Thai Summer Airways returns both B737s

Thai Summer Airways pointing to early 2Q23 start

Thai Summer Airways eyes launch in 3Q22, fleet growth

Thai Summer Airways (9T, Utapao) is planning to begin commercial operations by the end of July 2022, two years later than planned as the COVID-19 pandemic halted the start-up's ambitions, Chief Executive Akkarapat Leechotphaisan told Smart Aviation Asia Pacific.

The leisure-focused charter specialist backed by Thai and Chinese travel industry entrepreneurs sees the opening of many countries in the region as a good opportunity to launch and capture pent-up demand. Its inaugural routes are likely to be to Hong Kong International and Taipei Taoyuan out of Utapao, even though the former remains largely closed to international travel as it pursues a strict zero-COVID policy. In the future, the airline will also try to capture inbound contracts out of Macau International, South Korea, Japan, and then India and Sri Lanka.

Mainland China - Thailand's main origin market before the pandemic - remains closed with its reopening still unclear. However, Akkaparat denied that Thai Summer Airways ever wanted to focus entirely on this market.

"We do not need to wait until...

Thai Summer Airways eyes domestic scheduled flights

Thai Summer Airways revives launch plans, takes B737

Thai Summer Airways (9T, Utapao) is taking steps to launch operations after a two-year delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and has taken delivery of its first B737-800 as of February 24, 2022.

HS-TSD (msn 34547) is a 12.7-year-old aircraft formerly operated by SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK, Copenhagen Kastrup) and owned by Minsheng Financial Leasing, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows. It was retired by the previous operator in April 2021 and had been stored at Woensdrecht since late July 2021, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. It was reactivated and flown via Dubai International to Utapao over the course of February 23-24.

The airline said it is planning to announce "good news" soon but did not provide any further updates regarding its launch timeline.

Thai Summer Airways received its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) in September 2020, behind its original schedule which foresaw the launch of operations in May 2020. However, as the airline planned to rely on international leisure charters, it deferred the commencement of...