FD/DD/TG*/PG/OX | Thailand-Based Carriers

[napoleon]

Mjets reopens Don Mueang terminal

Published: 9/03/2012 at 02:42 AM

Thailand's sole dedicated private jet terminal has reopened as its operator moves strenuously to rebuild traffic lost during the four-month closure of flood-ravaged Don Mueang airport.

The terminal's revival coincided with the reopening of Bangkok's century-old airport for scheduled commercial flights on Tuesday after repairs that cost more than 1 billion baht.

Mjets, the terminal operator, has so far spent nearly 20 million baht to restore the facility back to pre-flooding condition.

The terminal originally began operations two years ago with an investment of 53 million baht.

Executive chairman Jaiyavat Navaraj confirmed the terminal, complete with immigration, customs and lounge, is now fully operational, as are the Mjets fleet, flight operations and administrative offices.

Additional facilities offered by Mjets, including ground handling, comprehensive maintenance and hangar parking for those with their own aircraft, are also back to their usual operations.

But Mr Jaiyavat told the Bangkok Post it may take about three months before the firm, jointly owned by businessmen Bill Heinecke and Kirit Shah, can restore traffic back to the pre-flood level of 55 flights a month.

The bomb blasts that shook Bangkok's Sukhumvit Soi 71 on Feb 14 and the limited dissemination of information about the revival of Don Mueang could prove a stumbling block in wooing private jet traffic back to Bangkok.

"As our clients are VIPs, celebrities, the wealthy and top business people, security is of utmost importance in whether they will choose to come to Thailand and make stopovers," said Mr Jaiyavat. He urged the authorities to address the issue more diligently.

Last month alone, Mjets saw its business cut in half compared with the same month last year, when it handled a total of 45 flights. The terminal has been operating well below its capacity of 30 flights a day.

Mjets remains in the dark as to how much it will be compensated by insurers for the damage caused by the flood to its facilities.

The company wants Airports of Thailand Plc, the operator of the kingdom's six main airports, to provide relief by extending the concession period for operating the private jet terminal _ now ending in 2015 _ by two years or so.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...ueang-terminal

[napoleon]

Bangkok Air posts 47% profit growth Forecasts 33% profit growth this year

Published: 9/03/2012 at 10:56 AM

Bangkok Airways' conservative approach to business has allowed it to sustain profitability both last year and this one even as rising fuel costs plague carriers worldwide.

The privately-owned airline posted a 46.7% jump in net profit last year to 1.22 billion baht and expects to see 1.6 billion in earnings this year, 33% growth.

Thai Airways International (THAI) was the only carrier to post a negative result with a net loss of 10.2 billion baht, its biggest annual loss in three years.

Last year, Bangkok Airways carried 3.09 million passengers, 16.5% more than the previous year, and this year it projects a 16% increase to 3.6 million.

Company president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said Thailand's expected political stability this year and the country's status as a popular tourism destination would ensure growth for Bangkok Airways in 2012.

It will continue its strategy of increasing frequency on existing routes while expanding code-share opportunities.

"Our priority is to add frequency on many of our domestic and international routes that show high demand," he added.

The airline will launch fewer new routes this year, with Samui-Kuala Lumpur and a nonstop Bangkok-Lampang service planned. Last year it added three destinations in South Asia: Mumbai, Bangalore and Dhaka.

The airline is pondering service to Delhi, but that is subject to obtaining a licence from Indian authorities, which could happen in time for the winter schedule of 2013 when it adds new planes to the fleet.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...-profit-growth

[napoleon]

[napoleon]

THAI board agenda omits aircraft acquisition plan

THE NATION March 17, 2012 1:00 am

The board of Thai Airways International yesterday did not consider the proposed acquisition of 38 new aircraft to boost its fleet as part of its plan for 2018-2022 because of the Bt10.19-billion loss suffered last year, board chairman Amphon Kittiamphon said.

Under the plan, some planes were to be purchased and some leased. However, the proposed addition of 37 new aircraft under the 2011-16 plan remains unchanged. The firm will take delivery of new and refurbished aircraft from now until 2016. That means THAI will have 50 planes ready to be pressed into service.

However, Amphon said this would not have any impact on the company's operation. THAI will have to move forward more carefully to minimise risks after last year's loss. The future purchase and leasing plan will be considered by the risk management committee to stabilise financial performance in the long term. At the same time, the committee will have to deal with the previous cabinet's acquisition plan.

