THAI Plans New Euro Destinations

[webfact]

THAI plans new Euro destinations

By The Nation

Thai Airways International (THAI) is planning to add more destinations in Europe in a move to increase revenue as it gets ready to receive 23 new planes by 2013.

Airline president Piyasvasti Amrannand said the company was eyeing four to five new destinations including Brussels and Vienna.

The expansion into Europe is among the airline's strategies to increase income.

Of the 23 new aircraft, nine Airbus A330-300s are scheduled to be delivered in June and July this year and seven more before April 2013.

In addition, six Airbus A380 jumbos will join the fleet between August 2012 and October 2013. The airline is also scheduled to receive eight Boeing 777-300s during the same period.

Piyasvasti said the aviation sector was currently highly competitive. The major factor was the fast growth of airlines in the Middle East.

Countries in the Middle East are well capitalised so they can make huge orders of new aircraft at one time.

Although soaring oil prices affect all players, including Arabian carriers, those airlines can more easily deal with the issue.

"The growth of airlines in the Middle East disturbs THAI's revenue from the international market, while domestic share is stolen by lowcost airlines," he said.

The company has revised its business strategies to cope with the changes.

For example, it has set up a superlowcost airline, Thai Wings, wholly owned by THAI.

Earlier, THAI announced a joint venture with Singaporebased Tiger Airways to run Thai Tiger Airways.

"Still, Thai Tiger Airways has not yet formed so we created Thai Wings, which will operate in the second quarter next year," said Piyasvasti.

Thai Wings will operate both domestically and around the region.

According to Piyasvasti, results in the second quarter this year were not good - as expected - due to rising oil prices and the crisis in Japan.

However, the airline hopes passenger numbers on Japan routes will recover soon.

In April, the airline adjusted fuel surcharges in a move to cope with the hike in oil prices.

Currently, jet oil costs US$125 to $128 (Bt3,800 to Bt3,900) per barrel.

The airline will not change fuel surcharges again if oil prices do not rise, said Piyasvasti.

-- The Nation 2011-05-27

[endure]

"The company has revised its business strategies to cope with the changes."

Modern planes and reasonable fares?

[baboon]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

[infernalman7]

"The company has revised its business strategies to cope with the changes."

Modern planes and reasonable fares?

Modern planes, yes. Inevitable due to competition .. but not for domestic routes for sure.

Reasonable fares? Hmmm.

[Ricardo]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

And also Birmingham & London-Heathrow (five times daily ?) too !

Poor old Thai continue to serve just one UK airport (LHR twice daily), while a competitor like Emirates connects to/from your local airport, saving you times as well as money ! No wonder they're growing so fast !

But at least Thai realise the problem, and hope to serve more destinations in Europe, eventually.

[ginjag]

"The company has revised its business strategies to cope with the changes."

Modern planes and reasonable fares?

New planes -and fuel efficient - does not point to lower fares, as Thai has not had this type of thinking in 2 decades. Emirates-Etihad know how to compromise, hence the airlines popularity.

Greed has been Thai's failure before, so hopefully with the extra large planes and discount prices, they will fill the aircraft.

If they go for 1st/business and try to forget economy people it will be their downfall. New planes, discount prices, fill the planes--hence profits-good service-GOOD NAME

[whybother]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

Being half the flight time from Dubai to the UK would make it easier for them to go to more airports.

But, being 2/3 of the price it's worth the stopover.

(eg BKK to NCL by Emirates = 28K, BKK to LHR (not including to NCL) = 42K - one way)

[Bagwan]

I see this as an evil portent.of the future. Thai Air have looked into their crystal ball, thrown the bones on the ground, consulted their tea leaves and met with the infallible great seer and astrologer living in Chiang Mai. All signs lead to the conclusion that the Great Dictator and Saviour of ASEAN will return soon and rid the region of all those pesky farangs with their strange ideas of democracy, honesty, governance by the people for the people, a free press and freedom of speech and the implementation of modern methods and techniques in-the fields of medicine and education. More aircraft travelling more routes will assist in clearing the region of these bloodsucking parasites living on the flesh of the superior beings native to the region in quick time.

Are more routes to places like Nigeria planned or are their feet planted firmly under the Thai table?

[exbelg]

hehe, so have to wait a few more years and sit in their old 747 for the good old new price

[endure]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

Birmingham too.

[Arkady]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

And also Birmingham & London-Heathrow (five times daily ?) too !

Poor old Thai continue to serve just one UK airport (LHR twice daily), while a competitor like Emirates connects to/from your local airport, saving you times as well as money ! No wonder they're growing so fast !

But at least Thai realise the problem, and hope to serve more destinations in Europe, eventually.

