Thailand could see a new carrier called Thai Air get off the ground in the next three months.
The airline is being promoted by Thai Airlines Holdings Co (TAH), registered by some shareholders of Orient Thai Airlines, which also controls the budget carrier One-Two-Go.
Details of the proposed airline remain sketchy, though Wuthichai Singhamanee, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), confirmed the company’s existence.
He said DCA extended an airline operating licence to TAH a year ago for it to operate domestic and regional routes under the name “Asia Budget”.
The DCA chief said TAH’s management and shareholders were undergoing some changes - a statement confirmed by an industry source.
The source said TAH had yet to settle details relating to the proposed airline’s shareholders and its business plan.
The company was registered with 250 million baht capital in January 2008, according to official records.
Mr Wuthichai said he had yet to check the validity of the licence, which will be revoked if operations do not start within a year of its issuance.
The DCA also needs to ensure that TAH does not alter the airline’s name or use a name too similar to another carrier - such as Thai Airways International, often called Thai Air - without prior official approval, he said.
In recent years, the DCA has been strict with airlines that fail to start operations within the set timeframe from being granted operating licences.
The authorities have also raised the required registered capital for a startup airline several times to 200 million baht, with a minimum Thai holding of 51%, to deter less serious investors.
TAH began recruiting cockpit and cabin crew this week. It has advertised for pilots who can fly Boeing 737s, single-aisle jets capable of carrying about 130 passengers.
This indicates that Thai Air intends to fly routes with a maximum range of four hours - domestic routes or flights to neighbouring countries.
In the classified ad, Thai Air described itself as “a brand new airline with a vision for the highest safety standards, while reflecting a sense of Thai hospitality through its customer service”. It said it expects to officially launch at mid-year.
Thai Air may be promoted as a sub-brand under the umbrella of the Orient Thai Group, pooling resources with Orient Thai and One-Two-Go.
Orient Thai operates just one route - Bangkok-Hong Kong - on a daily basis, as well as charter services.
One-Two-Go, is still recovering from the damage to its image from a 2007 crash in Phuket that killed 89 people.Both carriers are effectively run by their founder, Udom Tantiprasongchai.
Bron: Bangkok Post
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