Kan Air (KND, Chiang Mai) is looking to source up to six A320 Family aircraft after original plans to lease a trio of SSJ 100/95s from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (Zhukovsky) fell through.

According to The Bangkok Post, Somphong Sooksanguan, the president of Kan Air parent Kannithi Aviation Co., told a press conference this week that talks with lessors were already underway concerning the use of either A319-100 or A320-200 twinjets.

Pending government approval, the intention is to deploy two of the Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) narrowbodies into service this year with the remaining four next year, Somphong said. Initial routes will focus on Chiang Mai-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai-Ubon Ratchathani, and Chiang Mai-Utapao.

With its sole remaining ATR72-500 having now been withdrawn from service, Kan Air currently operates a Cessna (single turboprop) Grand Caravan 208B and a Premier I business jet on flights to eight destinations around Thailand from its Chiang Mai hub. Talks with an undisclosed Chinese firm are also ongoing concerning the chartering out of the Premier to elite Chinese tourists for flights out of Chiang Mai.