NokScoot boosts fleet with eye on India

NokScoot boosts fleet with eye on India

Expansion would add seven jets by 2018

A NokScoot B777-200. The long-haul budget airline hopes to deploy seven more wide-body jets of this type in the fleet.
A NokScoot B777-200. The long-haul budget airline hopes to deploy seven more wide-body jets of this type in the fleet.

NokScoot is set to strengthen its fleet and support its growth plan with the acquisition of seven more wide-body jets.

The medium-to-long-haul low-cost carrier (LCC) has solicited interest from 30 parties, including airlines and lessors, to supply seven Boeing 777-200s over the next two years.

The Thai-registered joint venture between Thailand's Nok Air and Singapore's Scoot intends to use the additional aircraft to support its expedited plan, mainly geared towards tapping fast-growing Thailand-China traffic.

The expanded fleet will also enable NokScoot to make its foray into India, the other prime target on its radar screen, NokScoot chief executive Piya Yodmani told the Bangkok Post.

NokScoot now operates three B777-200s. The fleet expansion will be instrumental in enabling the airline, which took to the skies early in 2015, to become a mature and profitable operator.

NokScoot is evaluating proposals for delivery of additional B777-200s with a requisite of not being older than five years in service.

As suppliers have to prepare for the aircraft deliveries, Mr Piya said it is realistic to expect delivery of three aircraft to NokScoot by next year starting in May.

The remaining four could be sent to NokScoot in 2018, when aviation safety oversight issues that Thailand has been facing will most likely be resolved, he said.

Thailand's civil aviation authority was red-flagged by the International Civil Aviation Organization early last year and later downgraded by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

The red flag precluded Thai-registered airlines from opening new routes, increasing the frequency of existing flights to foreign countries or changing the types of aircraft they deploy.

Removal of the red flag would clear the air for NokScoot to embark on services to the originally targeted markets, Japan and South Korea.

NokScoot is now set to launch its sixth Chinese destination, Dalian, on Sept 23 with three flights a week.

The five other Chinese cities covered by NokScoot from its base at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport are Chongqing, Nanjing, Qingdao, Tianjin and Shenyang.

Mr Piya also confirmed that Nok-Scoot will continue to operate its only other service, to Taipei, with four flights a week.

Taiwan's recent waiver of short-term visas for Thai nationals and the suspension of TransAsia Airways' LCC subsidiary V Air from Oct 1 are expected to boost traffic on NokScoot's Taipei flights.

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