Airport Link discount fails to pull crowds

Airport Link discount fails to pull crowds

The Airport Rail Link's flat 20-baht fare for its City Line has failed to attract as many passengers as expected, causing the system to run at a loss of almost 2 million baht a month.

Chamroon Tangpaisarnkit, chairman of the SRT Electric Train Co which runs the Airport Rail Link, said the 20-baht discount rate _ which began on Sept 30 and is due to end on Dec 31 for the system's City Line, running between 11am and 2pm _ has only slightly increased the number of passengers using the City Line.

At some times during the operating hours in which the discount has been offered, the City Line has attracted the same number of passengers travelling as before the discounted fare rate was introduced, or 5,000 passengers during the entire period, he said.

The system was running at a loss of about 1.8 million a month.

The company's board would meet on Dec 17 to discuss whether to extend the promotional fare package for the City Line, which runs from Phaya Thai station to Suvarnabhumi airport.

"In past months, we have introduced several promotional packages such as a reduced fare for the Express Line from 90 baht to 45 baht to encourage employees and officials working at Suvarnabhumi airport to use the non-stop rail service during rush hour," Mr Chamroon said.

The pre-flat rate fares for the City Line were between 15 and 45 baht.

"However, [even with the discounted rate] the number of passengers still falls short of the target," he said.

He backed the government's idea to separate SRT Electric Train Co from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), saying his firm needed more flexibility in the way it operated. The company is currently a subsidiary of the SRT.

Transport Minister Chadchat Sittipunt said he would call a meeting with Airport Rail Link executives to discuss problems regarding the flat 20-baht discounted fare.

He wanted to know what caused the system to run at a loss.

The minister said he wanted the 20-baht discounted fare to continue, but further details of the promotional package need to be studied.

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