Poo Air To Take To The Skies Again?

[tolsti]

From an article in The Nation today.

''Phuket Air, which scrapped an earlier application for landing slots, reapplied under its new company name of Suvarnabhumi Airline.''

Interesting to see that one of their 737s HS-VKK is recorded as stored but the ownership is already recorded as Suvarnabhumi Airline.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/02...ss_30023066.php

[cdnvic]

It must be a domestic venture as that would have near zero name recognition outside of Thailand.

[NukRukDee]

I'm all for it.

More competition in the market is healthy. Particularly for the shorter, domestic runs.

[Rinrada]

From an article in The Nation today.

''Phuket Air, which scrapped an earlier application for landing slots, reapplied under its new company name of Suvarnabhumi Airline.''

Interesting to see that one of their 737s HS-VKK is recorded as stored but the ownership is already recorded as Suvarnabhumi Airline.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/02...ss_30023066.php

Good old Poo Air welcome back ...but will it happen...?...

..should have called itself Sukhumvit Airways ....Suck Air for short...

Phuket Air now called Suvarnabhumi Airline plans services from Bangkok to Ranong, Buri Ram, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

...Also looks like Thai Skies will be getting even busier... ....on the Cards......

Holiday Airline will operate routes to Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo.

Defunct Air Andaman, which ceased trading is planning a comeback in a joint venture to be called Asian Aerospace Service.

Sky Star Airway, a joint Thai (51 per cent) and South Korean (49 per cent) venture.

plans flights from Bangkok to Shanghai three times a week, five flights to Beijing, and five to Taipei.

Siam Express Airway plans to fly to Seoul, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City.

Thai-owned AS Aviation, which aims to fly air taxis and charter flights for business people, using three small aircraft.

SEE Sky, wants to run non-scheduled flights for advertising purposes.

Air Mark Aviation Thailand, will offer scheduled and non-scheduled flights.

Also, a group of Chiang Mai politicians and business people are investing Bt200 million to establish Chiang Mai Airways - a new airline to cater for tourists from southern China.

The new airline will be positioned somewhere between a general commercial airline and a low-cost carrier.

Singapore's Tiger Air, Jetstar of Australia, Jet Air of India, AirAsia of Malaysia are eyeing Thailand for new opportunities.

[cdnvic]

I imagine they're currently trying to strike a deal with an aviation museum to supply them aircraft.

[Florin]

I bet they won't have any problems finding hundreds of Russian tour groups to board their planes...hel_l, they're used to using shoddy Cold War-era aircraft

[brianw]

there is rumour that U.K s least known (unless you live in yorkshire) budget airline YORKSHIRE AIR is hoping to move to Thailand see web site

[cdnvic]

there is rumour that U.K s least known (unless you live in yorkshire) budget airline YORKSHIRE AIR is hoping to move to Thailand see web site

These guys?

[Rinrada]

there is rumour that U.K s least known (unless you live in yorkshire) budget airline YORKSHIRE AIR is hoping to move to Thailand see web site

They are I believe based near Beverley International Airport and have regular flights to Market Wheaton and Pocklington.

Plans have been made to expand to Hull and maybe one day intercounty over TIT border to John Lennon International just outside Manchester...

They are the only airline known to serve up brown ale and mushee pois as part of their award winning cordon blue meals service and with their new big designer uniforms are ready to expand in a big way.

They have just ordered up 12 new Airbuses 380s and are hoping to take delivery just before Xmas ..

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

Thaivisa.com should start an airline. I think it would look nice emblazoned on the fuselage.

[pumpuiman]

Anyone know if there are flights from Bangkok to Korat. Last time I checked...there were none (to the great dissapointment of my sister in law, who I offered her first plane ride)

[steveromagnino]

there is rumour that U.K s least known (unless you live in yorkshire) budget airline YORKSHIRE AIR is hoping to move to Thailand see web site

They are I believe based near Beverley International Airport and have regular flights to Market Wheaton and Pocklington.

Plans have been made to expand to Hull and maybe one day intercounty over TIT border to John Lennon International just outside Manchester...

They are the only airline known to serve up brown ale and mushee pois as part of their award winning cordon blue meals service and with their new big designer uniforms are ready to expand in a big way.

