Thai Airways is to have two more A330 aircraft operating by December 2024, when its new premium class product will have two tiers of Business Class.
The updates were revealed by Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri to AeroTime in an exclusive interview at the 68th Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) Assembly of Presidents in Brunei.
New routes with the arrival of two A330
Eamsiri said that Thai Airways will have two Airbus A330 in operation soon, one to begin by December 2024, the other during 2025.
The arrival of the aircraft will come in time for the carrier’s launch of expanded frequency to certain routes, in particular resumption of its daily service to Brussels Airport (BRU) from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). In 2025, the Thai flag carrier will expand its routes to major cities in China such as Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), with 11 weekly flights, and Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) with 10 flights per week.
Thai Airways’ new premium class seats: Two types of Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy
The carrier will carry out a refurbishment process on its widebody fleet for the new premium class products. 14 of its B777-300ERs and 30 new B787s will be equipped with new passenger seats.
The refurbished aircraft will consist of three classes: Business Class (two types), Premium Economy and Economy.
According to Eamsiri, the B777-300ER will be the first fleet to be retrofitted, starting in 2027. He estimated that the refurbishment should take around two years.
Front row Business Class: the new First Class
Eamsiri shared that there is a growing demand for Premium Economy, and keeping four classes within an aircraft (First, Business, Premium and Economy), could end up with the carrier having “too much variety” and prove difficult in terms of operations. “So we [Thai Airways] have decided to just keep three [classes], Eamsiri confirmed.
And what can people expect with Thai Airways’ new business class seat? “Every business class seat will have a privacy door,” Eamsiri said.
The new business class will have two subclasses. “The front row Business Class will have more room,” Eamsiri said, adding that front row business seats will look and feel almost like First Class. He added that the front row Business Class seats will feature an ottoman, which can convert into a private dining or meeting table for up to four people.
Eamsiri confirmed that, in place of First Class, the front row Business Class will be the highest fare in the cabin.
With regard to In-flight Entertainment (IFE), Eamsiri said that Business Class IFE monitors will measure 24 inches, or 13 inches in Premium Economy and six inches in Economy.