He said THAI had been hemmed in by many factors: rising fuel prices, global economic instability, natural disasters ranging from earthquakes and tsunamis to floods, and worldwide changes in the aviation industry. In addition, other airlines from Australia, North America and the Middle East that offer competitive services, as well as low-cost airlines, have intensified the competition. "Amid those problems, do we have a mechanism to secure our company?" he asked, adding that risk management would be key for the airline to survive in the long term.

In February, THAI carried 1.65 million passengers, an increase of 5.2 per cent over the same period last year. Cabin factor increased to 79 per cent year on year from 77.6 per cent. Important destinations on routes to Europe rose to 88.2 per cent from 82.9 per cent, Australia and New Zealand to 72.6 per cent from 66.8 per cent, and domestic routes to 82.9 per cent from 77.2 per cent. Freight load factor averaged 54.7 per cent, about 3.5 percentage points lower than the same period last year.

The board also approved the issue of debentures worth not more than Bt1.5 billion for a 12-year period, the longest tenure in the company's history. The funds will be used for cash flow, investing in assets, or repaying debts that have a higher financing cost. The firm has appointed CIMB Thai to be its financial adviser and lead underwriter.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30178146.html

[napoleon]

THAI axes non-stop to US

Published: 22/03/2012 at 02:50 AM

Thai Airways International (THAI) will end its money-losing Bangkok-Los Angeles non-stop service on May 1.

The flag carrier will phase out and possibly write off the four A340-500s used on the route.

THAI blamed the high price of oil, trading at about US$137 a barrel in Singapore, for the cancellation of the Bangkok-Los Angeles service, the airline's longest non-stop flight.

Insiders early this week said the flight hardly ever made economic sense given the type of aircraft used _ the A340-500 _ and cabin configuration, which does not generate the yields needed to justify flying the aircraft.

The plane was configured with 215 seats _ 60 in business class and 155 in economy.

The mix is not profitable unless nearly all seats are booked.

The airline has been forced to use the A340-500s, super long-haul jetliners made by Airbus, as attempts to sell the aircraft over the past five years or so have proved unsuccessful.

The market for the plane, capable of flying 16,000 kilometres non-stop, is exceedingly small, and there is simply no demand for it, said the insiders.

The only option left for THAI is to ground the four jets. It has done this in the past. Grounding them will cause less financial damage than putting them in the air, the insiders said.

They added that the four jetliners, which cost around $200 million each when the airline bought them new more than seven years ago, are likely to be phased out and written off.

The aircraft were previously used on the Bangkok-New York route. That daily service was cancelled in 2009 when high oil prices made the route too expensive.

The airline will replace the non-stop Bangkok-Los Angeles service with a new flight from Bangkok that stops at Seoul's Incheon airport before continuing to Los Angeles.

There will be four flights a week, on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The airline will use B777-300ERs, a twin-engine long-haul wide-body.

Airline executives say the plane is more economical than the four-engine A340-500.

The B777 is capable of carrying some 300 passengers in three classes.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...non-stop-to-us

[siamu maharaj]

215 seats in a long-range airliner is sort of absurd.

[napoleon]

Jet charter firm plans expansion amid rising demand

THE NATION March 24, 2012 1:00 am

Advance Aviation Jet Co, a newcomer in the Thai market for private charter flight service, plans to invest at least Bt1 billion to buy three more super mid-size jets over the next three years to serve rising demand from rich people.
Acting on the good feedback it has received after being established in 2006, the company yesterday officially launched a new private-jet-charter service in addition to its current VIP helicopter-charter services.

The US$10-million (Bt300 million) jet - a Gulfstream G200 - designed to serve high-power passengers such as businesspeople who need to fly further than a helicopter's range is considered the first of its kind in Thailand, said Chai Nasylvanta, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Advance Aviation Jet Co.

"We see a strong demand for private charter flight services after last year's severe floods in Thailand. During the flooding period alone, we recorded about Bt50 million in revenue from helicopter-charter services, the same figure as we posted for all of 2011," he said.

He added that the new jet-charter service would not cannibalise the company's helicopter business as the customer target groups of the two services are different. In fact, these two services can have synergy. The jet charter is a point-to-point service while the helicopter charter is an airport-transfer service that can take passengers from the airport to hotels or desired places in the Kingdom.

The Gulfstream G200, which is recognised as one of the world's best small aircraft, will take clients who need to travel a longer distance than they can fly in a helicopter, in quick time, said Chai. He added that the company could provide the service to any requested destination such as Dubai, Beijing, Perth, Japan, Incheon, Maldives, India or Hong Kong. The jet service is based in Bangkok. At present, he said, there are three clients - all of them foreigners - using the service.

