Thai Airways International recently broadened its fleet by incorporating four Airbus A320s from its subsidiary, Thai Smile. This transition takes place ahead of an impending merger between the two airlines. These four aircraft, identified as HS-TXQ, HS-TXS, HS-TXC, and HS-TXR, are set to be the sole narrowbodies in Thai Airways’ fleet, at least until any future deliveries or transfers.
New Routes for A320-200s
Starting July 1, the newly-inducted A320-200s commenced operations on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Delhi International route. Thai Airways strategically replaced its B777-200ER on flight numbers TG323/324 with the A320-200, while maintaining the use of widebody aircraft on other scheduled flights for this sector. On July 2, the A320-200 took over the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Mumbai International route, previously served by the B787-8 for flight TG351/352. In contrast to the widebodies, the newly included A320-200s will exclusively offer economy class seating.
Impact on Flight Efficiency and Market Competition
Thai Airways addressed the acquisition in a statement, indicating that “the addition of Airbus A320 will enhance the airline fleet efficiency and improve aircraft utilization as well as strengthen Thai route network to support the rising travel demands.” The airline plans to assimilate all 19 of Thai Smile’s A320-200s, a blend of owned and leased aircraft, to bolster its capacity as travel demand into Thailand resurges.
However, the introduction of the A320s also presents a strategic challenge for Thai Airways. With a majority market share of 53% on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Delhi route, the replacement of one frequency with A320-200s may slightly decrease the available capacity. This could potentially redirect premium cabin passengers towards competitors like Air India and Vistara, who also operate on the same route, along with SpiceJet and IndiGo Airlines. A similar competitive scenario may arise on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Mumbai route.
Despite the challenges, Thai Airways seems confident in leveraging the new aircraft to its advantage. The airline is aiming to offer an efficient, comfortable experience for economy passengers while catering to the growing demand for travel in the region.
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