Summary
- Southeast Asia’s aviation sector is recovering from the pandemic, with nine new airlines applying for Air Operator Certificates (AOC) in Thailand.
- The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand expects 127 million passengers this year, with passenger volumes already at 90% of pre-COVID levels.
- CAAT predicts a full recovery in 2024, with passenger numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels and significant growth driven by Chinese airlines.
If commercial aviation achieves absolutely nothing else it breeds optimism, which often manifests itself in people starting new airlines or entering the aviation business. That ranges from a wealthy group of business people starting a regional airline to a budding aviation enthusiast starting with a propellor aircraft fuelled by a dream, but not much else.
Thai aviation nearing COVID-19 recovery
As Southeast Asia slowly recovers from the pandemic, news has emerged that nine new airlines have applied for Air Operator Certificates (AOC) to launch services in Thailand this year. According to The Nation, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand confirmed that with the country’s aviation sector continuing its post-COVID recovery, it has received nine new applications to launch airlines.
The details of the applications are relatively scant, and there is nothing about the applications on the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) website to provide more background on the operators or their applications. The only comment from the regulator came from CAAT Director Suthipong Kongpool, who said the new operators have already been granted civil aviation business licenses amid rising passenger volume and demand.
The nine applicants for AOCs are Asian Aerospace Company Service, Siam Seaplane, RC Airlines, Avanti Air Charter, M-Landarch, Bangkok Helicopter Services, Pattaya Airways, Asia Atlantic Airlines and P80 Air. As per standard procedures, CAAT said it would consider each airline’s business plans, financial status, and safety standards before deciding whether or not to grant a license and that all-important AOC.
CAAT added that it expects 127 million passengers this year in Thailand, split almost evenly between international and domestic travelers. The CAAT forecast predicts there will be 63.03 million international passengers and around 64.43 million travelers will use the domestic network. In Thailand, passenger volumes have recovered to 90% of pre-COVID levels and are expected to fully recover next year.
The report said that several Thai airlines are bringing aircraft back into service, and because of that, along with growing demand for air travel, they are recording improved financial status. CAAT’s Suthipong Kongpool said that is a positive sign of the recovery and that no Thai airlines are at risk of financial collapse, which of itself seems a rather risky pronouncement.
CAAT predicts full recovery in 2024
In 2024, CAAT forecasts passenger numbers will return to pre-pandemic levels with around 162 million passengers, comprising 88.62 million international and 74.05 million domestic passengers. While the growth of 27% seems high, it should be noted that the major Chinese airlines have yet to return to full capacity in Thailand and that even a modest growth in and out of China will drive significant growth in passenger numbers.
Photo: Really Cool Airlines
Among the applicants is RC Airlines, which trades a Really Cool Airlines, which has been granted permission to operate scheduled and non-scheduled flights until July 17, 2028. RC Airlines, which has a registered capital of 5.69 million, is launching Airbus A330-300 flights in January 2024, with charter flights from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) on Tokyo Narita and Nagoya routes starting March-May 2024, followed by regular flights in June or July.
Really Cool Airlines also plans to launch a Bangkok-Hokkaido route by the end of next year and Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and Georgia routes by 2025 on Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft. P80 Air Co Ltd has received permission to operate from Thailand to China until 2028, with services set to start this year with four Boeing 737-800s.
Source: The Nation