They have just ordered up 12 new Airbuses 380s and are hoping to take delivery just before Xmas ..

These cultural references are even more over my head than the time Peter Griffin swam with the bulls.

And I thought, while lousy at sport and cooking anything, at least the English had a good sense of humour.... :-)

[ilyushin]

The airline was established in 1999 and started operations on December 19, 2001 with two Boeing 737-200 aircraft bought from Garuda Indonesia. It was owned by Angkana Apiwattanaporn and managed by Vikrom Aisiri, a Thai senator from Ranong who also owns the Andaman Club Hotel island casino in Myanmar and a resort hotel in Chiang Rai Province.

The airline rapidly expanded, adding some vintage NAMC YS-11 turbo-props, some older Boeing 747s and a Boeing 757-200 to its fleet. In addition to flying several domestic routes, Phuket Air undertook international routes to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Seoul.

Under strain from a downturn in the tourism industry after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, and struggles to maintain its fleet of ageing aircraft, Phuket Airlines was plagued by poor service and safety concerns. By the end of 2005 it had scaled back its operations, having laid off hundreds of its employees and leased its equipment out to other carriers.

In March 2006, Phuket Air was entirely scrapped by its shareholders, who were planning to rename the airline and focus on flying four routes between Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Ranong and Buriram Province, using Boeing 737s. They had hoped to call the new entity Suvarnabhumi Airline, but since that name is already taken by the New Bangkok International Airport, which was bestowed by His Majesty the King, Thailand's Civil Aviation Department asked that they find another name.

Angkana and Vikram also have submitted an application for another airline named Holiday Airline, to fly to Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo using Boeing 747s.

Incidents and accidents

April 2005 - on a fuelling stop for a Bangkok-London flight, passengers urged a Phuket Air 747 to abandon take off from Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates because they saw fuel leaking from a wing. The airline said the fuel tank had been overfilled and insisted there was no danger. However, passengers refused to fly and another plane was ordered from Bangkok, but it was delayed at Sharjah for nearly 11 hours because of further technical trouble. The incident also caused delays for Phuket Air's return flights from London's Gatwick Airport and prompted the United Kingdom's Department for Transport to place the airline on a blacklist.

April 9, 2005 - hydraulic problems caused a 24-hour delay in takeoff of Phuket Air Flight 9R 619 from Bankgok to Amsterdam. The airline is banned from flying in the Netherlands.

France has banned the airline as well.

May 6, 2005 - A Phuket Air 747 was impounded at Gatwick Airport for non-payment of landing fees. The plane was still there as of December 24, 2005 but has now left.

August 2005 - a Phuket Air 747 was impounded at Incheon International Airport after a dispute with a local company. Phuket Air attempted to fly the aircraft out but was stopped and the airline was forced to pay $230,000 in bills owed to the TV Club Travel company. The plane was noted back in Bangkok in October 2005.

September 11, 2005 - Flight 9R 326 from Bangkok, an NAMC YS-11 (HS-KVO), skidded off the runway when landing at Mae Sot. The starboard wing and engine were damaged. There were no injuries.

Services

As of February 2006, Phuket Air maintained one domestic route between Bangkok and Ranong and an international tour-package flight from Bangkok to Yangon, Myanmar. As of starting summer schedule 2006, Phuket Air does not offer flights anymore.

According to information submitted to the Thai regulatory authorities, Phuket Air is to be split up into two companies, Suvarnabhumi Airlines and Holiday Airlines. One of the new companies will be using B747-200/300 to operate as a charter airline serving the Thailand - Saudi Arabia route while the other will be using B737-200 to operate domestically and to nearby, neighbouring countries. Once the two new companies have received the operating licence from the Ministry of Transport, Phuket Airlines will terminate its business completely.

Fleet

The Phuket Air fleet consists of the following aircraft (according to the airline's website on February 14, 2006):

3 Boeing 747-300 (HS-VAC, HS-VAN and HS-VAV )

1 Boeing 747-200 (HS-VAO)

1 Boeing 737-200 (HS-AKU) others in storage or on contract

1 NAMC YS-11 (HS-KVU)

[cdnvic]

Thaivisa.com should start an airline. I think it would look nice emblazoned on the fuselage.