THAI looks to add 9 more aircraft

[reader]

From Thai PBS World

Thai Airways aircrafts and other carriers are parked at the tarmac of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport

Thailand’s embattled national carrier, Thai Airways International Plc (THAI), said it was looking to add 9 more aircraft to its fleet as its passenger load factor continues to rise.

THAI, which is still undergoing its bankruptcy restructuring process after its already loss-making business was severely impacted by the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020, said it was looking to bring into service some of the parked aircrafts it has in its fleet and it was also looking to lease as many as 4 Airbus A350-900s during 2023.

Suvadhana Sibunruang, the acting Chief Executive Officer of THAI, said the plan was to bring in service as many as 5 (badly) parked aircrafts that can be seen at Suvarnabhumi Airport tarmac, into service.

The 5 aircrafts that are set to leave the tarmac after nearly 2-years of being parked and their engines and other parts not being covered properly, are 3 widebody Airbus A330-300s and 2 widebody Boeing 777-200ERs.

THAI has parked many of its aircrafts at Suvarnabhumi Airport for the past 2-years and many of these aircrafts have not been properly covered to prevent corrosion, unlike other airlines that sealed their aircrafts during the pandemic in order to avoid corrosion in the humid climate of Southeast Asia.

THAI, whose shares continue to be suspended from trading on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), said that it aims to add these aircrafts to popular routes such as Japan, Korea, Singapore and many cities in Europe including preparing to support the return of Chinese tourists in the very near future.

Currently THAI has 61 aircrafts that are in operation including:

• 12 Airbus A350s
• 4 Boeing B777-200ERs
• 17 Boeing B777-300ERs
• 8 Boeing B787s
• 20 Airbus A320-200 aircraft for Thai Smile Airways.

At present, Thai Airways also plans to procure 10 additional aircrafts for THAI Smile Airways, which will focus on aircraft such as Boeing B777.

Up for Sale

THAI, Suvadhana said, still has assets in the category of aircraft up for sale, with as many as 22 aircrafts that are on the block, which is still in the process of negotiating with potential buyers.

The aircrafts up for sale are:

• 6 Airbus A380s
• 2 Airbus A340-500s
• 2 Airbus A340-600s
• 6 Boeing B777-300s
• 6 Boeing B777-200s

Previously, 19 aircrafts have been sold, pending delivery, including:

• 1 Airbus A300-600
• 1 Boeing B737-100
• 12 Boeing B747-400
• 1 Airbus A340-500
• 1Airbus A340-600

There are also 5 aircraft that have already been transferred to the loan guarantors, namely 4 Airbus A330s parked at Suvarnabhumi Airport and 1 Airbus A330 parked at Don Mueang Airport.

However previously, THAI planned to refurbish 6 Airbus A380 aircraft that are parked but have not yet been sold in order to accommodate higher passenger travel. THAI says that such type of aircraft can accommodate a large number of passengers, but Airbus has said that trying to fly an aircraft of such size that has been parked for 2 years would be time-consuming to bring them back to flying condition.

THAI said that it could take time to check the condition, and various checks could take up to about 7-8 months in order to be ready to return to fly safely, and the cost of such a move would be in billions of Baht.

 

 

[PeterRS]

12 hours ago, reader said:

THAI has parked many of its aircrafts at Suvarnabhumi Airport for the past 2-years and many of these aircrafts have not been properly covered to prevent corrosion, unlike other airlines that sealed their aircrafts during the pandemic in order to avoid corrosion in the humid climate of Southeast Asia.

This seems to me almost criminal on the part of the THAI authorities. During covid Cathay sent its unused aircraft to dessert locations in Australia and the USA where there is virtually no moisture in the air. With the high annual humidity in Bangkok and being close to salt water droplets being blown in from the ocean, who knows what disasters face these aircraft down the road?

[TMax]

Singapore airlines also sent some aircraft to the very dry Alice Springs (Australia) plane storage facilities during the covid down period.

Something that annoys me is the Thai Airways Perth to Bangkok and Brisbane to Bangkok services have been cancelled and yet at the same time they introduced an extra daily service from Melbourne to Bangkok making that 2 flights daily out of Melbourne. My thoughts are that they needed the extra aircraft and crew for the added Melbourne flights so closed down the other two routes and they won't say (or refuse to say) when or even if they will restart Perth and Brisbane. From an insider I know at Perth airport they say the 3 months mid year that Thai did resume the Perth flights they were full and yet we got shafted and not in the sexually pleasant way either. Singapore airlines are looking to be the favourites for my future trips but they are via Singapore and not direct, then again that could also allow for a few nights stopover in Singapore.