Thai Airways’ low-cost subsidiary, Thai Smile, is ready to take off on its inaugural flight to Macau on July 7, 2012, entering the region’s dynamic low-cost travel market.
Though the carrier promises to offer lower fares than the full-service Thai Airways, it does not strictly follow the budget airlines business model. As reported earlier (see story here), it will offer passengers free seat selection, counter check-in procedures, free baggage allowance (20kg for economy class and 30kg for business class) as well as snacks onboard the flight.
The carrier’s fleet will be comprised of 11 Airbus A320 aircraft operated on short-haul routes within a three-hour flying range both domestic and regional. After Macau, Thai Smile will launch flights to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani.
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific is in Hamburg for the handover ceremony of the new carrier’s first A320 aircraft. Stay tuned for more details and exclusive images.
For more information, visit www.thaiairways.com
Alisha Haridasani
