Four new airlines in Thailand

 

The Thai Transport Ministry has announced that there are four companies seeking licenses to operate airline services in Thailand – P80 Air, Really Cool Air, Landarch Airline and Siam Seaplane. The process of obtaining air service licenses is expected to take some time, and the four new airlines are expected to be approved to operate next year.

 

They join a crowded sky over Thailand which already has Thai Air Asia, Thai Airways, Thai Lion Air, Thai Viet Jet, Nok Air and Bangkok Airways. Thai Smile, the short haul and discount offshoot from Thai Airways is expected to be amalgamated into the parent company.

 

The four new aviation companies have contacted the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) for an air operating license (AOL). Once they get an AOL, they can proceed to ask for an air operating certificate for carrying out airline services. The source revealed that P80 Air has made the most progress as it has already applied for an AOL, and its application is being considered by the CAAT.

 

It is expected that Really Cool Air will submit its AOL application soon, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

P80Air will be operated by the P80 Air Co Ltd, which is owned by Prayudh Mahagitsiri, whose Thoresen Thai Agencies (TTA) also has several logistics companies in its stable, including a marine transport firm. The company is expected to invest about 2 billion baht to get the new airline off the ground. It will provide both chartered and regular flights, using Boeing 787-800 planes. In the first year, the airline will lease four planes for the services and expand its fleet to 20 in four years.

 

On the other hand, Really Cool Air is owned by Patee Sarasin, the former CEO of Nok Air. After leaving Nok Air, Patee started a tourism booking platform called Really Really Cool. The source said Really Cool Air will also be a full-service airline, offering long-haul flight services to Australia and Europe.

 

The source added that M-Landarch Co Ltd, which is the authorised distributor of Cessna planes in Thailand, will operate the Landarch Airline with Cessna C208B aircraft. Each Cessna C208B can fly up to 12 passengers, and the airline will operate from Hat Yai to other southern provinces. Initially, it will fly to Betong in Yala, Naratiwat and Surat Thani.

 

Finally, Siam Seaplane will be run by Siam Seaplane Co Ltd, using its fleet of seaplanes to provide flight services to tourist destinations on the sea. The source said the CAAT is likely to approve Siam Seaplane to initially provide taxi services instead of full route services until the CAAT is certain of its safety.

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/four-new-airlines-to-join-thailands-crowded-skies/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-03-13

 

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Quote

The source said the CAAT is likely to approve Siam Seaplane to initially provide taxi services instead of full route services until the CAAT is certain of its safety

Really ??? So its like "ok, you transported 200 passengers in X months without killing any, we give you a licence" ???? This is scary. Who wants to fly first ? ????

 

If you have bad times with the former, no worries, really really cool air will take you to heaven ????

 

Is it me or this country is going crazier every day ?

2 hours ago, happysoul said:

Really ??? So its like "ok, you transported 200 passengers in X months without killing any, we give you a licence" ???? This is scary. Who wants to fly first ? ????

 

If you have bad times with the former, no worries, really really cool air will take you to heaven ????

 

Is it me or this country is going crazier every day ?

 

Airlines are transport companies.......get the vehicles, get the drivers (commercially licensed of course) get the cargo (and/or passengers) + staff to deal with it/them, get insured get the slots, line up access to fuel/servicing and maintenance facilities, sell the tickets.......off you go.

 

No, it's not the country.......it's just you don't have a clue about the process involved.

 

It's no big deal.......but you had better just stick to watching your favourite sport, in your favourite "Sports Bar".

 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, happysoul said:

Is it me or this country is going crazier every day ?

It is you. Because CAAT does not care what you think or post in this forum. You should be thankful to Thai authorities to allow you to live in Thailand. If you think you have voice, go and challenge CAAT and then I will know your standing in the society that has given you a second chance to live. 

Great to see as competition is good for consumers

 

10 hours ago, happysoul said:

Really ??? So its like "ok, you transported 200 passengers in X months without killing any, we give you a licence" ???? This is scary. Who wants to fly first ? ????

 

If you have bad times with the former, no worries, really really cool air will take you to heaven ????

 

Is it me or this country is going crazier every day ?

The name, 'Really Cool Air' doesn't 'sound' very professional, almost like say 'Spliff air', confidence just wont arise.

"Not Air"? ... really. Nok Air might have something to say about. And the t and k keys are even close to each other!

Landarch and Siam Seaplane both sound quite interesting. Hope they both serve a wider variety of locations. Transport alternatives are desperately needed here, with the severely choked roads. 

Could make for some entertaining ATC radio quotes!

