Thai To Launch Own Low Cost airline Next Year

[maimeepom]

THAI will use retired pilots for the airฌline and will source cabin crew and staffs from outsource company Wind Span Co - like most other lowcost carriers.

Do retired pilots come cheaper?

In a word yes.

Many traditional airlines still maintain a relatively low mandatory retirement age of 55.

Whereas low cost airlines are willing to employ pilots up to the cessation of their comercial pilots licence at 65. Subject to the usual medical and competancy tests.

The pilots already have the financial cusion of their company pensions, so are willing to fly at reduced rates.

The longevity of marraiges in the aviation sector is poor..

This means that many aviators who have been cleaned out in expensive divorce settlements, are still putting their kids from subsequent marraiges, through university in the twilight of their careers.

So this arrangement suits both parties. Experienced and well trained aviators for the low cost airlines, and a bit of extra dosh for the pilots.

.

[blazes]

what about this budget carrier?

Brilliant. Modelled on Ryan Air, it seems.

(Talking of whom, Michael O Sodding Leary was belly-aching today about his planes being prevented from flying in the volcanic ash over Scotland.

Lovely man.

[blazes]

sounds like a real mess of basically 3 carriers all competing with themselves?..but that said ANYTHING that smacks AirAsia up the head is a massive positive in my mind.

All these extra extras fare loadings are coming to an end; just last week the EU drafted a bill to make low cost airlines publish the complete full inclusive fare..NO MORE Starting from fare and Asia will have to follow as they are just coping the same European business plan

Ever fly Ryan Air? Flew them once; that was enough. They had so many mandatory extra fees, such as a wheelchair fee, that more than doubled the fare. They recently considered charging for use of the bathroom on board, but somehow that one didn't fly. Once at the airport it is more like a cattle call than anything else. My flights with Air Asia have been 200% better than anything Ryan Air has to offer. Don't believe they have any mandatory add-ons other than taxes.

I flown Ryan Air 5 times on my last trip to Europe in summer 2009. Flights were rather full and we were invited to cross onto the bridge few times only to be stopped for 15 min later, standing stranded there while we could have been still sitting in the lounge. But apart of that the flight were always on time and we saved an absolute fortune by booking RyanAir well in advance as against traveling by trains, buses or anything else. It also allowed us to visit many interesting destinations spread our across Europe that otherwise we wouldn't be able to visit like Paris, Bologna, Ibiza, Girona (Barcelona), Poznan (in Poland) and London. The flight between these cities were between 40 and 80 Euro each including the check-in luggage! We pre-printed our boarding passes before flights to save few extra Euros. Luckily we didn't need to use a wheelchair anywhere but than again how many travelers do? Thank you Ryan Air! Wake up everybody if you expect 5 star service, free booze and foot massage on board plus the flight for 50 Euro.

Not sure where you are a native of, but of those airports you mention, only Poznan is a little unusual as a destination....all the others are fully serviced by loads of airlines.

Usually, Ryan Air will dump you at an airstrip vaguely near (maybe 80 miles from) your ultimate destination.

I have not travelled on Ryan Air (and never will), but I have travelled on both easyJet and Air Asia, and would not want to repeat the experience. It is always worth paying a little bit extra and travelling with some dignity.....

Though with all the add-ons, you usually end up paying as much as, if not more, with a budget airline as you do with a regular scheduled airline.

[ginjag]

just re-badge the whole fleet

every time i have traveled with Thai its been like a budget carrier anyway..........

I'd agree with that. Crap airline, high prices. I dread to think how crap the planes will be with their budget version.

I never thought I would see the day when I agreed with Timekeeper, but I do. "Crap planes"? They will use the existing fleet - they can hardly be any worse.

Well Thai Int., you already have a crap service, at outrageous prices for your International routes. So go the opposite way with a brilliant low priced budget airline. International could subsidize budget

[whybother]

Thai setback for grounded Tiger

TIGER Airways, still smarting from the grounding of its fleet in Australia, has been dealt another blow after the Thai government blocked its plans for a budget airline in Thailand. A week after the Thai opposition party led by Yingluck Shinawatra was voted into power, Thailand's Transport Ministry has said it will not approve Tiger's plans to form a new airline with Thai Airways called Thai Tiger, because details of the operation were unclear.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/business/thai-setback-for-grounded-tiger-20110714-1hfwc.html#ixzz1S8JJwabd