Thai Smile Air (subsidiary of Thai Airways International) (Bangkok) will now launch operations on July 7 (delayed from July 1) following the delivery of its first aircraft. The first route will be from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Macau. Eventually four A320s will be utilized to fly from BKK to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Kolkata, Jakarta, and Phnom Penh in the first year.

Thai Smile will be a “light-premium sub-brand” according to the parent.

In its first year of operations, using Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport as its main hub, Thai will replace the mainline service to Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Chiang Rai, and Surat Thani.

According to Thai, “the main target market for these initial in-country flights will be the young small and medium business traveler as well as local traveler, government agents, who wants a relaxed, stylish atmosphere on board without the premium price.”

Thai Smile’s light premium service will offer a complimentary meal and drink service, free passenger seat selections, faster check-in procedures, 15-20 kg baggage allowances, and the ability to accrue frequent flyer mileage on both Thai and the Star Alliance network.

Thai does not believe the new Thai Smile brand will be a conflict with low-cost subsidiary Nok Air since Nok Air only flies domestically out of Don Muang airport, while Thai Smile passengers will be able to connect to international flights out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai Smile will also fly to Khon Kaen and Chiang Rai, two destinations not covered by Nok Air.

The name Thai Smile was chosen from 2,229 entries submitted in a contest to name the airline.

Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss. The pictured Airbus A320-232 with the temporary registration of D-AVVM, was handed over yesterday (June 30) as HS-TXA (msn 5198). It seen at the Hamburg (Finkenwerder) plant.

Hot New Items: