Royal Thai Airlines: Thai Airways, Flying on Thai Wings. Options

[Sirikittong]

Thai Airways International ( การบินไทย) is the national air carrier of Thailand. Thai operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport and is a founding member of the Star Alliance network. The carrier has traditionally used "Thai" on all of its livery. Like Singapore Airlines, Thai offers some of the longest non-stop commercial flights from New York and Los Angeles.

Thai started as Thai Airways International, a joint venture with Scandinavian Airlines System (which initially held a 30% share), along with a domestic carrier, Thai Airways Company (Thai: เดินอากาศไทย). The carrier's first flight was on May 1, 1960. On April 1, 1977, the Thai government bought out the remaining 15% of SAS-owned shares. On April 1, 1988, the two carriers merged to form the present Thai Airways International. In August 2005, Thai Airways International president Kanok Abhiradee was suspended from his managerial duties just before the airline reported a massive loss for its fiscal third quarter to June 30. Following the suspension, the airline appointed board member Somchainuk Engtrakul to oversee Kanok's major responsibilities. The airline has named a new president in April 2006.

As most tourists to the country come from Europe, Thai has a limited presence in North America, where its flights are marketed by Lufthansa.

Thai Airways promotes Bangkok - New York Non-Stop, branded as "New York Express".The arrival of the A340-500 initiated a change to the airline's image, including a new livery and a revised font for the title "THAI". On May 1, 2005, the airline began a non-stop Bangkok-New York service (TG790/791) with a new A340-500. The New York bound flight time is 16 hours 55 minutes and Bangkok bound flight time is 17 hours 10 minutes. It uses a flightpath over the North Pole, with New York bound departs at midnight (Bangkok time 0040 at summer), which is very different from the flight time of similar routes of Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways, in which their flights are departed at early morning. Non-stop Bangkok-Los Angeles service (TG794/795) started on December 2, 2005, also using a new A340-500. The flight time is 16.5 hours eastbound. This replaces decades old TG774/775 (LAX-KIX-BKK & BKK-KIX-LAX) service using Boeing 747-400 aircraft and the stop at Kansai International Airport in Osaka. In February 2006, the airline announced it was studying the startup of a new airline, to be called Thai Orchid (Thai: เอื้องหลวง), which would market itself as a luxury alternative to the low-cost carriers, such as subsidiary Nok Air (Thai: นกแอร์). In June 2006 Thai International Airlines was awarded 'Worlds Best Cabin Staff' by Skytrax.Thai Airways International will be operating three weekly direct flights on the route Bangkok – Johannesburg v.v., utilizing A340-600 aircraft, effective as of 31st October 2006 onwards.

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One of the best airlines to fly on, is Royal Thai Air. I rate it up there with Singapore Air and Cathay Pacific.

SUPPORT THAI AIRWAYS!

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Thai Airways Airbus 340-500

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Sawat dee ka! Welcome to Thai Air! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggthumpup.gif)

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Thai Air Goes Global

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