Thai Vietjet: Flights to Japan postponed – big compensation for passengers!

Thai Vietjet: Flights to Japan postponed – big compensation for passengers!

In the turbulent aviation business, changes are the order of the day. So did Nation of Thailand reports that airline Thai Vietjet is facing a delay in its operating plans caused by the US government. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stopped issuing new aircraft certificates, delaying delivery of the new Boeing 737-8 aircraft. This means that the direct flights from Bangkok to Tokyo (Narita) and Osaka, originally planned for December 2025, will have to be postponed to mid-January 2026.

Perhaps the affected passengers are not entirely dissatisfied, as Thai Vietjet offers alternative travel options via Taiwan to Osaka or via Vietnam to Tokyo. For any inconvenience, all affected travelers will receive a 2,000 baht gift voucher and the option to rebook their tickets or use them as travel credit for future flights.

Increase in tourist numbers in Japan

Despite these challenges, the tourism sector in Asia is showing a green light. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported that 28,383,600 foreign tourists visited Japan in 2025 through August, an increase of 18.2% compared to the previous year. Among these tourists, Thais ranked sixth with 764,600 visitors, representing a welcome increase of 8.2% compared to the same period last year. The increase is particularly noticeable in August, where 35,500 Thai tourists visited Japan, an increase of 2.4% compared to August last year.

The top five countries of origin that visited Japan in the first part of 2025 are:

• China: 6.711.600 Besucher (+46,1%)
• Südkorea: 6.123.100 (+5,4%)
• Taiwan: 4.509.700 (+9,6%)
• Vereinigte Staaten: 2.173.000 (+22,9%)
• Hongkong: 1.673.200 (–7,1%)

Fight for tourists in Southeast Asia

While Japan is thriving, Thailand is also struggling with a decline in foreign tourist arrivals. How Weekly flash reported, the number of visitors fell by 6% to 19.29 million in the first seven months of 2025. Competition from neighboring countries such as China, Japan and Vietnam is becoming ever stronger, forcing Thailand to improve its attractiveness.

The Thai government plans to improve its marketing strategies and create new incentives to attract visitors to the country. It's a race against time to avoid being overshadowed by those who call the shots in tourism. The first seven months have shown that in addition to the traditional beaches and nightlife, new attractions and experiences are also in demand.

To encourage the influx of tourists from Japan, Thai Vietjet recently extended its partnership with JNTO and is offering a special discount code (JPN500). This offers a 500 THB discount for flights between Thailand and Japan and is valid until October 31, 2025. At the same time, daily flights are offered from Bangkok to Fukuoka and several times a week from Chiang Mai to Osaka.

Overall, the signs for tourism in Thailand and Japan point to competition. It remains exciting to see how developments will affect both markets.