PUBLISHED AUGUST 18, 2014

Thai Airways plans 1,500 job cuts this year

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Seeking a turnaround: Thai Airways has racked up five successive quarters of losses due to high operating costs and a continued decline in passengers as the country's tourism industry suffered from prolonged political unrest. - PHOTO: REUTERS

[bANGKOK] Troubled national airline Thai Airways International expects to return to profit earlier than expected in the fourth quarter, it said, aiming to cut 1,500 jobs this year under its newly approved restructuring plan.

The airline also said that it would shed more than a quarter of its full-time employees by 2018, the first major job cuts announcement since the plan was given the go-ahead last month.

Thai Airways had previously said that it aimed to cut costs and prioritise certain routes to return to profit as soon as the middle of next year.

The airline, which employs 25,000 people and another 5,000 in sub-contracted staff, was singled out as the first state enterprise to undergo reform by Thailand's military rulers who took over in May from a government accused of corruption.

A lot of people don't fly Thai because it's overpriced when compared to almost every other airline.

Old planes, high prices - a recipe for failure.

A lot of people don't fly Thai because it's overpriced when compared to almost every other airline.

Old planes, high prices - a recipe for failure.

Indeed. Though the fleet is being renewed slowly, the prices are almost as bad as Bangkok Airways.

Don't stop at 1500 employees.

May be time to bring a new CEO in? Someone from outside Thailand ?

The airline also said that it would shed more than a quarter of its full-time employees by 2018

It wont happen, the Union is to strong there, and I don't think all the families of the connected will like it.

May be time to bring a new CEO in? Someone from outside Thailand ?

Their is not one foreign manager at the Thai head office, not even one.

I know...

The airline also said that it would shed more than a quarter of its full-time employees by 2018

It wont happen, the Union is to strong there, and I don't think all the families of the connected will like it.

Here's how to bust the union:

1. Spin off either Nok Air or Thai Smile into a separate independent company.
2. Declare Thai bankrupt and lay off all employees.
3. Transfer all assets and selected liabilities to the newly spun off airline.
4. Rehire selected staff without their seniority at the new airline and re-brand it as "Royal Thai Airlines" or something even catchier sounding than that.

When pigs can fly.

keeping the mai nois and cousins ?

1,500 will just be getting rid of the admin staff who are doing nothing but walking around airports with one piece of paper trying to look busy. When will the real cuts start ?

1,500 will just be getting rid of the admin staff who are doing nothing but walking around airports with one piece of paper trying to look busy. When will the real cuts start ?

don't forget the persons at desks busy stringing paper clips togeather

First to go should be the smug and the long timers who thing that seniority and length of time

working there somehow gives them the right to be complacent and careless in this job,

Second, lower the fares to compete with other airlines that provide similar service, and watch

how business will pick up, my family and I will be the first to go back flying with Thai...

A lot of people don't fly Thai because it's overpriced when compared to almost every other airline.

Old planes, high prices - a recipe for failure.

Priced Thai Business Class vs Eva Air equivalent LHR - BKK in October. Over £300 more expensive.

A lot of people don't fly Thai because it's overpriced when compared to almost every other airline.

Old planes, high prices - a recipe for failure.

Priced Thai Business Class vs Eva Air equivalent LHR - BKK in October. Over £300 more expensive.

This is THAI philosophy, it is hard-wired into the management's mentality; Charge more, even if it means flying a lot of empty seats.