Thai Airways International (THAI) has denied charging a high fee for its charter flights for Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon's delegation, saying the quoted prices were only estimates.
Usanee Sangsingkeo, THAI executive vice-president for aviation business, said the reported charter fee of 20.95 million baht was only a median price the airline quoted in compliance with its regulation. The actual fee to be collected could be lower.
The comments came after the report and criticisms on the allegedly high cost of Gen Prawit's round trip to Hawaii for an Asean-US defence meeting last week.
"THAI has never flown on the route, so the charge was a rough estimate based on the fares of other airlines. It is by no means the actual price," she said.
The flagship carrier will charge the government based on actual expenses including fees at the destination airport and it was possible that the actual price would be lower, Mrs Usanee said.
The direct flights between Bangkok and Hawaii were arranged for Gen Prawit's delegation attending the defence meeting in Honolulu between Sept 29 and Oct 2.
Besides, Mrs Usanee said the criticism that the Boeing 747-400 plane provided for the group was too large was irrelevant because the fee would be roughly the same for a smaller jet, she said.
She did not mention a possible difference in the fuel bills, which were reportedly estimated at almost 11 million baht for the trip.
The plane, capable of carrying up to 416 passengers, flew the 38-member delegation of Gen Prawit, who was also the defence minister, for the four-day trip.
Ms Usanee added the long-haul plane was not in regular service because it was of an older series, with no 180-degree reclining seats, the norm for commercial services today.
THAI's planes with similar capacities were Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787 Dreamliner but they were deployed for regular flights as they were newer models with lie-flat seats.
According to the leaked document on the VAT-inclusive price estimates of the trip, plane-related costs were 3.8 million baht, fuel (10.78 million), in-flight meals and drinks (600,000), ground service fees (2.64 million) and operating cost (3.11 million), totalling 20.95 million baht, or 550,000 baht per person.