Bangkok Airways makes switch to Airbus jets
An artist's impression shows the Airbus A320-200 with Bangkok
Airway's tropical Samui livery. The jets are expected to go
into
service on China routes in August.
Carrier in a hurry to reposition itself
Boonsong Kositchotethana
Bangkok Airways, Thailand's largest privately owned carrier,
has
decided to buy two Airbus A320-200 airplanes from Europe, worth
some
US$110 million (4.3 billion baht), rather than the US-made Boeing
737-
800s as planned earlier as it moves to expand its operations
in
Asia's increasingly competitive skies.
The airline has placed the orders, including options for
additional
Airbus aircraft, with the European consortium, saying it would
have
to wait too long for the Boeing jetliners, which would be
delivered
late due to production constraints. As well, executives said they
did
not want to miss the business opportunities in the changing
market
environment created by the emergence of budget airlines in Asia,
and
wanted to gear up for stronger competition from conventional
carriers.
Bangkok Airways also wants to use the new Airbus as a physical
symbol
of the major changes that will take place this year to mark its
36th
anniversary.
Some of the major changes is the reposiitioning of the airline
to
give it a clearer brand presence. It is to become ``Asia's
Boutique
Airline'', replacing the age-old ``Tourists' Choice'' slogan.
Specifically, the two new Airbus aircraft, each with 163 seats in
one
class, will serve Bangkok Airways' medium-range routes including
new
services to Chinese destinations _ Hangzhou, Nanjing and
Guangzhou.
The carrier plans to take deliver of the new aircraft in August
and
put them on its Chinese services which.currently includes flights
to
Guilin, Xian and Jinghong.
The Airbus A320-200 is similar in size and capacity to the
Boeing
B737-800 which has seating capacity for 180 and costs about
$60
million. The A320-200 costs $55 million. The A320-200 will be
the
largest aircraft in the airline's fleet, which now comprises
13
ATR72s and four 120-seat Boeing 717-200s.
Bangkok Airways has emphasised adding new aircraft with
current
service ages ranging from three to five years.
