Thai Airways to cut 1,401 jobs, suspend flights to U.S.

[TotallyOz]

Thai Airways International Pcl (THAI.BK) plans to cut 1,401 jobs through voluntary retirement this year and suspend its loss-making flights to Los Angeles and Rome as it pushes ahead with a restructuring plan, its president said on Sunday.

Thailand’s national carrier aims to reduce operating costs and capacity by 20 percent under the two-year plan, which also calls for aircraft sales and a reduction in staffing.

The firm is one of several state-controlled companies that the military government has targeted for reform since seizing power in May 2014.
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The flight suspension will reduce Thai Air capacity by 5 percent, President Charumporn Jotikasthira told Reuters in a telephone interview. The company aims to cut capacity by 15 percent during the second of 2015.

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/26/us-thai-airways-restucturing-idUSKCN0Q00CI20150726

[vinapu]

Thailand has more pressing spending needs that maintaining national airline 's unprofitable routes  for selected few.

 

My experience with them is very limited  / 3 flights / and service was always very good but plane was never even close to being full. 

[TotallyOz]

When they were doing the NYC to Bangkok non-stop, I took it several times and it was always full. They cut that out.  I then took LA to Bangkok non-stop several times and it was full. They cut it out.  I have not used them since. But, if the airline is a government tool, it might want to keep the flow of people coming into the country that spend good money and many Americans do spend good money in Thailand. 

 

I think hard for many airlines to keep up with the Middle Eastern airlines as their governments have unlimited funds to support them.

[bkkmfj2648]

Oh Michael,

I am truly sorry to hear yhis news.

I always take the Rome to BKK non stop flight. It is very convenient even if they only fly it every other day. My last flight to Bkk was at least 90% full.

This will mean that for future flights I will have do switch in Dubai, or Istanbul, or Doha.

So much for having a 10 hour direct flight.

Thanks,

M.

[anddy]

The Frankfurt-BKK flights are always full, too. Can't comment on the Rome route. That said, full doesn't necessarily mean profitable, as the money is earned with business class, and when that's empty a full economy class is not enough.

 

@bkkmfj: if you prefer the long direct flight (as I do, I don't want the roughly 50/50 that the emirates routes make it), you can also switch in Brussels or Frankfurt or Paris or Copenhagen if you want to fly Thai. Then you have 1+10 instead of say 6+6. Or Frankfurt using LH or Zurich using Swiss. And surely more options similar than these few.

[Guest]

I think hard for many airlines to keep up with the Middle Eastern airlines as their governments have unlimited funds to support them.

 

There needs to be some international trade agreement regarding subsidised airlines. In principle, subsidies should not be allowed for airlines flying routes on which there is competition.

I'm lucky to live within reasonable travelling distance of Heathrow & get a choice of direct flights.  

 

There is no way I want to fly via the middle East & other indirect flights are not exactly convenient.

You either get a big delay, or if the stopover is relatively short, any delay in the first leg means you are at risk of not receiving checked in luggage when arriving at the final destination.  

Secondly, something like an EVA flight has lots of nice well behaved customers (many Taiwanese).  If I could choose my fellow passengers, this group would be high on the list.

I appreciate that people starting from somewhere with no convenient direct flight would be inclined to pick the most cost competitive indirect flight.

 

As for flights from LA to Thailand, well that must be one route on which the middle Eastern airlines cannot easily compete ?

So what's the reason for stopping them ? 

Is the competition too fierce, or are there really too few Californian customers wanting to go to Thailand?     I find that slightly hard to believe, however if the home climate is quite decent and it's a long flight, perhaps Thailand starts to look less attractive for some tourists.

[firecat69]

I think the problem with Thai from LAX is their decline in product.

 

They just don't compare favorably in Business with Korean, Asiana, Eva .even DL  etc.   They don't compare in seats, food, IFE, beverages and sometimes even service.

 

That said I am taking an award flight next year from Heathrow-BKK in the A380 and am hoping for a good product .  I flew them a few months ago BKK-SYD and it was at best average .(old old, old)

[gerefan]

 

I think hard for many airlines to keep up with the Middle Eastern airlines as their governments have unlimited funds to support them.

Correct. And don't forget the free fuel that they pump straight out of the sandpit into the aircraft!

The unlimited funds mean newer aircraft, superb service, nice terminals, and cheaper fares, etc etc. Those who haven't should try them, at least once. You may actually like it!

 

Secondly, something like an EVA flight has lots of nice well behaved customers (many Taiwanese)

 

That may be partly true but what annoys me is why don't they ever have any male Cabin Crew, Ever??

 

[Dalewood]

If you want to raise some people's blood pressure, go on to flyertalk.com and dare to suggest that the ME3 are being subsidized. There are a lot of very frequent flyers who are so mad at Delta, United, and American (in some cases for good reason) that they refuse to believe the subsidies exist.

[Guest]

That may be partly true but what annoys me is why don't they ever have any male Cabin Crew, Ever??

 

They have at least one & quite fit he is too.   Of course, more of them would be better.

[vinapu]

 

 

That may be partly true but what annoys me is why don't they ever have any male Cabin Crew, Ever??

try another Taiwanese airline China Airlines, few years ago on New York  -Taipei  flight they had all male crew or I should say all male eye candy crew, not sure if it was coincidence or airline policy but definitely most pleasant  long range flight I remember

[Guest]

PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) had what looked like an all male crew eating in one of the Heathrow T3 restaurants last year.  Think I will pass on that one.

[bkkmfj2648]

Rome is saved from the axe for a little while .........

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/652460/thai-extends-rome-service-until-february

 

THAI extends Rome service until February 12

 

In less than three weeks, Thai Airways International (THAI) has changed its mind about axing its Bangkok-Rome service. The non-stop service, at four flights per week, is now back on the flag carrier's schedule until next Feb 1 rather than going off screen on Oct 25. In an announcement yesterday, THAI president Charamporn Jotikasthira said the airline's board on Monday made the decision to reinstate the route to meet demand during the high season in Rome. That is an about-face after last month's announcement of suspending the Rome flight, along with the Bangkok-Incheon-Los Angeles service, also at four flights a week, , as part of the next phase of rationalisation to stem heavy losses.

 

Insiders said the extension of the Rome flight was influenced by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and tourism industry, which...

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[Guest finally]

Thai Airways wants to cut 1401 Jobs...hm,,,there was a new manager of Thai Airlines a few years ago who had the same plans...he survived a few months in his Job until he gave up. EVERY worker of Thai Airlines has paid to get the job...I have no idea how much it is..maybe similar to Vietnam Airlines where a job "costs" about 20000 USD at the moment and this Information is first hand