Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) will not be returning to Los Angeles International according to comments made by airline president, Charamporn Jotikasthira, at last week's IATA AGM in Dublin.

"We are not looking at going back to Los Angeles because it is too far, gas-guzzling and crowded with competitors, and we never make money [from the route]," Charamporn told The Bangkok Times.

In January, Charamporn had alluded to a possible return to the US market either later this year or early next, pending an improvement in load factors.

"We need to look at other cities in North America such as Seattle Tacoma International and Vancouver International, which offer more potential if we decide to return to the continent."

Transpacific flights are expected to be facilitated with Thai's incoming fleet of A350-900s and B787-9s the latter of which is due to arrive next year.

But, while Charamporn did discount returning to Madrid Barajas and Johannesburg O.R. Tambo again citing their lack of profitability in the past, he did confirm Moscow Domodedovo flights would resume from October onwards.

Thai is in the midst of restructuring progarmme aimed at returning the loss-making carrier to longterm profitability by the end of the year.