Thailand: Allowing foreign pilots ‘has helped cut fares’

Permission granted to foreign pilots to operate flights in Thailand is a temporary measure designed to address a surge in flight demand that local operators have been unable to meet, says the Ministry of Transport. By making more planes and flights available, the measure has proven effective in lowering airfares, said Krichanont Iyapunya, an assistant to Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit. The approval of wet-lease arrangements, as they are called in the industry, is temporary and will expire on Dec 31, 2025, he added. Krichanont was responding on Saturday to a petition filed on Friday by the Thai Pilots Association, which he had accepted on behalf of Suriya. A wet lease is an arrangement in which one airline (the lessor) provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) to another airline or air travel broker (the lessee), which pays based on hours operated. The surge in demand for air travel services following the Covid-19 pandemic has left the existing fleet of aircraft owned by local airlines insufficient to meet passenger demand. This shortage had contributed to higher airfares, said Krichanont. He said the wet lease arrangement serves as a quick solution, as it has significantly reduced air ticket prices. This in turn supports Thailand’s tourism growth and its policy of positioning the country as a regional aviation hub. “While relying on this temporary measure, the government continues to encourage airlines to invest in acquiring new aircraft,” he added.<br/>