NokScoot (Bangkok Don Mueang) is planning to add four Boeing narrowbodies in 2019 and is leaning towards B737-8s, CAPA has reported.
The long-haul low-cost airline, a joint venture between Thailand's Nok Air (DD, Bangkok Don Mueang) and Scoot (TR, Singapore Changi) (itself a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines), is currently inducting its maiden narrowbody jet, a B737-800. It plans to operate two units of the type in 2018, in addition to five B777-200s.
NokScoot will initially deploy the B737-800s on its existing routes out of Bangkok Don Mueang to each of Xi'an Xianyang and Taipei Taoyuan, and will also use the type to launch a new route to Fukuoka. In general, the airline would deploy the narrowbodies on thinner medium-haul routes, freeing up the B777s for both longer sectors and more in-demand short- and medium-haul routes.
Going forward, the carrier intends to further grow its narrowbody fleet, although it has not yet decided whether it will add more B737-800s or choose B737-8s. It could potentially source the MAX jets from either of its parents - NokAir currently has eight on order with Boeing, while SilkAir, another Singapore Airlines subsidiary, has thirty-two on order. Alternatively, NokScoot could also choose to source the narrowbodies from lessors.
So far, the airline sources aircraft solely from its parents, with the B777-200s dry-leased from Singapore Airlines and the two incoming B737-800s being former Nok Air aircraft, but leased directly from the lessors.
Simultaneously, Nok Air has temporarily suspended ATR - Avions de Transport Régional 72-500 operations. Both units of the type operated by the Thai LCC are currently grounded at Kuala Lumpur International for extended maintenance - HS-DRD (msn 754) since July 15 and HS-DRC (msn 740) since August 22. In terms of turboprops, the carrier continues to operate seven Dash 8-400s.
