Nok Air to end Nok Mini cooperation with Siam General Aviation ch-aviation PRO exclusive

Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) said it will back the planned fleet renewal of Nok Air (DD, Bangkok Don Mueang), although it will not support it financially, Thai English-language daily The Nation has reported.

"We will collaborate with Nok Air, which is facing management problems, and will help it rebuild confidence, including negotiations with trading partners. Our collaboration will also offer Thai's credibility when it comes to Nok Air purchasing new aircraft," Thai Airways President Sumeth Damrongchaitham said.

The Thai flag carrier holds a 15.9% stake in the LCC. Nok Air is majority-owned by the Chulangkul family with three members holding a combined 67.4% stake.

Sumeth also said that Thai Airways will be seeking to enhance cooperation between the mainline, its narrowbody subsidiary Thai Smile (WE, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi), and Nok Air.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Nok Air currently operates fifteen B737-800s and eight Dash 8-400s. The carrier also has eight B737-8s on order, including six directly from Boeing. The deliveries of...

The Thai Department of Airports has engaged Bangkok Airways (PG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) and Nok Air (DD, Bangkok Don Mueang) over the launch of flights to the new airport in Betong, scheduled to open in mid-2020, The Bangkok Post has reported.

Betong is located inland in the southernmost part of Thailand, Yala province, near the Malaysian border. The province does not currently have an active commercial airport. Seaside Narathiwat airport is located over 100 kilometres away. One of Malaysia's major gateways at Penang is also around 100 kilometres away.

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said that flights from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi or Bangkok Don Mueang would take around 1:40 hours. The government also hopes to attract flights from Malaysia and Singapore to Betang going forward.

Construction of the Betang airport is around 85% complete and scheduled to end in September 2019. Following the certification of the airport, first flights are expected to take off from Betang in June 2020.