Thai Lion Air eyes China after Singapore

Thai Lion Air eyes China after Singapore

Thai Lion Air is eyeing international routes but the immediate focus is on wider domestic coverage. (Photo by Boonsong Kositchotethana)
Thai Lion Air is eyeing international routes but the immediate focus is on wider domestic coverage. (Photo by Boonsong Kositchotethana)

Thai Lion Air (TLA) is cautiously resuming its international expansion but will still focus on consolidating its domestic coverage.

The Thai-registered no-frills carrier, part of Indonesia's Lion Group aviation giant, on Saturday inaugurated its Bangkok-Singapore daily flight as part of its relaunch of regional services.

TLA's international routes -- Bangkok-Jakarta, Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur, Hat Yai-Medan and Hat Yai-Kuala Lumpur --  were dropped partly due to poor traffic demand.

Chief executive Aswin Yangkirativorn said China would be the next focus of the airline's renewed fervour for international expansion after Bangkok-Singapore, the frequency of which will be doubled to twice a day in the next month or two.

Mr Aswin specifically mentioned Guangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing as the Chinese cities where TLA intends to operate regular flights from Bangkok next year, pending approval from Chinese authorities.

He also talked about the possibility of resuming its Bangkok-Jakarta service in November, possibly with one flight per day.

The more immediate expansion of TLA is over Thai skies as the airline gears up to introduce three new routes and ramp up frequencies on other routes to meet growing traffic demand.

In the middle of next month, TLA will start offering four daily services between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima before introducing twice-daily flights from the capital to Phitsanulok and Khon Kaen in November and December respectively.

In October, the airline will boost the frequency of its Bangkok-Chiang Rai service, now at four flights a week, to a daily basis.

TLA now flies to Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Hat Yai, Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani from its base at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport. It operates 39 flights per day.

Its fleet size will grow from 15 to 20 Boeing 737 jets, all new, by year-end, and the plan is for the airline to add 10 B737s annually over the next few years.

Mr Aswin does not expect objections from Chinese authorities for traffic rights as a result of the International Civil Aviation Organization red-flagging Thailand for aviation safety shortcomings.

TLA has gone through the IATA Operational Safety Audit and will soon be awarded the certificate that reflects the airline's compliance with more than 900 global standards on operational safety.

TLA executives noted that the permission granted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore for the airline to commence flights to the republic can be perceived as an endorsement of its safety standards.

TLA expects to carry 2.5 million passengers this year, up from 1.8 million recorded last year, its first full year of operation.

Despite current low travel demand, the airline claims a high load factor of 90% after offering attractive fares.

Two-way passenger traffic between Thailand and Singapore was 4.7 million last year, with the number expected to reach 5.3 million this year.

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