Indonesia AirAsia opens first route connecting Bali with Phuket

The route will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, using an Airbus A320 aircraft with 180 seats, the airline said.

The inaugural flight was launched on Aug. 10 with 160 passengers, Antara News Agency reported.

Data from Indonesia's Central Bureau of Statistics said the number of Thai tourists to Bali has increased by 83% year-on-year to around 111,800 arrivals.

So far this year, Thailand recorded 536,700 arrivals from Indonesia, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. By year-end, the number is expected to reach 800,000 travelers, generating at least 21.46 billion baht (US$613 million).

Currently, AirAsia operates 38 weekly flights to Bangkok from Jakarta, Medan, and Denpasar.