The arrival of Thai Airways International long awaited Airbus A380 are likely to be deploy in priority to Frankfurt, Tokyo and Paris between December and January.
BANGKOK- No decision has been taken yet but Thai Airways International works on optimizing its network for the next winter season. Facing the financial downturn of many economies –including a slowdown in China- Thai Airways International will have to evaluate carefully the needs in each market. Especially as the airline will take delivery and put into service its first Airbus A380.
Addressing the financial challenges facing all airlines, THAI acting president, Chokchai Panyayong, said the company’s profit before taxes and foreign exchange earnings shrank 50% over the last five months. Initial targeted profit for this year is estimated at THB 6 billion (US$ 200 million). Thai Airways executive vice president commercial, Pandit Chanapai, said the adjusted winter timetable will be finalised this month and will see an increase in fleet use to maximize revenues. Frequencies will also be adjusted in weaker markets. Thai Airways already pulled out from Athens two years ago. Reduction in frequencies could now also take place in both Italy and Spain.
Meanwhile, Thai Airways also unveiled the destinations which will most probably be served by the brand-new Airbus A380. The three A380s will arrive by September in the fleet and will first be used to flights to Hong Kong and Singapore before being put in service on long-haul routes. Thai Airways will start serving Frankfurt from December 15, followed by Tokyo by January 16 and Paris by February 16. While the same number of daily frequencies will be kept on Bangkok-Tokyo (three daily flights) and Bangkok-Frankfurt (two daily flights), the total number of frequencies on Bangkok Paris will diminish from 10 to 7 weekly flights.
So far, Thai announced only a new destination for this winter, Sapporo. The new route will be opened by October 30. The airline also mulls out the option to have its new subsidiary Thai Smile taking over from next year all the flights to destinations within the Mekong area, Vietnam excepted. Thai Smile started its operations on Saturday July 7, with the launching of its first service to Macau.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
