Thai Airways International Unfazed By Airbus A380-800 High Costs

[dddave]

Why do they operate them on such a short route??

The plane is operated by other airlines on "long haul" flights eg. London-Singapore-Sydney and reverse.

Bangkok- Hong Kong along with Hong Kong-Taipei and Hong Kong-Singapore are among the worlds top 10 routes in terms of passenger numbers and premium passengers. Using the 380 has allowed Thai to consolidate flights saving the cost of running 2 flights instead of one.

The light fuel load the 380 carries on such a short haul also increases it's efficiency.

Some of you guys just can't get off slagging Survanabhumi for long lines at Immigration disregarding the reality that AOT has improved the situation immensely. In more than 20 entries over the last three months I have never yet had to wait more than 10 minutes and more often than not, less than 5.

Outgoing Passport Control isn't quite as good as that yet but the waits are much more reasonable than they were three or four months ago; generally less than 15 minutes.

Some of you are very quick to complain but very slow to recognize improvement.

[lomatopo]

Bangkok- Hong Kong along with Hong Kong-Taipei and Hong Kong-Singapore are among the worlds top 10 routes in terms of passenger numbers and premium passengers. Using the 380 has allowed Thai to consolidate flights saving the cost of running 2 flights instead of one.

Can you support this with any data? BKK-HKG specifically, the others are not relevant.

Has TG really consolidated multiple flights?

AFAIK, HS-TUA flies every day:

BKK-HKG TG 600

HKG-BKK TG 601

BKK-SIN TG 409

SIN-BKK TG 410

I am pretty sure they have maintained the same number of daily flights, five (5), to/from both HKG and SIN even using the A380?

Some of you guys just can't get off slagging Survanabhumi for long lines at Immigration disregarding the reality that AOT has improved the situation immensely. In more than 20 entries over the last three months I have never yet had to wait more than 10 minutes and more often than not, less than 5.

Outgoing Passport Control isn't quite as good as that yet but the waits are much more reasonable than they were three or four months ago; generally less than 15 minutes.

Some of you are very quick to complain but very slow to recognize improvement.

Immigration wait-times have been through 5 or 6 crises since Sept. 2006 - so many of us have endured these problems for a while. Currently wait-times seem to be reasonable. Staffing remains a challenge, as I understand it, as it is one of the least desirable positions within the Immigration Bureau.

[bangon04]

"but the number of pilots needed to control it could be reduced in the future," Peerasak said.

Maybe they can have more guest celebrity pilots to have a go at the controls. Award Captain's wings to influential members of the company, pop stars, and people from important families....

[rakman]

Why do they operate them on such a short route??

The plane is operated by other airlines on "long haul" flights eg. London-Singapore-Sydney and reverse.

It is normal for an airline when getting a new plane to run short haul routes for a while to maximize training for all personnel, and validate procedures.

One cost not mentioned was the wing rib brackets that connect to the composite ribs. Those will need to be replaced when the final fix comes out. This problem has forced early adopters to inspect and replace rib brackets at least twice, which takes a few days per plane. Estimation of full replacement is two to three weeks of downtime. But it is under warranty.

[rakman]

Glad to see they did their homework before they bought it.

Never particularly reassuring to hear an airline moaning about maintenance.

Thai was forced to buy the A380 by the EU or Thai shrimp exporters would have been banned from Europe. Thus the A380 for Thai is a shrimp boat.

[rakman]

"but the number of pilots needed to control it could be reduced in the future," Peerasak said.

Maybe they can have more guest celebrity pilots to have a go at the controls. Award Captain's wings to influential members of the company, pop stars, and people from important families....

Buy the time only 1 pilot is in the cockpit of a airliner, the A380's and all current aircraft will be long retired and recycled into beer cans.

[BillyBobThai]

John Travolta would love to get his A380 wings while also joining the 5 mile high club with a Thai

ladyboy.

[Dork]

John Travolta would love to get his A380 wings while also joining the 5 mile high club with a Thai

ladyboy.

That made me laugh. Unfortunately THAI don't have the enclosed first class cabins like SQ & EK but maybe that wouldn't matter.

[jcw]

For example, a single wheel costs Bt3 million. The company changed two wheels a few weeks ago after 100 flights.

Easy, leave the Thai-ness out of the cockpit & fly it like other operators and stop screwing the wheels

[thaicbr]

The costs are high now because they are on low yield short hop training flights, hurry up and get them on the long run high yield routes to FRA/CDG/SYD & hopefully LHR. The article doesn't mention fuel savings a 747 & A380 both consume almost 1000 barrels of fuel to London the obvious benefit for the A380 is long haul.

Thai have a plan to use it as a shuttle aircraft between Swampy and Don Meaung................

[ttnice30]

John Travolta would love to get his A380 wings while also joining the 5 mile high club with a Thai

ladyboy.

That made me laugh. Unfortunately THAI don't have the enclosed first class cabins like SQ & EK but maybe that wouldn't matter.

It seems to me that Malaysia Airlines A380 also doesn't have enclosed first cabins btw.

[atyclb]

The Thai government better make sure they have no outstanding debts to German companies / EU companies before landing that expensive collateral in Frankfurt.

[Dork]

The Thai government better make sure they have no outstanding debts to German companies / EU companies before landing that expensive collateral in Frankfurt.

Luftwaffe land their collateral in BKK so doubt there will be any issues.

[ableguy]

Much ado about nothing really.

Servicing a BMW costs more than a Vigo. Bloke with the BMW knows that when he buys it.

Of course costs to operate an aircraft this size are more than a smaller one. This would have been factored in long ago, prior to commitment to purchase. Airlines don't go and buy something like this because it looks nice.

There would be all of the analysis factored in to keep it flying, break even points per flight, including maintenance, continual training of flight, engineering and ground handling crews, all the way to ticketing.

The aircraft is being shaken down, and being exposed to the market, and yes training for the pilots and cabin crews,so that they have the sufficient qualified people to handle the impending future introductions into service.

What makes you think these clowns have your logic ?????

[lomatopo]

The Thai government better make sure they have no outstanding debts to German companies / EU companies before landing that expensive collateral in Frankfurt.

TG currently have two dailies to FRA and one daily to MUC.

Further TG's A380s are on lease from the Bank of China. Not sure some regional judge in Germany wants to p*ss off BoC?