Thai Airways to terminate budget airline Thai Smile for good: CEO

Thai Airways International will no longer keep its loss-ridden Thai Smile Airways budget airline but will terminate it now that it has transferred a fleet of 20 Airbus A320 planes to THAI, the parent airline's CEO said. THAI CEO Chai Eamsiri (pic) said that after the fleet was transferred to be under operation by THAI, they generated more income than when they were under operation of Thai Smile. The fleet was earlier used on average at no more than nine hours per day under Thai Smile but now their usage has risen to 10.5 hours per day, Chai said recently. He explained that the fleet was used on routes to China and India, so the planes were flown at night for longer hours. Moreover, after the operation of Thai Smile was merged into THAI, the national flag carrier could save costs on procurement and salaries. He said THAI now does not have to shoulder the salaries for the Thai Smile CEO and CFO, so it can save a lot on salary costs. “So we plan to terminate Thai Smile Airways, which is a daughter company owned 100% by THAI, for good instead of keeping it for other purposes,” Chai said.<br/>