THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Following a successful 2009 year expected to show it has returned to profitability, Thai Airways International (THAI) has announced its plans to lease an additional 15 aircraft to service its regional and long-haul routes.

The Bt31.3 billion (about $US949 million) deal will see THAI acquire seven 300-seat aircraft for use on regional routes at a cost of Bt31.3 billion (about $US949 million), and eight 350-seat aircraft for deployment on its long-haul sectors on operating leases of between 10 and15 years.

The 15 aircraft, due to enter service by 2014, are additional to five Airbus A330-300 aircraft already ordered by THAI which will enter service this year and a further six Airbus A380 aircraft due to enter service in 2012 and 2013.

Ampon Kittiampon, chairman of Thai Airways International, said the new energy-efficient aircraft will help THAI meet the European Union’s strict greenhouse gas emission restrictions due to come into force in 2012, which impose emission quotas on airlines flying into EU countries in a bid to lower greenhouse gases and combat climate change.

The decision to lease the new aircraft follows the airlines announcement last December that it plans to spend Bt4.5 billion ($135.7 million) on retrofitting 12 aircraft to bring them up to similar standards of other regional and international carriers.

THAI currently operates 89 Boeing and Airbus jet aircraft, as well as two French-Italian ATR turbo-prop aircraft, but its fleet, with an average age of 11.6 years, is considerably older than regional heavy-weight, Singapore Airlines, where the average fleet age is just six years.

Mr Ampon said that in addition to committing to the new aircraft leases, THAI will also budget Bt922 million ($27.8 million) for two replacement engines for the regional aircraft and Bt3.3 billion ($99.5 million) for three replacement engines for the long-haul aircraft.

In addition, he said the national flag carrier was aggressively pursuing strategies to further reduce non-fuel expenses by an additional Bt12 billion ($361.9 million this year in an attempt to return the airline to profitability.

For the first time since it began operations in 1960, THAI reported a loss for the 2008 year of Bt21 billion ($633.3 million), though in December last year Mr Ampon hinted the airline will report a profit for the year just ended.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for February 12, 2010