CEO Chai Eamsiri told Reuters that Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) is ready to release a Request for Proposals for 30 widebodies and an unknown number of narrowbodies. Additionally, the airline announced plans to lease 12 A321-200N aircraft with delivery dates of 2025 and 2026.
In the upcoming days, according to Chai, Airbus and Boeing will receive the tenders. He did not specify how many narrowbodies will be involved in the process, but he emphasized that Thai Airways aims to grow its fleet of these aircraft to 30 to 40 in the coming ten years. Through its Thai Smile (WE, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) subsidiary, which is due to be absorbed back into the mainline, the airline now runs twenty A320-200s, and it has plans to add the twelve A321neo aircraft in the upcoming years.
The expanded narrowbody fleet will improve Thai’s position in South-East Asia, India, southern China, and southern Japan, where, as Chai acknowledged, the airline now has a weak foothold.
The supply of aircraft is currently limiting Thai Airways as the Thai market is recovering more quickly than anticipated. In addition to the planned RFP for 30 widebodies, Chai stated that the airline also intends to source approximately 10 additional widebodies for dry lease, with deliveries scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.
Three A330-300s, fourteen A350-900s, six B777-200ERs, seventeen B777-300(ER)s, six B787-8s, and two B787-9s are among the airline’s current fleet, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module. It plans to have 56 widebody planes by the first quarter of 2024.
Additionally, according to Chai, if the airline’s performance is strong enough by the first quarter of 2025 or earlier, it will attempt to relist on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), where it was delisted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