"We target sales from the charter-jet services for this year at $2 million or 300 hours, based on fees of $6,500 per hour," he said.

Chai said the company posted Bt50 million in revenue last fiscal year ending September 30.

After five years of operations, Advance Aviation Jet Co now has four five-seat helicopters to provide charter services, two of which are based in Bangkok and one each in Phuket and Chiang Mai. Service fees are Bt87,500 per hour for a Eurocopter EC135 and Bt77,000 per hour for the EC130 model. By client breakdown, about 80 per cent are businesspeople and the rest tourists. Meanwhile, 80 per cent of clients in Phuket and Chiang Mai are tourists and 20 per cent are businesspeople. The major clients are Siam Commercial Bank, TV Channel 7 and TNN Channel.

Chai said the company's strength was that it ran the business without bank loans, using its own working capital for expansion. It has registered capital of Bt70 million. Therefore, it can maintain security standards in addition to quality service because it has no financial pressure.

"When our company's financial statement shows better solidity, we might apply for bank loans to finance our future business expansion," he said.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30178639.html

[napoleon]

[napoleon]

THAI gears up for AEC

THE NATION April 28, 2012 1:00 am

Thai Airways International is strengthening its ability to carry passengers in every consumer market before the aviation business is opened up in 2015 with the implementation of the Asean Economic Community.

Woranate Laprabang of THAI's corporate strategy and planning department said the company wanted to protect its business share not only in Thailand but also in the region, through its three airlines - Thai Airways, Thai Smile, and Nok Air, in which the company controls a 49-per-cent stake.

Its new budget airline, Thai Smile, will be launched on July 7, with the maiden flight to Macau. It will compete directly with AirAsia, Asia's biggest low-cost airline.

A one-way Thai Smile ticket to Macau is Bt3,000, with three flights a day. Yesterday, AirAsia offered a one-way ticket to Macau for Bt1,650. Passengers can book until tomorrow and can fly from July 7 to October 31.

However, Thai Smile's service is somewhat different from that of rivals. It will provide snacks and drinks to passengers and also allow checked luggage without charge. It will fly over Thai territory and also in the region.

Thai Smile is part of THAI's business, not under a new company. It will have to work closely with THAI to ensure there is no overlapping of routes.

After its launch, Thai Smile will add four new routes: Bangkok-Krabi and Bangkok-Surat Thani, replacing existing flights of Thai Airways; Bangkok-Chiang Mai; and Bangkok-Phuket.

There are four Airbus A320 aircraft in the Thai Smile fleet. It is expected to have a load factor of 72 per cent, with 90 flights per week. In its first year of operations, the airline is expected to earn revenue of Bt1.8 billion and carry 300,000 passengers.

Next year, Thai Smile expects Bt5 billion in revenue, with 150 flights a week on nine routes. The company also plans to promote Thai Smile as a regional airline over the next five years. Overseas flights will make up 70 per cent of the total.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30180873.html

[napoleon]

Air force swaps 3 planes for 1

Published: 14/05/2012 at 01:48

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has exchanged three G222 transport aircraft with a Saab 340B aircraft from Sweden as the G222 planes, which already had been grounded, had no spare parts.

The Saab 340B aircraft has arrived in Surat Thani and was handed over by Saab on May 2, a source at the RTAF said.

The air force earlier purchased 12 Gripen fighter jets, a Saab 340 AEW airborne early warning aircraft and a Saab 340 aircraft from the Swedish manufacturer.

The air force had six G222 planes and all had been grounded due to a lack of spare parts.

Air Marshal Chumphon Chanthavani travelled to the USA to sign a contract to exchange the aircraft on Feb 23.

Saab handed over its aircraft to the air force at Wing 7 in Surat Thani on May 2.

Meanwhile, air force spokesman Monthon Satchukorn said an investigative team looking into an accident involving a Thai air force plane in Bangladesh has returned to Thailand and is assessing damages caused to the plane.

The ATR-72-500 aircraft lost control and skidded off a runway at a Bangladeshi airport on April 30.

Three passengers suffered minor injuries.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/tran...3-planes-for-1

[napoleon]

Don Mueang getting ready for flood-prevention work

Published: 28/05/2012 at 02:42 AM

Comprehensive work to prevent Don Mueang airport from flooding again looks set to get underway soon, with a completion date of two months, just ahead of seasonal runoff arriving from the North.

