Ten airlines operating or set to start - THAI not one of them

 

Picture: Komchadluek

 

Full details have emerged of the ten airlines that are now operating or set to start what is known as "semi-commercial flights" into Thailand after the pandemic shutdown. These are part of the Alternative State Quarantine program.

 

Citing information from the Thai Ministry of Transport, Komchadluek said the airlines granted permission and details of their flights were as follows

 

1. Emirate EK 384 daily

2. Qatar QR 830 and QR 836 daily

3. Etihad EY 406 daily

4. Cathay Pacific 653 started on October 7th and has four flights weekly

5. Singapore SQ 476 started October 16th with three weekly flights

6. Lufthansa LH 772 also started on the 16th three times weekly

7. Swiss International LX 180 started on the 17th three times weekly

8. Austrian OS 025  started on the 17th three times weekly

9. EVA BR 211 will start twice weekly from Sunday 25th October

10. KLM will also start on Sunday.

 

Komchadluek also reported that there are no semi-commercial flights offered by THAI who are only operating special flights at this time.

 

Source: Komchadluek

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-10-22

 

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Busy selling donuts, that's why.

4 hours ago, faraday said:

Busy selling donuts, that's why.

If there's a chance of revenue, why is Thai not on the list/first to join the list?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Ten airlines operating or set to start - THAI not one of them

Busy making donuts?

TG916/917 LHR is now every Sunday since 4 Oct and not just 3 times a month. It has been directly bookable since late September as the Embassy no longer collates the names of people wanting repatriation and sending the names to Thai to complete the booking process. Now you book the flight and then sort out the CoE etc with the embassy. Non Thais have been moving over to the ME3 carriers and Lufthansa as CoEs were formally being issued on these carriers from 25 Sept, Emirates was earlier. Still no news on EVA flying LHR - BKK. BA has been rumoured to be lobbying the CAAT for permission to resume passengers flights and has been operating cargo only flights regularly since April.

For months there has been a tsunami of complaints from Thais in the UK about the limited number of flights from London and the monthly contest on who can get into the Embassy web site to reserve a seat on the repat flights when booking opened. The September flights were full within 5 minutes. I managed to get in quick. One of the flights in August had 34 no shows  from 260 bookings due to problems with the process and particularly with payment to Thai Air. This could only be done via bank transfer.

Thai is scared that their planes will never leave foreign soil.

57 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Busy making donuts?

That's the hole problem.????

I wish they wouldn't invent terms like "semi-commercial flights".  It sounds a lot like English, but has no real meaning as far as I can see. These are just commercial flights that have restrictions on who can fly on the inbound portion.

1 hour ago, AlfHuy said:

Thai is scared that their planes will never leave foreign soil.

 

The talk is that Thai will run out of cash in December unless it gets a large injection from somewhere or more large staff reductions. Don't forget that the Thai government is no longer the majority shareholder.

News from Thai

 

From the UK, THAI will operate special/repatriation flights for passengers that meet the entry regulations for the Kingdom of Thailand, every Sunday and until the end of December 2020

 

- TG917 (London to Bangkok), on 18th and 25th October, 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th November, 6th 13th, 20th and 27th December.

 

In addition, there will be special flights from Bangkok to London, departing every Sunday:

 

- TG916 on 18th and 25th October, 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th November, 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th December.

 

Please note that these flights can only be booked directly with THAI, through or website or, if using existing tickets or travel vouchers through this online form.

 

Furthermore, throughout December, THAI is planning to operate special passenger flights on the following routes:

 

- TG475/TG476 - Bangkok/Sydney/Bangkok. One weekly return flight.

- TG632/TG633 - Bangkok/Taipei/Bangkok. One weekly return flight.

- TG638/TG639 - Bangkok/Hong Kong/Bangkok. One weekly return flight.

- TG642/TG643 - Bangkok/Tokyo (Narita)/Bangkok. Two weekly return flights.

- TG922/TG923 - Bangkok/Frankfurt/Bangkok. One weekly return flight.

- TG950/Tg951 - Bangkok/Copenhagen/Bangkok. One weekly return flight.

Finally tracked down the rumour I'd heard a couple of months ago that Thai could not pay for fuel. 

investvine.com/cash-strapped-thai-airways-facing-troubles-on-international-flights

 

Thailand’s national carrier Thai Airways, which is currently under bankruptcy protection as the airline’s liquidity eroded under the coronavirus pandemic, is feeling the heat on the few international flights it is still operating.

According to insiders, a repatriation flight under the flight number TG923 from Frankfurt to Bangkok on August 10, which arrived earlier in the day from Bangkok to pick up around 220 passengers, was held back for around nine hours because of problems paying the plane to be refueled at Frankfurt’s international airport.

Scheduled to take off on August 10, 9pm, the aircraft started on 5.45am the next morning after the fuel bill was somehow settled. According to passengers’ Twitter accounts, they were not allowed to leave the plane during the hour-long delay and had to sit there the entire night.

 

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

If there's a chance of revenue, why is Thai not on the list/first to join the list?

Can't buy fuel outside Thailand?

 

Unpaid landing fees outside Thailand?

 

Risk of bailiffs sticking notices on aircraft outside Thailand?

 

Probably safer to stick to flogging donuts!

12 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Can't buy fuel outside Thailand?

 

Unpaid landing fees outside Thailand?

 

Risk of bailiffs sticking notices on aircraft outside Thailand?

 

Probably safer to stick to flogging donuts!

You are not far of on the baliffs suggestion.

