Thread: Airline News

Emirates have just cut fares for flights from BKK.

Special Fares | Special Offers | Emirates Thailand

^^A few more than two.

Boeing said Air India is the fifth airline in the world to take delivery of a 787 Dreamliner

Air India takes delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner | Reuters

Originally Posted by chassamui

Emirates have just cut fares for flights from BKK.

Special Fares | Special Offers | Emirates Thailand

No better than KLM's current prices.

Airline’s Faith in Booming Rangoon
WILLIAM BOOT
September 8, 2012

September 8, 2012 One of the world’s biggest and most prestigious airlines is to start a daily direct service between Rangoon and Singapore from October to meet what it says it growing demand travel demand.

“Demand has been growing strongly for both business and leisure travel to Myanmar, and Singapore Airlines looks forward to serving the country for the first time,” Singapore International Airlines’ (SIA) Executive Vice-President Mak Swee Wah said on Sept. 4.

SIA said it will take over half the 16 flights run every week by its budget carrier SilkAir and will introduce 320-seater Boeing 777 aircraft to increase capacity by 50 percent.

Nippon Airways of Japan this month joins airlines from Thailand, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam which have already resumed direct flights since economic and political reforms began.

Also from October, Thai Air Asia begins the first direct flights between Mandalay and Bangkok.

The budget airline will fly four times a week from Oct. 4, using 189-seater A320 planes. The airline will also start flying to Naypidaw and increase its Bangkok-Rangoon service to three times daily.

irrawaddy.org

Thai Airways announces special fares to mark A380 launch
Reggie Ho
26/09/2012

Thai Airways (TG) is receiving its first A380-800 tomorrow (September 27) and has announced special fares for those who want to get a first taste of the new superjumbo. The airline has six A380s on order.

Roundtrip economy fares for Bangkok-Hong Kong will start at THB9,200 (US$297), and Singapore at THB9,015 (US$291). Departure must be made from Bangkok between October 6 to December 14, with travel concluded by December 14.

Bangkok to Frankfurt roundtrip economy tickets will start at THB35,650 (US$1,151), with departure from Bangkok to be made between December 15 and March 31 next year. For Tokyo Narita, economy starts from THB16,930 (US$547, departure between January 16 to March 31, 2013).

The Bangkok-Paris A380 service will start in February 2013, with Sydney scheduled to be added in September of the same year.

TG's A380 consists of 507 seats in three classes: 12 in Royal First, 60 in Royal Silk and 435 in economy. The décor and ambiance onboard aim to combine rich vibrant colours with traditional design elements, such as the bulkhead murals.

There are to be 24 cabin attendants on each flight, serving passengers from seven galleys and food service stations, more than any other airline flying the A380, according to TG.

The 12 first class seats (pictured below) are in compartment style, with an 83-inch (211cm) pitch, 26.5-inch (67.3cm) width and 180-degree fully-flat bed configuration.

The 23-inch AVOD interactive touch screen entertainment and information system offers 100 movies, 150 television programmes, 500 CDs and 60 games. In this cabin there are two larger than standard toilets, one of which features a dressing area. The galley here is equipped with top-notch equipment to serve meals timed to suite individual passenger's preference.


In Royal Silk cabin, where there are 60 shell seats (pictured below) in a staggered layout, with direct aisle access. Seats provide a 74-inch (188cm) pitch, 20-inch (51cm) width and 180-degree fully flat recline. There is a 15-inch personal AVOD interactive touchscreen.


The 435 seats in economy (pictured below) occupy the whole of the lower deck and rear section of the upper deck, accessible through a curving double staircase. These seats offer a 32-inch pitch (81cm) and 18-inch (46cm) width. The AVOD seatback touchscreen measures 10.6 inches.


All seats have internet, wifi and mobile communication access.
For more information, visit www.thaiairways.com.

businesstraveller.com

Originally Posted by Mid

Roundtrip economy fares for Bangkok-Hong Kong will start at THB9,200 (US$297), and Singapore at THB9,015 (US$291).

