'Thai Smile Air' Opens First Route, Bangkok-Macau, July 1

[webfact]

'THAI Smile Air' opens first route, Bangkok-Macau, July 1

BANGKOK, Feb 3 - THAI Smile Air, Thai Airways International (THAI)'s new sub-brand carrier, will begin its first operational flight July 1 from Bangkok to Macau.

THAI Executive Vice President for Strategy and Business Development, Chokchai Panyayong, spoke after a board meeting which also approved business plans for both THAI and its new airline.

Flight captains and cabin crew are ready for THAI Smile Air's operations, he said.

The first route to Macau will operate two flights daily. Tickets will begin being sold in April. The passenger load is expected to reach over 70 per cent per flight.

Four aircraft are to be operated this year for the main routes from the Thai capital to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Kolkata, Jakarta, and Phnom Penh.

The airline's name 'THAI Smile Air' was approved in August last year by the THAI executive board.

According to THAI President Piyasvasti Amranand, the new carrier is positioned to be a light-premium sub-brand of THAI, offering passengers another option for flight services.

The airline's image will be based on a trendy, friendly and worthy concept, different than the general concept of other low-cost airliners.

Regarding Thai Airways International, the board also approved THAI’s strategic plan for 2012-2018 and its business plan for 2012-2013. Under the plan, the national flag carrier will be modernised, with 51 aircraft to be decommissioned, and a new fleet of 56 aircraft will be acquired, 26 of which will be purchased and 30 will be acquired through leasing. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-03

[tingtongfarang]

That will be the thai gamblers route...most wont have a smile on the return flight

[Ricardo]

That may be a slight change, from the original plan announced in September, which AFAIR was to operate on non-core domestic-routes like Chiang Rai & Khon Kaen, but not Chiang Mai & Phuket ? S.E.Asia was due to start the following year.

It will be interesting to see how their prices compare to TG on routes operated by both airlines.

[anterian]

I used to visit Hong Kong by Air Asia to Macau and then the ferry to HK. I wonder how Thai Smile prices will compare?

[folium]

That may be a slight change, from the original plan announced in September, which AFAIR was to operate on non-core domestic-routes like Chiang Rai & Khon Kaen, but not Chiang Mai & Phuket ? S.E.Asia was due to start the following year.

It will be interesting to see how their prices compare to TG on routes operated by both airlines.

Indeed.

Looking at that weekend when Thai Smile (great name...) starts its twice daily service to MFM, AA offers 4 flights a day and at a roundtrip price of Bht 5140 if booked today.

What's the betting TS will be a little more pricey than that, but let's see.

Not sure if I would be prepared to spend extra for a "trendy, friendly and worthy concept", but competition keeps everyone on their toes, unless of course you are a state owned company.

[TheWalkingMan]

Macau? The gambler's shuttle.

[bkkflyer]

They will probably want to charge higher fares than AirAsia, but it will not be easy. Competition will be fierce.

Doubt they will have low enough costs to really be a competitior to the low-costs.......

Will be interesting to see.

Will TG show P&L for this daughter?

[WilliaminBKK]

Macau - are you kidding me a junket flight. I wonder if the casino's are offering an incentive.

I was really hoping for better domestic service and then low yield mainline routes that are currently served by TG in Asia like Manila to be on Smiles radar.

[hl2u]

I used to visit Hong Kong by Air Asia to Macau and then the ferry to HK.

How much it cost traveling this way?

[Sam Drucker]

That may be a slight change, from the original plan announced in September, which AFAIR was to operate on non-core domestic-routes like Chiang Rai & Khon Kaen, but not Chiang Mai & Phuket ? S.E.Asia was due to start the following year.

They announced about a month or two ago, to focus on regional destinations first, instead of domestic routes like Khon Kaen. And actually, I was always curious how they would have served Khon Kaen if they did operate that route. Currently KKC has 3 A300 (widebody 260 passenger) flights a day, and they are generally filled. To match that number of seats with 170-passenger A320's, they'd need to be running 5-6 flights/day just on that route.

