Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) and Thai Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form a strategic partnership. According to a joint statement, the partnership will involve additional codesharing, commercial collaboration, and ‘an enhanced travel experience’.
If the agreement is finalized, the plan is for the two airlines to codeshare on flights between Singapore and Bangkok, Thailand. In addition, Thai Airways would place its flight codes on Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle in the United States, and Vancouver in Canada.
The Singaporean carrier indicated that the agreement will cover flights from Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). These codeshares are subject to regulatory approval. The two airlines will also continue looking for opportunities to codeshare on other flights between Singapore and Thailand, as well as destinations in Europe, India, and Southwest Pacific-bound itineraries.
“SIA and Thai have had a close relationship for many years, which we aim to strengthen through this comprehensive agreement. Both airlines have a loyal customer base, as well as extensive operations within South East Asia and around the world,” stated Goh Choon Phong, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY).
Meanwhile, the acting CEO of Thai Airways, Suvadhana Sibunruang, noted that the partnership “will also enable the expansion of THAI’s network to more service points in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Europe, India, and Southwest Pacific routes”.
“The collaboration strengthens both the airlines’ networks as members of Star Alliance,” added Sibunruang.
Both carriers recently indicated signs of a positive recovery in demand for air travel. For one, Thai Airways has long considered bringing its Airbus A380s back into operation, as Thailand reopened its borders in February 2022. Subsequently, the airline managed to achieve a profitable quarter in Q3 2022, posting a profit of THB3.9 billion ($108.4 million), an increase of 173.8% compared to the same period a year prior.
Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) recently made adjustments to its network, putting more emphasis on its Asia-Pacific routes, including pulling the Airbus A380 from flights to JFK and deploying it to fly to Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.