First Norse Atlantic flight from London to Bangkok: euphoria at the reception!

First Norse Atlantic flight from London to Bangkok: euphoria at the reception!

The Thailand Tourism Authority (TAT) is celebrating a significant milestone: On October 27, 2025, the first Norse Atlantic Airways flight from London-Gatwick landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. As part of a festive welcome ceremony, the arriving passengers were surprised with souvenirs. The new flight service forms part of the 2025/2026 winter timetable and promises to offer a total of 99 flights by April 12, 2026.

In the current winter schedule, the airline initially flies two to three times a week in October and November, then increases the frequency to four to five flights per week from December to April.
As TAT ​​representative Ms. Suladda Sarutilavan emphasizes, the new connection shows Thailand's commitment to intensifying the long-haul market from Europe in order to boost tourism.

Shorter routes to Thailand

Norse Atlantic Airways, which was only founded in 2021, uses the modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which is equipped with 338 seats, for its flights. These modern machines offer passengers a pleasant travel experience. “We have a good knack for doing business with European tourists,” continues Sarutilavan. This is also reflected in the airline's decision to introduce five additional seasonal routes to Thailand.

In addition to flights from London Gatwick, new services will also be offered from Manchester, Stockholm and Oslo, with the Manchester-Bangkok route flying weekly from November 26 until March 2026. This is particularly pleasing as Manchester is the only airport outside of London with direct flights to Thailand.

Invitation to travelers

The TAT has set ambitious targets to attract 1.13 million travelers from the UK to Thailand by the end of 2025, which could bring the nation an estimated 70.46 billion baht in tourism revenue. Between January 1 and October 20, 2025, over 805,000 British tourists have already visited the country, an increase of 13.2% compared to the previous year. Pre-bookings also show increasing trends: growth of 10% in the last quarter of 2025 and 13% in the first quarter of 2026 is expected.

But that's not all: Condé Nast Traveler UK's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards ranked Thailand highly in several categories, highlighting the nation's numerous Asian islands, world-class spas and luxury hotels. Famous travel destinations such as Ko Lanta, Ko Chang, Phuket and Ko Samui are particularly popular.

Long-term perspectives

The Thai government's “Big Impact, Act Fast” strategy aims to increase international arrivals. This approach is intended not only to stimulate the economy, but also to revitalize tourism in Thailand. There is a return to normality, even after mass tourism in Thailand, which began in the 1970s during the Vietnam War, suffered heavy losses due to the pandemic.

With the new flights and the steady growth in the number of visitors from various countries, Thailand shows that the country is ready to present itself as a premier tourist destination again. All of this suggests that Thailand is on a promising path to maintaining strong appeal in the years to come. It will be interesting to see what further developments the winter service season will bring with it!