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Thai Lion Air Prepares For Maiden Flight
21st Nov 2013
Thai Lion Air, the product of a joint venture between Indonesia-based Lion Air Group and its Thai partners, is preparing to commence commercial operations before the year ends. Its application for flying permit is now in the Civil Aviation Department of Thailand which is tasked to issue such documents before an airline could take off.
Based on the statements made by Thai Lion Air CEO, Capt. Darsito Hendro Seputro, early this month, the new budget airline will launch its maiden service with the Bangkok-Jakarta flight, tentatively scheduled in December this year.
The inaugural flight will also mark the start of the airline's commercial operations with two other flights set to be launched also during the event. These include flights between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur as well as between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
The new budget airline will operate from its hub at Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, designated by Thai authorities as the exclusive hub for low-cost carriers (LCCs).
In the meantime, the airline will utilize its initial fleet consisting of two B737-900ER aircraft, currently the largest of the B737 next generation family. Both aircraft are configured to accommodate up to 215 passengers in a single class layout.
The maiden Bangkok-Jakarta flights will initially be a twice-daily service thereafter. The Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur route, meanwhile, will be served once daily in both directions while the domestic Bangkok-Chiang Mai service will be a thrice-daily affair upon their commencement.
The airline CEO further said that TLA will follow the business model of its mother unit, offering the lowest airfare in the commercial aviation industry.
The new airline is aiming to increase its fleet to 50 aircraft within 5 years until 2018 to support its route network expansion as it plans to open routes to China and India, two of the world's largest markets. Within next year, it will open more domestic routes especially to Thailand's major tourist destinations.
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