international routes will need to address the challenges of low yield, seasonal fluctuations, and limited onward connectivity. Airport authorities and airlines may need to collaborate on creating more sustainable travel patterns, focusing on stronger demand segments, including business travel, and leveraging better connectivity options at both departure and destination points.

Conclusion: Strategic Shifts for Long-Term Success

The suspension of the Amritsar to Bangkok flight by Air India Express and the withdrawal of other regional carriers from Southeast Asia routes reflects broader industry challenges. As the market for international travel continues to evolve, especially from smaller cities like Amritsar, airlines must implement more nuanced strategies to ensure the profitability of their services.

By focusing on more commercially viable routes and adjusting their offerings to align with sustainable demand patterns, airlines can improve their long-term success in this competitive sector. For Amritsar, the road ahead will require better connectivity options, strategic partnerships, and a more diversified approach to market development if it is to secure its place in Southeast Asia’s bustling travel market.