 

"Wait at XYZ until that Really Cool Boeing has cleared the runway"!

1 hour ago, kwaussie said:

Great to see as competition is good for consumers

 

Hopefully, this will either make Air Asia lift its game or put them out of business. Win/Win

32 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

The name, 'Really Cool Air' doesn't 'sound' very professional

Hey, maybe they're saving money by not including heat vents and just using freezing cold air at high altitudes. ????

29 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

"Not Air"? ... really.

I'd advise you to see an Optometrist and get your eye prescription updated. 

"Thai Smile, the short haul and discount offshoot from Thai Airways is expected to be amalgamated into the parent company."

 

I have heard this a few times already.  Guess they are still trying to find a way to spin it as some sort of success.....

It's really cool that really cool will be flying to Australia in winter when it's really cool. 

‘Crowded skies’ are not a feature around Hua Hin airport, or many other regional airports. If more flights are available to such places, that is surely a good thing.

'' ... P80 Air, Really Cool Air, Landarch Airline and Siam Seaplane. ...

They join a crowded sky over Thailand which already has Thai Air Asia, Thai Airways, Thai Lion Air, Thai Viet Jet, Nok Air and Bangkok Airways. ...''

 

Does this country seriously have the regulatory infrastructure and human resources to handle so many carriers in everything from safety to finances?

 

Maybe I'll buy (on credit of course as a tech heavy startup with only online pax services) a plane or two myself. Could be fun. Get in on the act.

The choice of picture in the ASEANNOW newsletter is very good. Really boosts the headline statement of crowded skies.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The source said the CAAT is likely to approve Siam Seaplane to initially provide taxi services instead of full route services until the CAAT is certain of its safety.

Well that certainly instills confidence.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Landarch and Siam Seaplane both sound quite interesting. Hope they both serve a wider variety of locations. Transport alternatives are desperately needed here, with the severely choked roads. 

Totally agree . Having more flights from provincial airports and not going through Bangkok every time , would be a blessing .

The only worse business proposition than a restaurant is an airline. Enjoy losing money investors.

48 minutes ago, superal said:

Totally agree . Having more flights from provincial airports and not going through Bangkok every time , would be a blessing .

It would be huge. And smaller regional airports like Hua Hin desperately need to be put to use. It is perhaps the most under utilized airport in the nation. 

5 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Really Cool Air' doesn't 'sound' very professional

IMO, neither does "Thai Smile"!!

5 hours ago, Grumbles said:

Hopefully, this will either make Air Asia lift its game or put them out of business. Win/Win

That is what is needed Air Asia has a monopoly here.....

5 hours ago, soalbundy said:

The name, 'Really Cool Air' doesn't 'sound' very professional, almost like say 'Spliff air', confidence just wont arise.

Well, it's run by the same guy that was CEO of Nok Air, and did you see the way they painted their planes - I didn't know whether to laugh or worry when I first saw my flight parked at the terminal.

 

It'll be interesting to see the graphics they choose - around here on Phuket they seem to have a strange obsession with Bob Marley/Rastafarians (even before the weed revolution) so maybe they'll follow that route?

 

Siam Seaplane sounds useful during the monsoon season - but I guess the San Saeb is a little too narrow and crowded.

Well something is deeply wrong with air travel already: our internal flights have now been cancelled twice and had to be re-booked in a week.

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The process of obtaining air service licenses is expected to take some time

Presumably Chin Chong Air and Ivan Airski will have their licenses in no time. 

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Landarch Airline with Cessna C208B aircraft.

Reminded me of the days  when KAN AIR operated a fleet of 1 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, 1 Beechcraft Premier 1, and 2 ATR 72-500's from its base in Chiang Mai Airport to many domestic destinations in Thailand. On two occasions I flew in their ATR from Khon Kaen to Chiang Mai - very comfortable with plenty of legroom and a hot meal! Sadly, the airline stopped operating in 2017 due to technical difficulties and non-compliance with certain safety regulations. When aircraft were grounded for maintenance, no replacements were provided and cancellations became a regular occurrence. 

Photo of Kan Air Cessna:

 

  

15 hours ago, Ajarnbrian said:

‘Crowded skies’ are not a feature around Hua Hin airport, or many other regional airports. If more flights are available to such places, that is surely a good thing.

Used to fly HUA HIN to DON MUANG and return after 2 days each month to visit inlaws. I think it was Air Asia.
Cheap and efficient and could be in their house an hour after takeoff. If I remember it was 1400 Baht return. 

When the government can close the country at a whim they must insane to be investing in starting new airlines, regional or otherwise.