Thai AirAsia

Infobox Airline
airline = Thai AirAsia
ไทยแอร์เอเชีย

logo_size = 282
fleet_size = 18
destinations = 23
IATA = FD
ICAO = AIQ
callsign = THAI ASIA
parent = Asia Aviation
company_slogan =
founded = 8 December 2003
headquarters = Bangkok,Thailand
key_people = Mr.Boonklee Plangsiri
hubs = Suvarnabhumi Airport
secondary_hubs =
focus_cities =
frequent_flyer =
lounge =
alliance =
website = http://www.airasia.com

Thai AirAsia ( _th. ไทยแอร์เอเชีย) is a joint venture of Malaysian low-fare airline AirAsia ( _th. แอร์เอเชีย) and Thailand's Asia Aviation. It serves AirAsia's regularly scheduled domestic and international flights from Bangkok and other cities in Thailand.

Thai AirAsia is the only low-cost airline operating both domestic and international flights from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. [ [http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=252709 Thai AirAsia To Stay At Suvarnabhumi Airport :: Bernama.com ] ]

History

Thai AirAsia launched domestic operations on February 2004. It was set up as a joint venture by Shin Corporation and AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes.

In order to be licensed in Thailand as a domestic carrier, 51% of the company must be owned by Thai shareholders. The sale of Shin Corp. stock in January 2006 by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family to Singapore's Temasek Holdings put this Thai majority stake in jeopardy.

On 15 February 2006 it was announced that Asia Aviation, a registered Thai company, had taken Shin Corp.'s 50% stake in Thai AirAsia. Asia Aviation was a joint venture set up by Shin Corp., which held 49% of Asia Aviation's shares while 51% was held by Thai investor Sittichai Veerathammanoon.

In May 2007, Thai AirAsia's management acquired 100% of Asia Aviation. Today, Thai AirAsia is 50% owned by Asia Aviation, 49% owned by AirAsia, and 1% owned by Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld.

Destinations

Thai AirAsia's domestic destinations are Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand; Hat Yai, Krabi, Phuket, Narathiwat, Ranong and Surat Thani in Southern Thailand; and Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani in Northeastern Thailand.

Its international destinations are Singapore, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Yangon, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Xiamen, Shenzhen and Macau. It also has daily flights between Phuket and Singapore. It has announced plans to fly to more cities in China and to Kathmandu in Nepal, Jakarta in Indonesia, Clark in the Philippines, and Japan, among others.

Most the airline's international routes connect to Bangkok; all flights on these are served at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Only flights on the Phuket-Singapore route are served in Thailand at Phuket International Airport.

Fleet

The airline's fleet modernization plan called for the order of 40 brand new Airbus A320s, of which two have been delivered as of November 2007. The rest will be delivered over a period of five years, or by 2012.

ee also

* AirAsia
* Indonesia AirAsia
* AirAsia X

External links

* [http://www.airasia.com Global site for AirAsia ]
* [http://www.airasia.com/site/th/en/home.jsp Thai AirAsia]
* [http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Thai-AirAsia Thai AirAsia Fleet Detail]
* [http://www.thai-aviation.net/Operators%2009.htm#AirAsia Thai AirAsia fleet history] at
* [http://www.thaitransport-photo.net/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=thumbnails&meta=search&search=Airasia Airasia Photo ]

References

*Gan, Audrina (February 7, 2006). [http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_3a117349-cb73c03a-b113c700-8f265ee9 Is Fernandes readying a pre-emptive strike at Thai AirAsia?] , "The Edge Daily".
*Mahitthirook, Amornrat (February 7, 2006). [http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/07Feb2006_news06.php Thai AirAsia licence in doubt] , "Bangkok Post".
*Sritama, Suchat (February 8, 2006) [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/02/08/headlines/index.php?news=headlines_19865671.html New tie-up for Thai AirAsia] . "The Nation".
*Kositchotethana, Boonsong (February 16, 2006). [http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/16Feb2006_biz02.php "New firm raises nominee question"] , "Bangkok Post".
*De Launey, Guy (February 6, 2006). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4616592.stm "Budget flights arrive in Southeast Asia"] , BBC.