[wxyz]

I am thinking Thailand needs to open their own casinos.

Edited February 3, 2012 by wxyz

[Squigy]

A Thai smile.... means a two faced Thai airline!

[anterian]

I used to visit Hong Kong by Air Asia to Macau and then the ferry to HK.

How much it cost traveling this way?

Well the Ferry is about 10 Pounds and the air fare about 15, but that was a few years ago, you would need to check. One nice thing is you go through two duty frees.

[Ricardo]

And AOT are reported (in another new thread) to now expect most Thai-Smile flights to operate out of DMK, which would surely reduce the convenience of connecting between TG's domestic/international network (hubbed at BKK), and their new low-cost subsidiary ?

Interesting last-minute changes in strategy, wonder what's next !

[siam2007]

great to learn they already have JAKARTA on their Radar, this will hopefully set an end to IndonesiaAirAsia's extortionate fares.

and hopefully Thai smiles will offer a better schedule, not arriving in CGK past midnight as did QZ

[Jimjim]

Macau - are you kidding me a junket flight. I wonder if the casino's are offering an incentive.

I was really hoping for better domestic service and then low yield mainline routes that are currently served by TG in Asia like Manila to be on Smiles radar.

It's actually a pretty popular destination for Asian tourists. They love to gamble! And of course you can get a boat to Hong Kong from there. So, two reasons to go to Macau. It's a lovely little island, as well.

Also, I'm guessing it's easier to start a route to Macau than Hong Kong due to demand and fees. They may add Hong Kong, later, but Macau I think is much cheaper for airlines to fly into.

Edited February 12, 2012 by Jimjim

[siam2007]

while there is some competition through AirAsia, I think the route can be successfull, considering many HI-SO Thais fly to Macau to get rid of their.... ermmm.... in a honestly way earned fortune.

Flying THAI SMILE, a full subsidiary of their national flag-carrier THAI AIRWAYS would make them "save face", whereas flying a budget Airline is rather making them "lose face". So enough people will spend a few Baht more (before they arrive in Macau, they are still able to) and switch to the "flying SMILE".....

[folium]

while there is some competition through AirAsia, I think the route can be successfull, considering many HI-SO Thais fly to Macau to get rid of their.... ermmm.... in a honestly way earned fortune.

Flying THAI SMILE, a full subsidiary of their national flag-carrier THAI AIRWAYS would make them "save face", whereas flying a budget Airline is rather making them "lose face". So enough people will spend a few Baht more (before they arrive in Macau, they are still able to) and switch to the "flying SMILE".....

Looks like AA is taking on Thai Slime by adding a CNX-MFM flight to add to its current 4 daily flights from BKK. What's the betting they run a major promotion to coincide with Slime's 1 July launch date?

Intrigued by the idea that AA is regarded as "low-so" by uppity types. If that really is the case it would explain how Thai has got away for so long with such uncompetitive prices. Is the fact that AA is an LCC or that it is a Malaysian airline that provokes disdain from some people?

[Sam Drucker]

while there is some competition through AirAsia, I think the route can be successfull, considering many HI-SO Thais fly to Macau to get rid of their.... ermmm.... in a honestly way earned fortune.

Flying THAI SMILE, a full subsidiary of their national flag-carrier THAI AIRWAYS would make them "save face", whereas flying a budget Airline is rather making them "lose face". So enough people will spend a few Baht more (before they arrive in Macau, they are still able to) and switch to the "flying SMILE".....

Looks like AA is taking on Thai Slime by adding a CNX-MFM flight to add to its current 4 daily flights from BKK. What's the betting they run a major promotion to coincide with Slime's 1 July launch date?

Intrigued by the idea that AA is regarded as "low-so" by uppity types. If that really is the case it would explain how Thai has got away for so long with such uncompetitive prices. Is the fact that AA is an LCC or that it is a Malaysian airline that provokes disdain from some people?

Think you're mixed up on your airline codes; American Airlines (AA) is not opening any Chiang Mai routes. You must be referring to Thai Air Asia (FD) (a.k.a. TAA?)