'THAI Smile Air' Operational July 2012

[webfact]

'THAI Smile Air' operational July 2012

BANGKOK, Sept 20 - THAI Smile Air, Thai Airways International (THAI)'s new sub-brand carrier, will begin operations in July next year, according to THAI President Piyasvasti Amranand.

Mr Piyasvasti said the business and investment plan of THAI Smile Air is concluded and that the airline will operate with domestic routes to provinces such as Chiang Rai, Surat Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen.

THAI's low-cost business unit managing director Capt Woranate Laprabang said last month that the airline will use Suvarnabhumi Airport as its hub.

The airline will open international routes in 2013 and will focus on penetrating the markets of China, India and coutries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

THAI Smile Air will receive four 174-seat Airbus A320 aircraft in June, August and September next year, and another two in January and March 2013.

Personnel for the unit will be from WingSpan Services, an outsourcing company in which THAI is a stakeholder. Applications open in October with an initial requirement for 40 pilots and 100 female flight attendants, secondary school graduates not over age 24 having TOEIC scores of at least 600.

According to Mr Piyasvasti, the new airline's image will be based on a trendy, friendly and worthy concept, different than the general concept of other low-cost airliners.

The carrier is positioned to be a light-premium sub-brand of THAI, offering passengers another option for flight services. Innovative designs are already underway for staff uniforms, aircraft logo and related designs.

The airline's name 'THAI Smile Air' was approved in August by the THAI executive board. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-09-20

[Payboy]

Its getting a little bit confusing now.

[OzMick]

Would-be Hosties - uni graduated need not apply.

[Bagwan]

Who will be the first member of the 5 Smile High club?

[webfact]

Thai Smile crew to be hired

By The Nation

Thai Airways International (THAI) will begin the recruitment drive for its new budget airline, Thai Smile, in October.

The company will need 100 female cabin crews and 40 pilots to work for the new carrier. The recruitment will be done by Wingspan Services Co, of which THAI is a shareholder.

Candidates to join the crew should not be over 24 years old, should be at least 165 centimetres tall, have secondary high school education with a certified TOEIC score of at least 600.

Piyasvasti Amranand, president of THAI, said the investment plan for the new business unit, Thai Smile, was ready and it would start operations in July 2012.

The budget airline will operate between Bangkok and five domestic destinations - Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Chiang Rai and Surat Thani in the first phrase of operations.

In 2013, the airline will spread its services overseas, focusing on Southeast Asia, China and India.

Thai Smile will utilise a total of 11 aircraft. It will use four Airbus A320, which will arrive between June and September 2012. Two other aircraft will follow in January and March in 2013.

The words "THAI Smile" will be painted on the aircraft in three colours -pink, yellow and orange - as representing the airline's motto "Trendy-Friendly-Worthy".

-- The Nation 2011-09-21

[tominbkk]

Enjoy your happy endings with a Thai smile!

[nocturn]

Anyone who uses the term trendy is begging for failure.

the term infers that whatever it is describing will have a short shelf life.