Thai Airways restructures plans to get back in black

[reader]

From Khaosod English / Thaiger

Thai Airways announced it is renting three more planes and hiring 600 more staff this year as part of its restructuring plans.

After cutting costs, selling stock, chasing debts, and distributing plane seats, Thai Airways’ turnover rate in the third quarter of this year is expected to increase. Not only that, the President of the Reorganisation Committee of the Thai Airways International Public Company, Piyasavat Amranand, says he expects the company to be back in black within the next two years.

Piyasavat added that Thai Smile Airways, a subsidiary of Thai Airways, has seen an increase in passengers. He said the number of passengers is at about 80% of the pre-Covid-19 days.

The president said Thai Airways needed more personnel, especially ground staff, in response to the increasing number of passengers. So, he made known that they would outsource 600 staff to fill vacancies in the ground service area, cargo department, and kitchen. The number of company staff will be raised to 15,000 next year.

The company is also expecting more travellers from India, and European countries as Thailand approaches its high season from October to December.

Moreover, Thai Airways will resume direct flights from Bangkok to Milan, Italy, and Bangkok to Oslo, Norway, by the end of this year or the beginning of next year, and increase flights from Bangkok to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from four to seven flights per week.

Piyasavat believes Thai Airways will be back in black and on track by 2024 and end its reorganisation plan in 2025.

[reader]

NOTE -- I recall that Thai rejected higher offers in the pass because they did not deem bid high enough.

From the Thaiger

Thai Airways sells five Airbus A340s stored away for 13 years

Thai Airways has found a buyer for five dusty Airbus A340s which have gone unused for 13 years. Thailand’s flag carrier has sold one A340-500 and four A340-600 planes for a total of 350 million baht.

The buyer – whose identity remains disclosed – has already signed the paperwork finalising the deal, according to Chief Technical Officer of Thai Airways Cherdphan Chotikhun. The transaction will go through once it is approved by Thailand’s Minister of Transport, said Cherdphan.

Since Thai Airways entered its debt rehabilitation programme two years ago, the airline has sold a total of 16 decomissioned planes. Prior to the most recent sale one A340-500 and four A340-600s, THAI sold one Boeing 737-400 and ten Boeing 737-400 planes, amounting to two billion baht.

Cherdphan admitted that the airline struggled to shift the decomissioned A340s and there are still four more aircraft of the same spec for sale. THAI is currently engaging in discussions with prospective buyers for the remaining four A340s, said Cherdphan.

===============================

From The Thaiger

Thai AirAsia X to launch two Thailand – Australia routes

Budget airline Thai AirAsia X will launch two direct routes between Thailand and Australia in December. The airline will fly from Bangkok to both Melbourne and Sydney, beginning December 1 and 2 this year, respectively.

The Bangkok to Sydney route will fly four times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The Bangkok to Melbourne route will fly thrice a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

An 337-seat Airbus A330 will serve both routes with 12 Business Class seats and 365 Economy Class seats.

Tickets are already on sale, with one-way economy fares from Melbourne to Bangkok starting from $299 AUD (7,552 Thai baht). A one-way Business Class ticket on a premium flatbed costs $1,199 AUD (30,293 Thai baht).