!
Latest updates
kiwi Guarantee Book now and get protection against cancelations that would wouldn't get if you booked direct
Chiang Mai's Food Odyssey: Street Eats to Gourmet Feasts
Bangkok Airways to Resurrect Vital Flight Routes to Northern Thailand
Thai Vietjet Air: Exclusive May Offers for FUN Rewards Members
Hua Hin Airport anticipates surge in international flights after expansion
No more flights to Mae Hong Son
Really Cool Airlines to launch in December (Really!)
6 Steps to Grabbing Cheap Flights - DomesticFlightsThailand
Getting Around Bangkok
Koh Lanta: A Hidden Treasure Near Krabi
Sea, Sand, and Surf in Thailand: Top 5 Spots
All news
More travel guides
Thai Lion Air Adds More Planes
2nd Jan 2014
Following its successful inaugural flight to Chiang Mai from Bangkok on December 4, 2013, Thai Lion Air is flying out of Thailand to two regional destinations, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, as it expands its network across the region.
Thai Lion's two new overseas destinations'Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur'are just the first phase of its expansion program across the region as it is simultaneously building up its fleet.
The local subsidiary of Indonesia's giant Lion Air group launched its inaugural operation on December 4, with a direct flight from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport to Chiang Mai, making it its first domestic route. The Bangkok-Chiang Mai direct route is a twice-daily service until January 6, 2014 when it will increase to four times daily.
Soon, Thai Lion Air will launch another domestic routes, this time from Bangkok to Hat Yai and from Chiang Mai to Krabi.
As disclosed by the airline's CEO, Darsito Hendroseputro, the new budget carrier will also inaugurate another international service on February 2014, from Bangkok to neighboring Singapore.
For its maiden operations, the airline has a current fleet of two brand new Boeing B737-800 aircraft, straight from the factory. Each plane is configured to seat 189 passengers in an all-economy high-density layout. The airline originally planned to have the bigger B737-900ER for its inaugural operations but decided to have the pared-down version instead without giving further details for its decision. The B737-900ER has a seating capacity of 215 passengers in the same high-density one-class layout.
The mother unit, Lion Air Group, has placed an outstanding order of a massive 450 planes in total. In March 2013, it shocked the world in what could be the record-setting in commercial aviation history when it announced that it placed an order of 234 planes with Boeing. The record-breaking order has been the biggest in history since 2011 when it similarly wowed the world with its massive order of 230 aircraft from Airbus.
The massive orders from two different manufacturers will support its own refleeting program as well as the expansion of its regional units including the new Thai Lion Air.
The Bangkok-Jakarta service by Thai Lion Air will complement the extensive domestic network of of its mother unit, Lion Air, across Indonesia, enabling seamless connections for Thai travelers who have onward flights to any of the 76 destinations in the world's biggest archipelago.
Lion Air holds the distinction of being the largest privately-owned airline in Indonesia. Aside from its Thai local subsidiary, it has also a 49% stake in Malindo Air, the offshoot of its Malaysian joint venture. To make it easier for Lion Air customers traveling to Malaysia, it has similarly inked an inter-line agreement with its Malaysian unit o give their customers easy access to Malindo Air's extensive network across Malaysia.
Related News
Thai Vietjet Air: Exclusive May Offers for FUN Rewards Members
Hua Hin Airport anticipates surge in international flights after expansion