I fail to see what's 'economic' about those fares. Pass...

I fail to see the reason for using an A380 on the Singapore route at all. I would have thought high frequency A319's would be much more appealing to customers. That is, unless they are utilising the plane on a short haul in-between long haul flights, as per AF on the SA route dropping in to LHR....

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Oh great news ,, so the 25+ year old Jumbo's stay on Heathrow to BKK route .

Think next time we will give Oman a go via Muscat ,, get off and have a walk around a bit and save a pile of money to + travel in a new plane . Thai Airways can keep they're overpriced cattle trucks

They have been using the 340/600 on our route for around 6 months now you were unlucky,we are flying back out in a couple of weeks with Thai again because the are using the 340 took 7 years to get us back as customers.
And price competitive as well something going on at Thai?

^ We went out on the 340 mate but came back on the Jumbo and TBH I was glad to be on the Jumbo there is piss all room on those poxy 340's won't be on one of them again soon

^ I would hazard a guess that they will phase out the A340's along with the oldest 747-400's.

BTW Not all their 747's were in the 1990 batch...and the interior upgrade last year has stopped them looking quite so tired.

Looks like the A-380 on the short haul to Singapore is an attempt to increase passenger numbers with the current slot allocations. Personally I think they have got this wrong unless it is just in the short term, while people want to fly in an A-380 but not long haul...For a start you wouldn't have so many 1st and Business seats for short haul...and then there is the turn around times...and maintenance costs for the high cycles....

Nok Air is a separate standalone operation and Thai Airways has not been happy with its low percentage ownership nor its lack of growth. Thai has been looking at different low cost operations for a while. Looks like it doesn't like any of them and decided on a new Business unit within Thai Airways...hence ThaiSmile.

Direct competition with Nok rather than absorption IMO....

NEW AIRLINE: Thai Smile to Launch in July 2012 :: Routesonline

New Budget Carrier Thai Airways goes along with Tiger Airways to launch a no-frill carrier - ...

Originally Posted by Troy

I fail to see the reason for using an A380 on the Singapore route at all. I would have thought high frequency A319's would be much more appealing to customers. That is, unless they are utilising the plane on a short haul in-between long haul flights, as per AF on the SA route dropping in to LHR....

It does seem to be a temporary service until dec. as understand the economics of big aircraft on short hual, it's the older rust buckets, with thier fuel inefficiencies and relatively low take off cycles for age that get used, to get that last gasp out of the airframe prior to its scrapping. Hardly the definition of a a380.

I have to wonder if the motivation is a reluctance to put a single a380 aircraft into service on a long haul route, or a desire to have their flight crews quickly gain experience taking the thing in to the air and perhapse even landing it... Thus giving them time to perfect the meandering landings on the A380 that they have/had on the 747's

I just learned that Kan Air has reduced their daily flights between CNX and NNT to only one flight a week - on Thursday!
Does anyone know why this happened? It seems the C-208 Caravan airplanes were always full when I commuted back and forth less than a year ago!?!?
Also, does anyone know if Kan Air is in financial troubles, or if there are any plans for more flights to other northern destinations like Phrae or Lampang etc.???
Cheers and Happy New Year 2013.
Amina

Here is a link to a Canadian researchers site, which by adjusting ones exposure to "light", relieves the affect of jet lag.

Jet Lag Rooster: Prevent jet lag

Has anyone heard if the Thai Air Boeing 787 Dreamliners are affected by these fire/brake/fuel problems some of the the Japanese carriers recently endured?
I am scheduled to fly on a B-787 in early March from BKK to FRA.
Somewhat concerned.
Amina

Snake on a plane enthrals Qantas passengers
Published: 8:45AM Friday January 11, 2013

Passengers on board a Qantas flight lived through their own "snakes on a plane" drama when they spotted a 3 metre snake battling for its life on the aircraft's wing.

QF191 was only 20 minutes into its flight from Cairns to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea yesterday morning when a passenger spotted the python taking shelter on the underside of the wing.

