Thai Eastar Jet (Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) is planning to launch scheduled flights on December 20, 2019, initially operating daily from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Malé, ch-aviation schedule analysis has revealed.
The Thai LCC will then add its second route, to Kaohsiung, on January 20, 2020. Flights will be onboard B737-800s equipped with 189 seats and the filed schedules indicate that the carrier will need two such aircraft as of January 20. Its first Boeing narrowbody, HS-SJB (msn 36802), is already undergoing pre-launch maintenance at Utapao.
The relationship between Thai Eastar Jet and South Korea's Eastar Jet (ZE, Seoul Gimpo) remains unclear. While initially the Thai carrier was understood to be a joint venture between local entrepreneurs and the Korean LCC, Eastar Jet later denied having any links to the Thai company and said it will contemplate legal action for alleged trademark infringement.
Eastar Jet did not respond to ch-aviation's questions regarding its current relationship with the Thai start-up.
Bangkok Airways currently flies daily between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Male, while Maldivian (Q2, Malé) plies the route 5x weekly. In addition, Thai AirAsia (FD, Bangkok Don Mueang) operates daily from Bangkok Don Mueang. Kaohsiung is served from Suvarnabhumi daily by each China Airlines (CI, Taipei Taoyuan) and Thai Smile (Bangkok Suvarnabhumi).
According to the ch-aviation schedules module, Eastar Jet currently serves Bangkok Suvarnabhumi 21x weekly (2x daily from Seoul Incheon and daily from Busan). The airline does not operate to any other Thai airport.
Thai Eastar Jet will become the second Thai LCC to use the main gateway in Bangkok after Thai VietJetAir. Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, NokScoot, Thai Lion Air, and Nok Air all operate out of Don Mueang.
