THAI Smile Airways must secure its own rights to operate international flights from each country's government, as it can no longer piggyback on permits granted to parent Thai Airways International.
The budget offshoot of the national flag carrier has gained an identity of its own after completing its spin-off as a wholly owned subsidiary of THAI rather than just a business unit.
Chalongchai: Securing rights not a problem
Using traffic rights originally extended to THAI has been viewed by foreign aviation authorities as a breach of air service agreements even though THAI and THAI Smile had thought it would be acceptable.
Late last year, the Laotian Civil Aviation Department served notice that THAI must comply with the accord between the two countries by operating its Bangkok-Vientiane flights using aeroplanes displaying the THAI livery and employing a crew certified by the parent airline. It refused to grant permission to THAI Smile.
THAI Smile's Vientiane flights had been using the parent's TG code even though THAI Smile already had its own WE code and the call-sign THAI Smile. The carrier is moving to secure its own traffic from all the countries it intends to operate to — China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, India and Sri Lanka.
Many of those routes are served by THAI Smile on behalf of THAI, which is transferring routes it cannot operate competitively.
Securing traffic rights from the relevant countries could be a complicated, uphill task.
But Chalongchai Hiranyalekha, chief commercial adviser to THAI Smile, yesterday said the airline had a good chance to secure them.
That would allow the airline to begin its own service from Bangkok to Yangon, Mandalay, Hyderabad, Colombo, Chongqing, Phnom Penh and Luang Prabang starting in July.
At present, THAI Smile now serves nine domestic destinations including Narathiwat, which was added this month.
Macau is the sole foreign destination it now serves under its own traffic rights.
Meanwhile, THAI Smile yesterday announced a partnership with Counter Service Co.
Passengers can now purchase or pay for THAI Smile tickets at 7-Eleven convenience stores and their associated Counter Service bill payment outlets.