THAI Smile Air To Begin Operations In July 2012

[webfact]

THAI Smile Air to begin operations in July

By The Nation

Thai Airways International's THAI Smile Air is scheduled to begin its first flights in July 2012, first to replace the main brand on the routes to Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Chiang Rai, and Surat Thani.

The "light premium" sub-brand will service both domestic and international destinations.

"Think of it as a competitive hybrid between premium THAI flights and ultra cheap, low-cost airlines like Air Asia and Tiger Airways," said Woranate Laprabang, managing director of THAI Smile Air.

THAI Smile Air will operate from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The main target market for these initial in-country flights will be the young small and medium business traveler as well as local traveler, government agents, who wants a relaxed, stylish atmosphere on board without the premium price.

THAI Smile Air light premium service will offer a complimentary meal and drink service, free passenger seat selections, faster check-in procedures, 15-20 kg baggage allowances, and the ability to accrue frequent flyer mileage on both THAI and the Star Alliance network.

"Our new sub-brand promises to give passengers high value for a good price," Woranate said.

-- The Nation 2011-09-05

[wileycoyote]

Sounds OK

As long as they kep the CIQ system to clear thru checked luggage at domestic airports,it might be Ok

Wiley Coyote

[lonewolf99]

"will be the young small and medium business traveler"

So they are not going to cater for the "old and large business travellers " .....missing a golden opportunity there me thinks

[Ricardo]

first to replace the main brand on the routes to ....

This confirms some of the speculation, on the earlier thread on TV (about a month ago) about Thai-Smile, that the new low-cost subsidiary might allow TG to withdraw from some of its current routes.

[GaiUan]

"will be the young small and medium business traveler"

So they are not going to cater for the "old and large business travellers " .....missing a golden opportunity there me thinks

This remains the target of the THAI mother carrier...

first to replace the main brand on the routes to ....

This confirms some of the speculation, on the earlier thread on TV (about a month ago) about Thai-Smile, that the new low-cost subsidiary might allow TG to withdraw from some of its current routes.

Yes and no as these flights will still be TG flight numbers and it is not meant to be a pure low-cost... a specific focus on this kind of route is a excellent thing I think...

[WilliaminBKK]

Good move in my opinion, no sense having serious metal carrying passengers from say MNL who only connect to their jobs in the middle east.

Think global Act local.

[Sam Drucker]

As I'm living in the Khon Kaen market, it will be interesting to see what they have in mind for here. THAI currently runs 3 A300 flights a day to/from BKK. Those flights seat about 260 passengers each, and are usually full. If Thai Smile goes with the smaller A320's, they'll need at least 5 flights/day to match the seats they currently have in the market now. More frequencies would be nice, though the 2-4-2 seating in the A300 is always preferable to the 3-3 seating in an A320.

[isaanbrit]

So basically, it's exactly the same service as Thai but with a different name? ?

[Sam Drucker]

So basically, it's exactly the same service as Thai but with a different name? ?

No. They'll have younger girls for cabin attendants.

Seriously, there was an article in the Bangkok Post today about NOK only hiring cabin attendants in their 20's, and why they do that (looks, enthusiasm, lower wages, etc.) The article mentioned Thai Smile would be hiring younger women also.

[wileycoyote]

So basically, it's exactly the same service as Thai but with a different name? ?

No. They'll have younger girls for cabin attendants.

Seriously, there was an article in the Bangkok Post today about NOK only hiring cabin attendants in their 20's, and why they do that (looks, enthusiasm, lower wages, etc.) The article mentioned Thai Smile would be hiring younger women also.

Gets my vote

[citizen33]

I'm not sure how the 15-20kg baggage allowance will work. If it is only 15kg this may well cause problems for anybody coming off an international flight and, for example, going on to KK. There have been some quite good price offers on the regular flights recently, so I am not convinced that this change will be to our advantage.

[KKvampire]

anything is good to take business from air asia because their special offers are so limited, restricted and gone within hours of any offer opening it;s a joke. Their standard prices when you include more for Baggage and for the "convenience of using a credit or debit card online" are nothing special.

[roamer]

So basically, it's exactly the same service as Thai but with a different name? ?

No. They'll have younger girls for cabin attendants.

Seriously, there was an article in the Bangkok Post today about NOK only hiring cabin attendants in their 20's, and why they do that (looks, enthusiasm, lower wages, etc.) The article mentioned Thai Smile would be hiring younger women also.

Gets my vote

Wonder how many more of us would vote for being served by old hags on a domestic flight if they shaved 1000B of the price. Personally I can leave my testosterone at the gate in those circumstances

[Ricardo]

anything is good to take business from air asia because their special offers are so limited, restricted and gone within hours of any offer opening it;s a joke. Their standard prices when you include more for Baggage and for the "convenience of using a credit or debit card online" are nothing special.

But there's nothing to stop TG from making special-offers now, is there ? Unless their marketeers are worried that passengers might start asking why Thai-Airways' regular-prices are so very high ?

[sunray69]

So basically, it's exactly the same service as Thai but with a different name? ?

No. They'll have younger girls for cabin attendants.

Seriously, there was an article in the Bangkok Post today about NOK only hiring cabin attendants in their 20's, and why they do that (looks, enthusiasm, lower wages, etc.) The article mentioned Thai Smile would be hiring younger women also.

What do they do with them once they are getting old? Send them in Pattaya ????