Makeover for Thai’s ageing fleet of long-haul jets

Thai Airways International has initiated a 5-billion-baht makeover of its ageing fleet of aircraft in a bid to regain market share. The makeover is designed to make its old, wide-body aircraft more appealing for passengers and allow it to compete more aggressively with regional competitors, Cathay Pacific and Singapore International Airlines.

The flag carrier yesterday inducted the first of its 20 high-capacity, long-haul jetliners, a Boeing 747-400, fitted with improved economy-class seats equipped with individual TV screens and an upgraded in-flight entertainment system.

As passengers began to opt for other airlines offering individual screens and better audio-video packages, Thai began to lose economy passengers to rival airlines. Load factors on Thai flights to London and Frankfurt dipped alarmingly as Thai continues to operate old, long-haul jets on these routes. 

By contrast, the load factor on Bangkok-Paris flights remains a healthy 80 per cent as the carrier's Boeing 777-300ERs have all the frills that top-tier airlines offer. The B777-300ERs are leased from India's Jet Airways.

Retrofitting jets, many of which have been in service for more than 15 years, with new seats and inflight entertainment, is an interim exercise as Thai waits to induct new aircraft.