The state-controlled Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is about to sign an agreement with a contractor to carry out the 100-million-baht-plus undertaking, which includes erection of reinforced concrete floodwalls, said president Anirut Thanomkulbutra.

The fixed barrier, 3.85 metres high and 7.1 kilometres long, stretches from the northern front of Bangkok's old airport along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road to its southern side.

In addition, removable concrete barriers, for use as temporary flood prevention, will also be put in place along Vibhavadi Rangsit over 270 metres to the Bangkok Tollway ramp to allow vehicles to move from the airport up to the elevated toll road.

Materials and equipment will also be placed along the 13.8-km fence around the airport to help build a temporary flood barrier.

Four water pumps will be acquired and 12 existing water pumping stations at the airport improved, while canals and water-retention areas in the neighbourhood will be dredged to boost storage and flow capacity.

Mr Anirut said in an interview that AoT's flood prevention effort will be coordinated with the Royal Thai Air Force, whose headquarters share a common ground with the airport.

The flood prevention effort is expected to be finished by the end of July in the hopes it will keep the old airport dry if another deluge happens this year, he said.

Don Mueang airport was shut down by Thailand's worst flooding in 69 years.

The closure lasted from Oct 25 until this past March 6, when it partially reopened for commercial flights.

Last year's flooding of Don Mueang came as a surprise to some because of a widespread belief that its location on high ground would spare it. Many blamed the floods at the airport on the government's poor floodwater management.

The government plans to spend 350 billion baht on flood prevention measures.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...revention-work

[napoleon]

Bangkok Air planning to list next year Private company may sell up to 40% of stock

Published: 14/06/2012 at 07:48 AM

Bangkok Airways' planned divestiture to end its 44-year-old fully private ownership is taking shape as the carrier gets set for a new chapter of business life.

The airline has commissioned Bualuang Securities to draw up plans for an initial public offering (IPO), setting sights on the first quarter next year.

It may also offer up to a 40% interest in the company to help raise more funds for growth, specifically a fleet expansion and construction of new hangars at its Suvarnabhumi airport hub, said president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth.

Having mooted the IPO scheme for several years, Bangkok Airways only in March firmed up plans to raise 10 billion baht to consolidate its position as Thailand's leading regional airline.

"We want to grow our equity base [through the IPO], with new partners and investors becoming part of the airline, and also expand for the future in a way that the existing family-owned structure does not accommodate," Capt Puttipong told the Bangkok Post.

Bangkok Airways is readying itself to comply with the Securities and Exchange Commission's listing rules and ensure a successful IPO launch, he said.

More than 80% of Bangkok Airways is owned by Dr Prasert, the doctor-turned-businessman who founded the airline and has a substantial interest in Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Thailand's largest private hospital group. Dr Prasert is the father of Capt Puttipong.

Bangkok Airways would be the second airline to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in less than a year.

On May 31, Asia Aviation Plc (AAV), the holding firm of the discount carrier Thai AirAsia, made its trading debut on the SET.

AAV issued 1.21 billion shares at 3.70 baht each, raising 4.48 billion baht to expand its fleet and boost capital.

For Bangkok Airways, a key strategy after listing on the SET is to consolidate its network in Southeast Asia.

"We want to fully cover Southeast Asia," said Capt Puttipong. "We want to resume flights to Vietnam, serve Mandalay as a second destination in Myanmar, fly to the Lao capital of Vientiane, and there are countries like Indonesia and the Philippines where we have not flown before."

Basically, Bangkok Airways _ dubbed "Asia's boutique airline" _ wants to cover destinations that are 4-5 hours' flight time from Bangkok.

The carrier's more immediate expansion is geared towards adding flights on existing routes; for instance, a third daily Bangkok-Yangon flight to commence in October.

Another idea is to ramp up frequency to the resort island of Samui towards the end of the year, as additional aircraft capacity becomes available.

The airline is confident of remaining profitable this year.

In the first quarter, Bangkok Airways reported a net profit of 500 million baht and has conservatively projected full-year earnings of 800 million baht.

"We would rather be conservative in our projection, since we don't know how soon fuel prices will resume their rally and we normally have seasonally low load factors in the second and third quarters," said Capt Puttipong.

Bangkok Airways posted a 47% jump in net profit last year to 1.22 billion baht. It carried 3.09 million passengers, 16.5% more than in 2010, and this year expects a 16% rise to 3.6 million.

Bangkok Airways recently took delivery of its 19th aircraft, a A319 jet, with two more A320s set to join the fleet in October and December.

The carrier's current fleet consists of eight ATR 72 turboprops, three A320s and eight A319s.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...list-next-year

[jomjo]

AirAsia Ready to Transfer Flight Operations to Don Mueang Airport from October 1st, 2012

Bangkok, 25 June 2012

AirAsia affirms its readiness to transfer all operations to Don Mueang International Airport by October 1st, 2012. The airline assures Don Mueang Airport will be able to accommodate its growing fleet and provide its customers with the utmost satisfaction.

Mr. Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia, said that AirAsia’s decision to return to Don Mueang Airport was carefully assessed as he noted that the capabilities of Don Mueang Airport are in line with AirAsia’s own growth plan. Thorough consideration into transferring to Don Mueang Airport found that the airport’s capabilities, coupled with the Airports of Thailand Company’s assistance measures, meant AirAsia could better manage its cost more effectively and provide passengers with improved service.

“The uncongested Don Mueang Airport is sure to prove a benefit to AirAsia when it boosts its fleet of Airbus A320s to a total of 48 and welcomes more customers. The airport’s location also makes it conducive to further travel. Prospective travelers should have confidence in what Don Mueang has to offer”, said Mr. Tassapon.

AirAsia has scheduled October 1st this year as the date when all of its services will be based at Don Mueang Airport. The airline’s flights will retain their FD code and original schedules. Passengers who are affected by the switch to Don Mueang Airport, may alter their flights by either choosing another travel date on the same route either 7 days before or after their original travel date, at no additional cost. Passengers also have an option to convert the paid flight into credit shell available to be used within the next 90 days. The change options are only available to affected passengers who purchased their tickets before 26 June 2012 whose travel dates are from 1 October 2012 onwards. For further information and developments visit www.airasia.com or contact the AirAsia Call Center at 02-515-999.

[siamu maharaj]

What the fuck man! I have taken Airasia out of Suvarnabhumi a few times. I would never, even if free, take a flight from that dump Don muang.

[krnboy1009]

^I would if it meant lower fare.

[melrocks50]

Originally Posted by siamu maharaj

What the fuck man! I have taken Airasia out of Suvarnabhumi a few times. I would never, even if free, take a flight from that dump Don muang.

WOAH WOAH WOAH

Don Muang isn't that bad you know...

[everywhere]

Airline News and Deals
(China Daily/WCARN.com, July 1)

New Thai carrier: Thai Airways International has confirmed that its new business division will launch services in July 2012 under the Thai Smile Air brand. The start-up carrier has been tentatively dubbed Thai Wings since the national carrier first revealed its plans to establish the venture earlier this year. The airline will be positioned as a low-to-medium-cost carrier. Thai Smile Air will initially serve domestic destinations before adding international flights in 2013 to Southeast Asia, China and India.

[napoleon]

THAI to launch regional budget carrier in 2013

The Nation July 4, 2012 1:00 am

National carrier Thai Airways is working on plans with its sister budget airline Nok Air to launch a new low-cost airline by the middle of next year, with a focus on the regional market.

Chokchai Panyayong, acting president of Thai Airways International Plc (THAI), said yesterday that Nok Air has hired a consultant to conduct a feasibility study for the airline's launch, with the findings expected to be finalised by the end of this month. After this, discussion over possible business directions between the two firms will kick off.

Chokchai is also THAI's executive vice president for strategy and business development.

Under the plan, THAI would form a joint venture with Nok Air with registered capital of Bt200 million. THAI would hold a majority stake in the company.

The name of the new airline has not been finalised, but it will avoid the word 'Thai' to give it a more international image, especially within Asean. The routes will cover other countries in the region, not only Thailand.

Once up and running, it will be the third airline operated by THAI in addition to flagship carrier Thai Airways. THAI Smile will be launched officially this Saturday with its first flight to Macau from Suvarnabhumi Airport. THAI also holds a 49-per-cent stake in Nok Air.

Having a low-cost regional airline is expected to strengthen THAI's market position by capturing passengers in every segment ahead of the implementation of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

The launch of the new airline brands follows a business model pioneered by Singapore Airlines Limited, which operates the city-state's flagship carrier, plus Silk Air and two low-cost airlines - Scoot and Tiger Airways. Scoot focuses on medium and long-haul destinations, while Tiger flies to regional destinations.

