Opodo Travel News announced that Air Berlin will add an extra weekly flight into Phuket toward the end of this year.

A new Airbus A330-200 aircraft will be stationed at Berlin-Tegel airport to fly the sector.

Air Berlin currently has a flight leaving Berlin every Monday afternoon, arriving into Phuket Tuesday mornings.

Joachim Hunold who is Air Berlin’s chief executive officer, says the additional long-haul service to Phuket “reflects desire to make the most of this market opportunity and will strengthen the airline’s position in Berlin for years to come.”

And the Bangkok Post reports that Mohan Air has organised new charter flights between Teheran and Phuket for Iran’s New Year festival in March, with three flights carrying 1,300 visitors to the resort island as Phuket’s high season wanes into low.

Mohan Air is also said to be planning more direct flights to Phuket “later”, while Iran is scheduling an increase in the number of its weekly flights to Bangkok to three from the current two.