They have often announced new destinations with great fanfare and optimistic projections of revenue because Thai businessmen and tourists are going to flock to Jo'burg, Bangladesh, New York or wherever and then quietly close down the route a couple of years later without ever figuring out what went wrong. Jo'burg was reopened for last year's World Cup but is probably under the gun again.

[samurai]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

Birmingham too.

I see, with these destination almost the whole Euro region is covered.

Who wants a direct flight from Bangkok to Brussels or Vienna when he can fly with Emirates to exciting places like Gatwick.

[KhunSteven]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

Birmingham too.

I see, with these destination almost the whole Euro region is covered.

Who wants a direct flight from Bangkok to Brussels or Vienna when he can fly with Emirates to exciting places like Gatwick.

I do.

[tartempion]

Who wants a direct flight from Bangkok to Brussels or Vienna when he can fly with Emirates to exciting places like Gatwick.

Any one of the 11 million Belgians wanting to travel to Thailand need to connect to Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Cairo or Istanbul first.

Thai flying direct BKK-BRU might have a chance if they fly new planes with decent tariffs

[samurai]

Who wants a direct flight from Bangkok to Brussels or Vienna when he can fly with Emirates to exciting places like Gatwick.

Any one of the 11 million Belgians wanting to travel to Thailand need to connect to Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Cairo or Istanbul first.

Thai flying direct BKK-BRU might have a chance if they fly new planes with decent tariffs

That was my point.

How handsome the dudes in Gatwick might be, they might be not in the target group THAI AIR has as new customers in mind.

[tombkk]

They have often announced new destinations with great fanfare and optimistic projections of revenue because Thai businessmen and tourists are going to flock to Jo'burg, Bangladesh, New York or wherever and then quietly close down the route a couple of years later without ever figuring out what went wrong. Jo'burg was reopened for last year's World Cup but is probably under the gun again.

You do know that the government (Ministry of Finance, to be precise) is the major shareholder, don't you? Well, routes are being opened for political reasons but will sometimes have to closed again. Pyongyang comes to mind.

[baboon]

I see, with these destination almost the whole Euro region is covered.

Who wants a direct flight from Bangkok to Brussels or Vienna when he can fly with Emirates to exciting places like Gatwick.

...So continue to enjoy flying Thai and let we provincials suffer Emirates to our dreary local airports.Everyone`s a winner!

[tombkk]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

The main reason I don't use Middle-East carriers is that they wake you up the moment you are sounds asleep, and then you have to walk around the airport like a zombie for 2-4 hours before being allowed to board again. No thanks, I use non-stop flights to Europe.

My major issues with TG are: 1. the entertainment system, and 2. the seats. The seats will be fixed (repaired, upholstered again), but I still have to see an eco class seat with an individual screen with video-on-demend.

Heck, last time I flew to Munich in business class I had to watch the main screen! Since then, I have avoided TG and wait for their new fleet. In the meantime, I clock up my miles on other Star Alliance airlines (SQ and OS are excellent).

[luckizuchinni]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

True that.

[ginjag]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

The main reason I don't use Middle-East carriers is that they wake you up the moment you are sounds asleep, and then you have to walk around the airport like a zombie for 2-4 hours before being allowed to board again. No thanks, I use non-stop flights to Europe.

My major issues with TG are: 1. the entertainment system, and 2. the seats. The seats will be fixed (repaired, upholstered again), but I still have to see an eco class seat with an individual screen with video-on-demend.

Heck, last time I flew to Munich in business class I had to watch the main screen! Since then, I have avoided TG and wait for their new fleet. In the meantime, I clock up my miles on other Star Alliance airlines (SQ and OS are excellent).

Whatever suits you, if you don't mind aged aircraft and high prices and want to be in the south of England good for you.

If you want new aircraft room and up to date cabin stuff, along with a flight to your local airport go Emirates at far less cost. I don't mind being a zombie for 2 hours, getting circulation back to my body, It's healthier to have a break exactly half way home. What the hell is the point traveling Thai, if you live in the north of Scotland. ???.

[samurai]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

The main reason I don't use Middle-East carriers is that they wake you up the moment you are sounds asleep, and then you have to walk around the airport like a zombie for 2-4 hours before being allowed to board again. No thanks, I use non-stop flights to Europe.

My major issues with TG are: 1. the entertainment system, and 2. the seats. The seats will be fixed (repaired, upholstered again), but I still have to see an eco class seat with an individual screen with video-on-demend.

Heck, last time I flew to Munich in business class I had to watch the main screen! Since then, I have avoided TG and wait for their new fleet. In the meantime, I clock up my miles on other Star Alliance airlines (SQ and OS are excellent).

