Quantcast

Thai Airways plans major fleet expansion amid financial recovery

Airline CEO wants airports to cap passengers at 2 alcoholic drinks to limit on-board disruptions
Emirates Will Buy 5 Airbus A380s From Lessor For $200 Million
Delta Air Lines named official airline of the WNBA
Pair Of C-Suite Officials Depart Wheels Up
LAX Receives Final Cars for People Mover Train
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merger clears Justice Department hurdle, now faces DOT
Alaska Airlines flight attendants reject new contract, union says there's 'more work to do'
Elliott Investment To Push For 10 New Boardroom Directors At Southwest Airlines
Alaska Air Backs JetZero Blended-Wing Design
AI in Aviation Line Maintenance: A Strategic Response to Delays, Satisfaction, and Staffing Challenges
Air taxi service plans for 2026 Los Angeles launch at USC, SoFi and LAX
VistaJet Flight Brings Home Americans in Prisoner Swap
Air Canada Blames Paris Olympics On Decreased Profits
Delta passengers sue airline over refund refusals after CrowdStrike meltdown
Microsoft fires back at Delta after massive outage, says airline declined ‘repeated’ offers for help
Korean Air Confirms A Spacious Lounge Is Coming To The New Terminal One at New York JFK
VAS Aero Services to Acquire an Additional 17 Airbus A320 Airframes, Bringing to 23 the Total Number of A320s Slated for Teardown and Harvested Parts Redistribution
Delta CEO says CrowdStrike-Microsoft outage cost the airline $500 million
Boeing Reports $16.9 Billion In Revenue For 2nd Quarter With 5,400 Commercial Aircraft Backlog
United Airlines says flight attendant in Terrell Davis incident is no longer employed and NFL legend’s ‘no fly’ ban is lifted | CNN
Nepal Plane Crash Kills 18 After Takeoff - Airline Ratings
Southwest Airlines is getting rid of open seating | CNN Business
CrowdStrike Outage Caused 10% Spike in Air Charter
Aircraft Engine Maintenance and Repair to Peak in 2026, Worsening Capacity Shortage for Commercial Aviation, Says Bain & Company
Joby’s Electric Air Taxi Makes European Debut
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation announces NLRB-scheduled vote to remove union officials
Families recount the horror of MH17 ten years on - Airline Ratings
777-9 Enters Certification Flight Testing - AVweb
Kompass Kapital Sets New Course with Airshare Investment
SATS, SIA Engineering Company and Changi Airport Group to Trial Autonomous Buses at Changi Airport
Thai Airways plans major fleet expansion amid financial recovery
Policy
Webp thai
Thai Airways | Wikipedia

Thai Airways is set to expand its aircraft fleet significantly by 2029, as it exits the debt restructuring process initiated in 2020. According to Bloomberg, the Thai national airline plans to double its fleet size from 79 to 143 aircraft over the next four years.

Piyasvasti Amranand, who was appointed as the debt administrator for Thai Airways, shared insights with Bloomberg about this development. "The debt rehabilitation accomplishment and earnings jump has significantly strengthened Thai Airways' finances, which has allowed it to return to aggressive expansion mode," he said.

Currently operating with a fleet of 79 aircraft, Thai Airways aims to broaden its route network across Australia, Europe, and China among other destinations. The types of new aircraft have not been specified yet. Previously, the airline decommissioned older planes and ended leases on less efficient models during the pandemic. From a peak of 100 planes in 2013, including Airbus A380s, their fleet decreased to 64 by late 2022.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

In an effort to modernize its fleet further, Thai Airways ordered 45 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner widebodies in 2024. These are considered "crucial" for replacing aging leased aircraft with deliveries starting in 2027. Their current fleet includes various Airbus and Boeing models.

Before entering restructuring due to net losses since 2013, a resurgence in tourism post-COVID-19 enabled Thai Airways to expand through operating leases. The airline reported a net profit of $452 million in the first nine months of 2024 after a significant loss in previous years.

Weera Wongsan from the Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Thailand remarked on this rapid turnaround: "Thai Airways' rapid turnaround is quite astonishing," adding that "most lenders were prepared for a much longer and more painful recovery timeframe."

Beyond fleet expansion, Thai Airways has upgraded its short-haul business class cabins by introducing Royal Silk Class on Airbus A320s. This enhancement includes spacious seats with advanced features aimed at improving passenger experience on domestic routes.

This refurbishment will see all Airbus A320-200s equipped with these new premium cabins by mid-2025. The Royal Silk Class offers amenities such as curated dining options and exclusive amenity kits for flights over three-and-a-half hours.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Alaska Airlines has announced a significant expansion of its route network for 2026, with plans to introduce service to two new cities and launch 13 new or returning routes.

Oct 25, 2025

Delta Air Lines will introduce new in-flight menu options created by celebrity chef José Andrés starting November 4.

Oct 25, 2025

The Blue Sky partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue launched today, allowing members of both airlines’ loyalty programs to earn and redeem points across the two carriers.

Oct 25, 2025

Air Canada is set to expand its presence at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) by introducing four new nonstop routes to the United States in 2026.

Oct 25, 2025

United Airlines has announced it will add 10 new destinations from its Chicago O'Hare International Airport hub starting next year.

Oct 25, 2025

The partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue, known as Blue Sky, has officially launched.

Oct 25, 2025