Thai Airways International (THAI) is looking to propose a THB 156 billion (USD 4.95 billion) procurement plan to buy or lease 38 new planes. The two-phase plan would see THAI purchase a mix of narrow body and wide body aircrafts. The company is planning to procure 25 new airplanes in the first phase and thirteen in the second phase. Of the new assets, 31 would be used to replace older planes within the next 10 years, while the remaining seven planes will be used for new routes.
The procurement plan is currently with the Minister of Transport, after which it will be reviewed by the Cabinet.
THAI is also looking at new routes to increase revenues, including a Bangkok-Sendai route to be started in November to service the increasing influx of Japanese tourists in Thailand. THAI reported a total revenue of 200.58 billion baht (USD 6.37 billion) and a net loss of THB 11.62 billion (USD 369 million) for the end of 2018, which is significantly higher than its THB 2.1 billion (USD 67 million) loss during the previous year.
(Sources: The Nation; Bangkok Post)