Whatever suits you, if you don't mind aged aircraft and high prices and want to be in the south of England good for you.

If you want new aircraft room and up to date cabin stuff, along with a flight to your local airport go Emirates at far less cost. I don't mind being a zombie for 2 hours, getting circulation back to my body, It's healthier to have a break exactly half way home. What the hell is the point traveling Thai, if you live in the north of Scotland. ???.

Okay, if you live in the north of Scotland there is no point in travelling Thai. Thats your world.

Europe is a litte bit bigger and there are other people around who might be interested in flying with THAI to a destination like Brussels, Vienna or Bangkok.

And not to Glasgow with Emirates even if its cheaper.

[tombkk]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

The main reason I don't use Middle-East carriers is that they wake you up the moment you are sounds asleep, and then you have to walk around the airport like a zombie for 2-4 hours before being allowed to board again. No thanks, I use non-stop flights to Europe.

My major issues with TG are: 1. the entertainment system, and 2. the seats. The seats will be fixed (repaired, upholstered again), but I still have to see an eco class seat with an individual screen with video-on-demend.

Heck, last time I flew to Munich in business class I had to watch the main screen! Since then, I have avoided TG and wait for their new fleet. In the meantime, I clock up my miles on other Star Alliance airlines (SQ and OS are excellent).

Whatever suits you, if you don't mind aged aircraft and high prices and want to be in the south of England good for you.

If you want new aircraft room and up to date cabin stuff, along with a flight to your local airport go Emirates at far less cost. I don't mind being a zombie for 2 hours, getting circulation back to my body, It's healthier to have a break exactly half way home. What the hell is the point traveling Thai, if you live in the north of Scotland. ???.

If I leave around midnight and have dinner and a good night's sleep, then having breakfast and arriving in Europe at 7am before catching my connecting flight, it's healthy.

If I leave at 2am and am woken up the moment I am fast asleep, for zombying around an airport for a couple of hours in order to have another few hours of disturbed sleep before arriving, it is not healthy and will cost me at least 2-3 days to recover. Being in business, I cannot afford this.

Of course, if your travel is for pleasure and you have ample vacation time so that a couple of days of recovery won't matter, you can always take the cheap flights. It's your privilege.

[manarak]

I flew Thai only once, when I had the luck to get a promotional fare.

Alas, from Frankfurt I was on one of their old 747s without entertainment system.

But Thai then always surprised me with expensive prices.

Vienna will be an interesting destination, since there is some competition by AuA.

[ginjag]

Oil prices aside,I`m afraid the Gulf carriers in many cases simply offer passengers a more pleasurable in flight experience and a far wider choice of destinations.In the case of Emirates,Newcastle,Gatwick,Manchester,Glasgow - for hundreds of Pounds less.

The main reason I don't use Middle-East carriers is that they wake you up the moment you are sounds asleep, and then you have to walk around the airport like a zombie for 2-4 hours before being allowed to board again. No thanks, I use non-stop flights to Europe.

My major issues with TG are: 1. the entertainment system, and 2. the seats. The seats will be fixed (repaired, upholstered again), but I still have to see an eco class seat with an individual screen with video-on-demend.

Heck, last time I flew to Munich in business class I had to watch the main screen! Since then, I have avoided TG and wait for their new fleet. In the meantime, I clock up my miles on other Star Alliance airlines (SQ and OS are excellent).

Whatever suits you, if you don't mind aged aircraft and high prices and want to be in the south of England good for you.

If you want new aircraft room and up to date cabin stuff, along with a flight to your local airport go Emirates at far less cost. I don't mind being a zombie for 2 hours, getting circulation back to my body, It's healthier to have a break exactly half way home. What the hell is the point traveling Thai, if you live in the north of Scotland. ???.

If I leave around midnight and have dinner and a good night's sleep, then having breakfast and arriving in Europe at 7am before catching my connecting flight, it's healthy.

If I leave at 2am and am woken up the moment I am fast asleep, for zombying around an airport for a couple of hours in order to have another few hours of disturbed sleep before arriving, it is not healthy and will cost me at least 2-3 days to recover. Being in business, I cannot afford this.

Of course, if your travel is for pleasure and you have ample vacation time so that a couple of days of recovery won't matter, you can always take the cheap flights. It's your privilege.

It's impossible but it's a good thing for Thai that Etihad/Emirates cannot go to U.K./Europe direct-Thai would be out of business.

If you wish to support Thai with old and overpriced tickets, again wheres the sense ?? When there are new aircraft at less cost that have direct flights--EVA---and others. I am not anti Thai--I am anti paying over and above for what I get. I WAS a loyal Thai customer until the prices went sky high and aircraft aged. I am NOT a cheap charlie, the low price is a bonus. If your business class--why would they wake you when your asleep??? and you have 6 hours on each leg for sleeping. So I doubt you are traveling business class, that cost would be ridiculous--Therefore why not Cathay--or Singapore. if money is no object.

