Thai Airways and lessor AerCap have confirmed that the national flag carrier will lease a mix of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, some of which have already been delivered.
Announced by AerCap on February 21, 2024, Thai Airways agreed to lease seven widebody aircraft comprising four Airbus A350-900s and three Boeing 787-9s, and 10 Airbus A321NEO aircraft.
According to the lessor the agreement was sealed between the two parties for the aircraft in 2023.
From the new aircraft announced two A350s have already been delivered to Thai Airways, with the other pair set to arrive before the end of second quarter
The 787 Dreamliners are expected to begin arriving in the second quarter of 2024 through the fourth quarter of 2025, while deliveries of the A321neos are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025 through the second quarter 2026.
“This marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the continuing partnership with AerCap. It’s a testament to the trust and commitment we share, as we emerge from the recent challenging period. The addition of these new generation aircraft enhances our ability to swiftly adapt to the evolving market demands, and not only enhances our operational capacity but also offers exceptional levels of comfort for our passengers,” Chai Eamsiri, the CEO of Thai Airways, said.
The latest acquisition announcement comes after Thai Airways confirmed on the first day of the Singapore Airshow 2024, that a rumored order for 45 Boeing 787-9 aircraft was going ahead.
“AerCap is very pleased to announce this significant transaction with Thai Airways and to support them with both their widebody and narrowbody fleet modernization plan as they emerge from a very challenging period,” Peter Anderson, Chief Commercial Officer of AerCap, said. “AerCap’s business relationship with Thai Airways began in the mid-1990s with the lease of Boeing 737-400s and Airbus A330-300s, and we have worked closely together during both the upcycles and downcycles to maintain and strengthen the partnership between our two companies.”
Thai Airways already operates eight B787s, comprising of six -8s and two of the larger –9s.