THAI Smile first flight from Bangkok to Macau on July 1, 2012

Management at THAI Smile have announced that the airline’s first operational flight will be from Bangkok to Macau on July 1, 2012.

The airline, which is an offshoot of Thailand’s national carrier, THAI Airways International, has already completed the hiring of cabin crew and pilots.

Chokchai Panyayong, Vice President for Strategy and Business Development, spoke with representatives from the media about the direction of the new airline, which has already received the green light from the THAI board.

He said that the airline’s initial flight will depart Bangkok and arrive in Macau, a route that THAI Smile will operate twice a week, with tickets on sale to travellers in April.  Chokchai anticipates that the passenger load will average at the 70% mark per flight.

Four Airbus A320 jets will be used in THAI Smile’s opening year, with routes operating out of Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Kolkata, Jakarta and Phnom Penh.

The name of the airline was picked in a competition where members of the public had the opportunity to offer suggestions for the name of the new airline, which was fully approved by the executive board in August last year.

The airline’s president, Piyavasti Amranand, said that the new carrier will aim to capture a niche that is currently underrepresented in the airline market.  He said THAI Smile would offer a premium sub-brand that provides passengers with another option that strives to be a cut above low-cost air travel.

He also described the image as “trendy, friendly and a worthy concept”.

THAI’s Executive Board has also approved a plan outlining the future direction of the national carrier up until 2018.  THAI Airways plans to modernise its fleet with 51 new aircraft over the next six years.

Source

Blog by Travel In A Group