熊本机场运营方计划三年内（FY2030 前）开通至泰国曼谷定期航线，并把国际航线由 6 条扩至 11 条

KUMAMOTO, Japan -- The operator of the privatized Kumamoto Airport, on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, plans to launch scheduled flights to Thailand in three years while exploring routes to Vietnam and other Southeast Asian destinations.
The Kumamoto prefectural airport, located near factories of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Sony Group, currently operates six international routes, connecting to Taiwan and South Korea. Plans are to bring the number to 11.
Its operator, Kyushu Kumamoto International Airport, is now working with airlines and travel agencies on the timing and other details involved in launching a Bangkok route by the fiscal year through March 2030. Charter flights may be operated in advance of the scheduled service.
In addition to the Thai route, "we would like to expand our network to Southeast Asia in the future," said Hideaki Yamakawa, president of Kyushu Kumamoto International Airport. While noting that building trust with airlines takes time, he identified Vietnam and Indonesia as potential destinations for future services.
The airport suffered extensive damage in a 2016 earthquake. It was privatized in 2020, and Kyushu Kumamoto International Airport, whose shareholders include Mitsui Fudosan and major airlines, began to operate the facility. In 2023, the airport opened its current terminal building, which integrates domestic and international flight operations.
Passenger traffic increased to 3.81 million in fiscal 2025 from 2.6 million in fiscal 2022, following the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth was driven by international services, where passenger numbers rose to 640,000 from 20,000. In fiscal 2025, the airport operator recorded its first net profit since full privatization.
The airport aims to increase international passenger traffic by more than 40% from fiscal 2025 levels to 920,000 passengers by fiscal 2029, with some 20% of that being outbound travelers from Japan.
To support the expansion of international services, the airport will bring forward terminal expansion plans originally scheduled for fiscal 2034. With an eye on increasing international routes to eight in the first stage, it will add check-in counters and waiting areas by fiscal 2029.
The airport is also seeking to expand its international cargo business. In 2025, it established a bonded warehouse capable of temporarily storing import and export cargo. In July, the Yatsushiro Customs Branch of Nagasaki Customs assigned a specialist customs examiner dedicated to cargo clearance. The customs office in Nagasaki prefecture, north of Kumamoto, oversees airports in western Kyushu.
In addition to TSMC's and Sony's existing plants, development of new production facilities is underway in the area. "Using a nearby airport can reduce trucking costs and carbon dioxide emissions," Yamakawa said. "Kumamoto Airport can be a viable option for businesses."
On July 28, a decade after the 2016 earthquake, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture.
"We were able to respond smoothly, including confirming the safety of the entire airport facility, such as the terminal building, runway and parking areas," Yamakawa said, adding that there were no injuries among passengers.
"A major factor," he said, "was that the buildings had been designed with earthquakes in mind."