Thai leased 4 A350-900 from a company called Amadeo Air 4 Plus. I'm pretty sure these are HS-THF/G/H/J

Because this company is quoted on the London Stock Exchange they have to release info on important events which can effect the company.

This was released in May

 

"Further to its announcement of 17 March and 6 April 2020 regarding the lease of four Airbus A350 aircraft to Thai Airways ("Thai") and Thai's request for assistance received by the Company, the Company has been negotiating with Thai regarding a partial deferral of its scheduled lease rental payments for a six month period commencing in April 2020 (the "Rental Payment Deferral") with such deferred payments to then be made good with interest over the following three years."

 

The referred deferral ends in December hence my comment on cash problems and Amadeo have stated that they have had to make a cash contingency in case they have to repossess these aircraft.

And it isn't just donuts they are selling. Thai were a 5 star airline when I first used them in 1983. Years of mismanagement has left them in this state.

 

 

Aircraft fuel is cash up front.  Big ploblem if your cashflow is selling donuts.

 

Also scared of the repo men getting the planes.

1 hour ago, tso310 said:

Scheduled to take off on August 10, 9pm, the aircraft started on 5.45am the next morning after the fuel bill was somehow settled.

What, did the passengers have a whip round for the avgas?

Enough with the bloody donuts already!

7 hours ago, scorecard said:

If there's a chance of revenue, why is Thai not on the list/first to join the list?

"Chance of revenue"...the more they fly the more money they loose!

6 hours ago, khunjeff said:

I wish they wouldn't invent terms like "semi-commercial flights".  It sounds a lot like English, but has no real meaning as far as I can see. These are just commercial flights that have restrictions on who can fly on the inbound portion.

Perhaps they should be called Repatriation Charter flights (which includes that the passengers pay up front days before each flight departs).

7 hours ago, tso310 said:

 

Scheduled to take off on August 10, 9pm, the aircraft started on 5.45am the next morning after the fuel bill was somehow settled. According to passengers’ Twitter accounts, they were not allowed to leave the plane during the hour-long delay and had to sit there the entire night.

 

sitting on a full plane for 8 hours with the engines not running - no way is that a risk factor in spreading any available virus.......

4 hours ago, bangon04 said:

sitting on a full plane for 8 hours with the engines not running - no way is that a risk factor in spreading any available virus.......

But if no engines are running, how does the stale air get expelled continuously out of the cabin?

13 hours ago, tso310 said:

 

The talk is that Thai will run out of cash in December unless it gets a large injection from somewhere or more large staff reductions. Don't forget that the Thai government is no longer the majority shareholder.

Thailand has a government in name only, all they really have is a bunch of tinpot soldiers giving out orders like they do on the parade ground.

 

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

But if no engines are running, how does the stale air get expelled continuously out of the cabin?

They have an auxiliary power unit giving A/C and power to the aircraft. (small turbine you see at the back end of the aircraft)

 

Over the years I believe it will be inevitable for many of the asian airlines to merge, similar to what happened in the Americas

There are no Chinese airlines listed. That is interesting considering the need for Chinese tourists.

31 minutes ago, ncc1701d said:

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

But if no engines are running, how does the stale air get expelled continuously out of the cabin?

They have an auxiliary power unit giving A/C and power to the aircraft. (small turbine you see at the back end of the aircraft)

 

Over the years I believe it will be inevitable for many of the asian airlines to merge, similar to what happened in the Americas

 

They can also use a GPU or Ground Power Unit connected to the aircraft. That's why most planes are cooled down and comfy before you board... except bloody PIA at Islamabad!!!

37 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

There are no Chinese airlines listed. That is interesting considering the need for Chinese tourists.

It's unsurprising since the Chinese government has banned organized international tour groups, both inbound and OUTBOUND for the foreseeable future.

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/world/china-ban-on-inbound-outbound-tour-groups-to-continue

14 hours ago, tso310 said:

 

The talk is that Thai will run out of cash in December unless it gets a large injection from somewhere or more large staff reductions. Don't forget that the Thai government is no longer the majority shareholder.

Did Thai already refund all the tickets for cancelled flights? Who would fly with them now? They are on the deadlist me thinks.

59 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

It's unsurprising since the Chinese government has banned organized international tour groups, both inbound and OUTBOUND for the foreseeable future.

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/world/china-ban-on-inbound-outbound-tour-groups-to-continue

Group tours not individuals. Yes it has an effect but not to where it makes for zero flights.

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

They can also use a GPU or Ground Power Unit connected to the aircraft. That's why most planes are cooled down and comfy before you board... except bloody PIA at Islamabad!!!

I don't disagree, and further, seem to me as things relax we will see new paradigms affecting many things possibly including new international laws, travel regulations and processes and more.

 

Perhaps this could include having to show a 'Covid 19 Vaccination' proof before making international flight bookings and also do the same at check-in. 

 

Further will the world take on new attitudes because of a realization that a debilitating virus pandemic can easily start and quickly spread causing many deaths. 

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

But if no engines are running, how does the stale air get expelled continuously out of the cabin?

Probably there will be a ground power unit and also a ground a/c plugged into the aircraft.

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

They can also use a GPU or Ground Power Unit connected to the aircraft. That's why most planes are cooled down and comfy before you board... except bloody PIA at Islamabad!!!

A GPU supplies electrical power only. If an aircraft needs Air conditioning and either doesn't have an engine running or an unserviceable APU, it will require separate dedicated external tubes connected to the packs. 

 

The smaller black cables are the electrical power, the big yellow / orange ones are for aircon.