The python managed to hold on for the entire one hour 50 minute flight but on arrival in Port Moresby, ground crew found the snake had died.

The president of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, Paul Cousins, said the snake - believed to be a scrub python - would have initially crawled up inside the landing bay, and then crawled into the trailing ledge flap on the wing.

He said the snake would have been comfortable until the plane took off and the flaps moved back. Cousins said it would not have been possible for the snake to reach the cabin.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the airline had " never heard of this happening before".

Originally Posted by Amina

Has anyone heard if the Thai Air Boeing 787 Dreamliners are affected by these fire/brake/fuel problems some of the the Japanese carriers recently endured?
I am scheduled to fly on a B-787 in early March from BKK to FRA.
Somewhat concerned.
Amina

Thai Airways is the name of the airline and it does not operate Boeing 787 Dreamliners nor am I aware of any plans to do so.

tolsti I thought you were correct until I googled this.

THAI welcomes Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Time:2012-02-16

Bangkok , 9 February 2012 – Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) today welcomed the Boeing 787 Dreamliner World Tour team with aircraft touch-down at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 10:30 a.m., after travelling 12,358 kilometers non-stop from Seattle, Washington, USA.
Joining the event at THAI’s Technical facility were Her Excellency Ms. Kristie Kenney , the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand , Mr. Ralph (Skip) Boyce , president of Boeing Southeast Asia, Mr. Ray Conner , Senior Vice President, Sales and Customer Support and executives from Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand , THAI President, and members of the THAI management were on hand to welcome the Boeing 787 Dream Tour demonstration aircraft, ZA003, and its team to Thailand , making Bangkok the first stop in Southeast Asia . THAI looks forward to having the Boeing 787 aircraft join THAI’s fleet – in two years, THAI will receive delivery of four 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, with two more delivered the following year, and two B787-9 aircraft delivered in 2017, putting the total number of Boeing 787 aircraft in THAI’s fleet at eight.
“For our passengers onboard the THAI 787 aircraft, they will enjoy the experience of our legendary onboard services, relax in newly designed interiors, and be entertained with the state-of-the art in-flight products. Other plusses are the aircraft’s physical attributes such as higher humidity during flight, and lower cabin pressure,larger and dimmable windows, and bigger overhead storage space, plus other features. From an operational side,THAI flights with the 787 will operate with 20 percent less fuel consumption and will be 30 percent cheaper to maintain.”
The 787 Dreamliner aircraft will remain in Thailand from 9-11 February 2012, with the first day being stationed at THAI’s hangar at Suvarnabhumi Airport and on display for the media and invited guests to tour the aircraft interior. The following day the 787 makes a demonstration flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai carrying THAI executives, pilots, and special aviation guests, returning in the afternoon with Her Excellency Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra , Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, along with Ministers, government officials, and THAI Board Members onboard from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
Welcoming the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are (from left to right): Two THAI uniform staff, Mr. Christopher Flint , Boeing Sales Director–Asia Pacific Region, Mr. S. (Raj) Bhowmik , Regional Director–Asia Pacific Marketing, Mr. Ray Conner , Senior Vice President – Sales and Customer Support, Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand , THAI President, H.E. Ms. Kristie Kenney , U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, Mr. Ralph (Skip) Boyce , President–Boeing Southeast Asia, Mr. Dinesh A. Keskar , Vice President–Sales, Squadron Leader Alongot Pullsuk , Vice President of Aviation Resources Development Department.



Still cant figure out what the yellow bit is saying.

More PR disaster for an American icon.



"We are absolutely confident in the reliability and performance of the 787," Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said. "We are working with the FAA and our customers to ensure we thoroughly understand any introductory issues that arise. While we take each issue seriously, nothing we've seen in service causes us to doubt the capabilities of the airplane."
A fire ignited on Monday in the battery pack of an auxiliary power unit of a Japan Airlines 787 empty of passengers as the plane sat on the tarmac at Boston's Logan International Airport. It took firefighters 40 minutes to put out the blaze. A day later, a fuel leak delayed a flight from Boston to Tokyo of another Japan Airlines 787.
On Friday, Japan's All Nippon Airways reported two new cases of problems with the aircraft. ANA spokeswoman Ayumi Kunimatsu said a very small amount of oil was discovered leaking from the left engine of a 787 flight from southern Japan's Miyazaki airport to Tokyo.
The jet returned to Miyazaki, but after checks found no safety risk it flew to Tokyo. ANA said on another flight, to Matsuyama on the island of Shikoku, glass in a cockpit window cracked and the aircraft was grounded for repairs.