THAI's new airline will adopt a pricing strategy to compete head-on with AirAsia, Chokchai said, adding that the launch would directly benefit consumers by giving them more choice. He was confident there was room for growth in the market, despite the rising number of low-cost airlines. In Asia, this market is still small compared to Europe and the US, where it has been established for a long time, he said. Passengers flying low-cost airlines make up 35-36 per cent of the total air-travel market.

A source in the aviation industry, who declined to be named, was concerned about the plan for a new THAI-operated carrier, saying it could lead to overlapping destinations for THAI and its subsidiaries.

Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia, welcomed the move and said the market was big enough for new players, pointing out that Asean's 600-million-strong population would be combined into a single market in 2015 under the AEC.

"Success in the market will depend on ability,'' he said, adding that he was confident that AirAsia's strong brand and practical marketing strategy would allow it to keep its market share. Currently, the firm depends on head-on price competition with other players to protect its business.

THAI is struggling to emerge from a period of heavy losses. Last year, the firm posted a Bt10-billion loss. While it expects to earn Bt6 billion in net profit this year, and posted first-quarter net profit of Bt3.6 billion, it expects to see losses in the second and third quarters. In the first five months of this year, net profit missed its target of 50 per cent growth.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30185461.html

[napoleon]

Nok Air plans new routes for new planes

Published: 27/07/2012 at 02:01 AM

Nok Air is shifting into high gear to expand its all-domestic network to take advantage of increased capacity after it takes delivery of seven new aircraft.


Nok Air’s fourth B737-800, named Nok Naanfah, joins the fleet early this month. The budget airline will take delivery of seven more aircraft by yearend.

The budget airline has already firmed up plans for three new routes and will increase the number of flights on some existing routes, said airline officials said.

It will also add more new routes and increase flight frequencies on other circuits, they said.

By year-end, Nok Air will gain five single-aisle B737-800 jets and two ATR72-500 turboprops.

The airline will retire four of its older B737-400s, but the new arrivals will significantly increase capacity, said the sources.

Nok Air's current fleet consists of four Boeing 737-800s with 189 seats each, nine Boeing 737-400s with 150-168 seats and two ATR-72 aircraft with 66 seats.

Its current network covers 20 cities excluding Bangkok, where it is based at Don Mueang airport.

Finding new routes that offer good traffic potential is a challenge, said the sources.

Nok Air will commence service between Bangkok and Chumphon on Oct 1, with one flight a day.

The airline will also resume its Bangkok-Buri Ram route, which was suspended after Don Mueang airport was shut down by flooding last October.

It will carry three flights a week on the route from Sept 1.

The airline started four weekly flights between Chiang Mai and Mae Sot on July 15.

Nok Air's secondary routes are operated by 34-seat Saab 340B turboprops chartered from Siam General Aviation or Nok Mini.

The airline will also from Dec 1 increase flight frequency on the Bangkok-Nakhon Si Thammarat route, on which it currently offers four B737 flights a day.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...for-new-planes

[napoleon]

Don Mueang will be ready on time, AOT says

THE NATION August 18, 2012 1:00 am

Airports of Thailand (AOT) yesterday announced that Don Mueang Airport is now 100 per cent ready to open for low-cost carriers on October 1.

The listed airport operator also insisted that Don Mueang would be used permanently, and that AOT would work on connectivity with Suvarnabhumi Airport for passengers.

It was the first time AOT had gone public on the issue of Don Mueang's rebirth as a hub for low-cost airlines after controversy over its readiness for the full re-launch on October 1. The long silence has undermined confidence, especially among foreign tourists.

Flying Officer Anirut Thanomkulbutra, president of the airport authority, confirmed that Don Mueang would be ready to serve low-cost carriers fully and on time. Currently, only Nok Air and Orient Thai and charter flights use the facility. He said AOT was in talks with the other 14 budget airlines to set up operations at the old airport.



Only Terminal 1 is to be in operation, which can accommodate 16.5 million passengers a year for both domestic and international flights.

However, what people have worried about most is not Don Mueang's capacity but connectivity between the two airports. Anirut said AOT had prepared transport service between the two such as public and shuttle buses. In the future, the Bangkok mass transit system will be extended to link the two airports as well.

Also yesterday, AOT held "Thailand Take Off", an operational workshop on preparing Don Meuang Airport for its new role. Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan presided over the event.

About 200 people involved in the aviation industry attended.

Thai AirAsia, the biggest low-cost carrier, will relocate on October 1 from Suvarnabhumi.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30188584.html