Tour operators challenge Phuket airport restriction on charter-flight counters
Operators handling Russian charter flights say Phuket airport’s ban on temporary passenger-service counters is disrupting group arrivals. The airport says it has explained its terminal-space guidelines.
Tour operators handling charter flights from Russia have complained about a restriction on temporary passenger-service counters at Phuket International Airport, saying it has disrupted arrangements used for group arrivals for almost a decade.
About 10 companies are reportedly affected. Operators said each charter flight carries between 300 and 400 passengers, with 10 to 20 such flights arriving daily, and that numbers rise during the high season.
The temporary counters were used as meeting points where guides could display signs, check passenger names and group numbers, and organise transfers to hotel buses. Operators said the counters were installed only during the arrival process, usually for two to three hours, and were removed after passengers boarded their buses. Companies rented the space for the facilities.
The operators said the restriction was introduced this year after Karan Thanakuljeerapat became Phuket airport’s general manager, having transferred from Chiang Mai Airport. They said they were told that temporary counters were not allowed at Chiang Mai Airport and could affect the terminal’s appearance.
The companies argued that Phuket’s larger tourism volumes and charter-flight operations, particularly during the peak season, made the same approach unsuitable. They also questioned why a previously proposed meeting to find a mutually acceptable arrangement had apparently been abandoned. The operators said they were later informed that even small tables or counters would be prohibited.
Representatives of tourism service companies met Karan and other airport executives on 2 November 2026 to discuss the use of terminal space for collecting passengers arriving on charter flights.
In a statement after the meeting, Phuket International Airport said it had explained its guidelines for managing terminal space, including requirements to maintain order, ensure areas were used for their intended purposes, and protect passenger convenience and safety. The representatives acknowledged the guidelines and expressed a willingness to cooperate, the airport said.
The airport added that it valued feedback from tourism operators and relevant agencies and would continue improving its services and management of airport space ahead of the tourist season. The statement did not specify whether the restriction had changed, whether temporary counters would be allowed under revised arrangements, or what alternative facilities might be available.