More at Boeing's 787 Dreamliner to undergo far-reaching review - Telegraph

Originally Posted by aging one

tolsti I thought you were correct until I googled this.

THAI welcomes Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Time:2012-02-16

Bangkok , 9 February 2012 – Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) today welcomed the Boeing 787 Dreamliner World Tour team with aircraft touch-down at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 10:30 a.m., after travelling 12,358 kilometers non-stop from Seattle, Washington, USA.
Joining the event at THAI’s Technical facility were Her Excellency Ms. Kristie Kenney , the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand , Mr. Ralph (Skip) Boyce , president of Boeing Southeast Asia, Mr. Ray Conner , Senior Vice President, Sales and Customer Support and executives from Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand , THAI President, and members of the THAI management were on hand to welcome the Boeing 787 Dream Tour demonstration aircraft, ZA003, and its team to Thailand , making Bangkok the first stop in Southeast Asia . THAI looks forward to having the Boeing 787 aircraft join THAI’s fleet – in two years, THAI will receive delivery of four 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, with two more delivered the following year, and two B787-9 aircraft delivered in 2017, putting the total number of Boeing 787 aircraft in THAI’s fleet at eight.
“For our passengers onboard the THAI 787 aircraft, they will enjoy the experience of our legendary onboard services, relax in newly designed interiors, and be entertained with the state-of-the art in-flight products. Other plusses are the aircraft’s physical attributes such as higher humidity during flight, and lower cabin pressure,larger and dimmable windows, and bigger overhead storage space, plus other features. From an operational side,THAI flights with the 787 will operate with 20 percent less fuel consumption and will be 30 percent cheaper to maintain.”
The 787 Dreamliner aircraft will remain in Thailand from 9-11 February 2012, with the first day being stationed at THAI’s hangar at Suvarnabhumi Airport and on display for the media and invited guests to tour the aircraft interior. The following day the 787 makes a demonstration flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai carrying THAI executives, pilots, and special aviation guests, returning in the afternoon with Her Excellency Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra , Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, along with Ministers, government officials, and THAI Board Members onboard from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
Welcoming the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are (from left to right): Two THAI uniform staff, Mr. Christopher Flint , Boeing Sales Director–Asia Pacific Region, Mr. S. (Raj) Bhowmik , Regional Director–Asia Pacific Marketing, Mr. Ray Conner , Senior Vice President – Sales and Customer Support, Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand , THAI President, H.E. Ms. Kristie Kenney , U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, Mr. Ralph (Skip) Boyce , President–Boeing Southeast Asia, Mr. Dinesh A. Keskar , Vice President–Sales, Squadron Leader Alongot Pullsuk , Vice President of Aviation Resources Development Department.



Still cant figure out what the yellow bit is saying.

The Thai TV media made quite a big splash about the 787 a couple of months ago leading up to today...
Nice link, AO.

^^
Just heard on the news, another incident this afternoon.

Originally Posted by toslti

Originally Posted by Amina

Has anyone heard if the Thai Air Boeing 787 Dreamliners are affected by these fire/brake/fuel problems some of the the Japanese carriers recently endured?
I am scheduled to fly on a B-787 in early March from BKK to FRA.
Somewhat concerned.
Amina

Thai Airways is the name of the airline and it does not operate Boeing 787 Dreamliners nor am I aware of any plans to do so.

More than happy to stand corrected..... Not sure of delivery dates but I don't think Amina will be on a Thai metal 787 for his/her flight.

The recent number of incidents does give some cause for concern though.