Phuket Airport Plans to Remove Tour Operators’ Desks from International Arrivals Hall

Phuket International Airport has announced plans to remove tour operators’ reception desks from the international arrivals hall, where companies have traditionally used temporary counters to meet organised groups of tourists.

The issue has sparked objections from representatives of the tourism industry, particularly companies serving the Russian market. Following complaints and media coverage, reports emerged that the airport had agreed to postpone the removal for 30 days. However, neither Phuket authorities nor the airport management has officially confirmed the reported arrangement. As of November 3, the matter remains unresolved.

The dispute began after the airport’s new director ordered the removal of desks used by tour operators to receive passengers arriving on charter flights from various countries.

For more than a decade, tourism companies had rented designated spaces where their representatives could check passenger lists and direct arriving visitors to the appropriate transfer buses. The temporary desks were set up for a few hours to serve specific flights and removed afterwards.

The airport’s new management reportedly considers the existing arrangement incompatible with its approach to passenger convenience, safety and the organisation of passenger flows.

More than ten tour operators working with the Russian market raised concerns about the decision. Their representatives argued that large groups of arriving passengers need a dedicated area where staff can coordinate transfers. Without such facilities, they warned, tourists could be assigned to the wrong buses, causing confusion and delays in departures to hotels.

Some industry representatives also criticised the new airport director, Karan Thanakunchiraphat, who previously headed Chiang Mai International Airport. They argued that an approach used in Chiang Mai was being applied to Phuket without sufficient consideration of the island’s charter tourism market.

On Monday, November 2, representatives of tourism companies met with airport management. The airport confirmed that the meeting took place at 8:30am and focused on the use of space for handling passengers arriving on charter flights.

Airport officials explained that the proposed changes were intended to improve passenger flow management, convenience and safety. Following the discussions, company representatives expressed their willingness to cooperate with the airport administration.

Although the airport's official statement did not disclose specific terms of any agreement, Thai media reports said management had agreed to maintain the existing arrangement for another 30 days.

According to those reports, the additional period would allow the airport to develop a standard design for reception desks. Tour operators would then be invited to produce their own counters in accordance with the approved design, potentially allowing them to continue renting space under revised conditions.

The airport has not officially confirmed these reported details.