Thai investors are planning to launch five new airlines, and they will invest a minimum of 3.85 billion baht. With plans to start operations in 2024, these airlines hope to capitalize on Thailand’s rapidly expanding aviation industry, which is expected to be valued at 320 billion baht by 2024.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has granted air operating licenses to Really Cool Airlines, P80 Air, Pattaya Airways, Siam Seaplane, and Landarch Airlines, according to an article published in Nation Thailand. They still need to wait for the CAAT to approve their Air Operator Certificates (AOC) before they can start operating commercial flights.
Really Cool Airlines, one of the five Thai-owned airlines mentioned above, anticipates receiving the AOC in January 2024, enabling them to begin flight operations as early as the second quarter.
The CEO of Really Cool Airlines, Patee Sarasin, stressed that the airline will operate four Airbus A330-300 aircraft and concentrate on Asian routes, specifically to Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai, during the first two years of operation. They will begin offering chartered flights from March to May with a crew of 130, and then they will switch to regular flights and start serving European markets.
Mr. Patee stated, “We would concentrate on flights to secondary cities, which would also help further promote Thailand’s tourism industry. We would not compete with Thai Airways International on their regular routes.”
In other news, P80 Air, a Thoresen Thai Agencies Pcl affiliate, anticipates receiving its AOC in 8–9 months and starting business in the final quarter of the following year. P80 Air will operate four Boeing B737-800 NG aircraft and concentrate on secondary Chinese towns during its first two years of operation.
In addition, Pattaya Airways plans to debut in the latter quarter of 2024, with plans to serve internal routes in Thailand as well as destinations around ASEAN. For the first three years, the airline will use one ATR72 aircraft to deliver cargo; subsequently, as demand from e-commerce enterprises increases, more planes will be added.
In the meantime, Siam Seaplane is thinking of expanding its fleet to include amphibian aircraft (the Cessna Caravan 208 model) in order to serve affluent travelers who are visiting Thai ports and seaside resorts. By connecting to Ko Lipe in Satun province, their first route will drastically reduce the amount of time needed to go to the island.
Last but not least, starting in April 2024, Landarch Airlines plans to run brief chartered flights connecting significant cities in southern provinces, with its hub located in Hat Yai, Songkhla province. In the first five years, they want to buy five 12-seat Cessna C208 B aircraft, increasing the fleet to fifteen aircraft that will serve locations in other provinces.
Article source: The Nation
READ MORE https://www.pattayaaviation.com/