Edited May 29, 2011 by ginjag

[lomatopo]

What a strange article.

From "plans" it morphs into "eyeing".

They may end up with too much capacity? The 380s were planned for NRT, FRA & LHR, but the ex-NRT market is down significantly owing to the crises in Japan.

No one currently offers daily, non-stop service BKK-BRU; OS (Austrian) offers daily non-stop BKK-VIE (TG code-shares); BR (Eva) has non-stop service BKK-VIE, but not daily.

[tombkk]

The main reason I don't use Middle-East carriers is that they wake you up the moment you are sounds asleep, and then you have to walk around the airport like a zombie for 2-4 hours before being allowed to board again. No thanks, I use non-stop flights to Europe.

My major issues with TG are: 1. the entertainment system, and 2. the seats. The seats will be fixed (repaired, upholstered again), but I still have to see an eco class seat with an individual screen with video-on-demend.

Heck, last time I flew to Munich in business class I had to watch the main screen! Since then, I have avoided TG and wait for their new fleet. In the meantime, I clock up my miles on other Star Alliance airlines (SQ and OS are excellent).

Whatever suits you, if you don't mind aged aircraft and high prices and want to be in the south of England good for you.

If you want new aircraft room and up to date cabin stuff, along with a flight to your local airport go Emirates at far less cost. I don't mind being a zombie for 2 hours, getting circulation back to my body, It's healthier to have a break exactly half way home. What the hell is the point traveling Thai, if you live in the north of Scotland. ???.

If I leave around midnight and have dinner and a good night's sleep, then having breakfast and arriving in Europe at 7am before catching my connecting flight, it's healthy.

If I leave at 2am and am woken up the moment I am fast asleep, for zombying around an airport for a couple of hours in order to have another few hours of disturbed sleep before arriving, it is not healthy and will cost me at least 2-3 days to recover. Being in business, I cannot afford this.

Of course, if your travel is for pleasure and you have ample vacation time so that a couple of days of recovery won't matter, you can always take the cheap flights. It's your privilege.

It's impossible but it's a good thing for Thai that Etihad/Emirates cannot go to U.K./Europe direct-Thai would be out of business.

If you wish to support Thai with old and overpriced tickets, again wheres the sense ?? When there are new aircraft at less cost that have direct flights--EVA---and others. I am not anti Thai--I am anti paying over and above for what I get. I WAS a loyal Thai customer until the prices went sky high and aircraft aged. I am NOT a cheap charlie, the low price is a bonus. If your business class--why would they wake you when your asleep??? and you have 6 hours on each leg for sleeping. So I doubt you are traveling business class, that cost would be ridiculous--Therefore why not Cathay--or Singapore. if money is no object.

You don't have six hours of sleep, it's a six-our flight. Maximum is four hours of uninterrupted sleep, more likely less. Not enough for me. And yes, even in business class they wake you up for landing.

I don't use Thai out of loyalty, and I described above how I was put on an old plane to Munich some not too long time ago. After that, I flew AUA (OS) to Europe and find them excellent. It does not matter whether I change planes in FRA or in VIE. However, I fly Star Alliance because I enjoy the perks my mileage card gives me. I actually want to try TK (Turkish Airlines) next time, they seem to be the cheapest Star Alliance airline. What will the service be like? We'll see.

To Sydney in January (OK, not exactly Europe, but since we are discussing TG), I flew TG because SQ (I wanted to try the A380) was more expensive. The TG plane was good and modern, nothing to complain about.

[Bagwan]

Why direct flights to Brussels? Isn't Paris or Amsterdam near enough? Do peeps living in Cornwall or Snowdonia bleat about there not being direct flights to/from Plymouth or Caernarvon? Using the motorway system means that Paris and Amsterdam are not too far away.

[tso310]

I remember posting in 2005 or 6 a link to their investors news. New in-flight entertainment systems, better seating new European destinations, not to mention the new colour scheme on the aircraft. Still see aircraft with the old colour scheme etc etc.

[tso310]

I should also add that its not the B747s that are in need of replacing its the remaining A300s. Less time should be spent on yet another low cost venture and more on the core product. I honestly wonder if they consider Emirates and Etihad as competitors on their Euro routes.

[theoldgit]

The problem is with Thai is that they have the government pulling the strings, I'm sure that they would like to be a major carrier that people would choose to fly with, but they have to run everything passed the Ministry. The Ministry are more interested in their free flights and other perks rather then supporting Thai in their quest to be a world leader in the aviation industry.