The Chief Executive of Thai AirAsia (TAA) Santisuk Klongchaiya, announced on Friday that the airline has increased flight frequency and will resume operating to all 23 domestic destinations next month.
He said domestic flights were allowed to resume in May, but TAA waited about two months to resume its domestic operation.
Mr Klongchaiya said the airline will also make connection flights available in 25 regions, including Chiang Mai-Hat Yai and Chiang Mai-Pattaya routes.
He also stated that 68 daily return flights will be made available to stimulate air travel.
“We increased the frequency of popular routes such as the nine daily flights for Chiang Mai, seven daily flights for Khon Kaen, five for Phuket, in accordance with travel demands. We are ready to support domestic tourism to best stimulate spending in various parts and provinces of the country.”
Meanwhile, Chakkrit Parapuntakul, president of Thai Airways International (THAI), issued a statement on Thursday saying the company will need to make “sacrifices” on behalf of its employees to steer the carrier through its difficult time. The airline has lost its state enterprises status and is currently restructuring its various debts.
Mr Parapuntakul’s Thursday statement thanked THAI staff members for their willingness to slash their salaries to maintain the carrier’s liquidity for as long as possible.
He said, “The company is preparing documents to be presented to the Central Bankruptcy Court, which is scheduled to hear the debt-ridden carrier’s rehabilitation plan on 17th August”.
“Even though THAI has been covered by an automatic stay order since it filed for rehabilitation under the kingdom’s bankruptcy law, it is still struggling with liquidity problems as there are still fixed costs to handle such as staff salaries and operational costs”.
The company needs help from all of its staff who can voluntarily accept salary cuts to maintain THAI’s liquidity for as long as possible.
Mr Parapuntakul wrote in a statement “We don’t know yet when we can resume flights after the court orders the company to undergo rehabilitation. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic must also be taken into account”.
“I hope that every staff member understands the company’s circumstances. It still needs help from all of you. This will also show the creditors and the public the sacrifices made by the staff to save the company and steer it through difficult times”.
