Thai Airways board approves president's first year on job
Thai Airways International's board of directors has approved THAI president Sorajak Kasemsuvan's first-year job performance, judging that he had met the required standards.
According to board chairman Ampon Kittiampon, the airline’s ASK (available seat kilometre) rate last month rose by 5.2 per cent compared with September 2012 thanks to the delivery of new aircraft and revision of flight routes. The RPK (revenue passenger kilometre) rate also rose by 6.1 per cent, and cabin factor increased to 72.3 per cent from 71.7 per cent a year earlier.
The cabin factor for domestic routes rose to 80.4 per cent from 71.1 per cent; European routes, from 67.3 per cent to 68.3 per cent; southern routes, from 76.6 per cent to 78.4 per cent; and northern routes from 74.4 per cent to 76.6 per cent. Passenger volume increased by 9.5 per cent.
Thai Smile, a unit of THAI that fills the market gap between low-cost carriers and full-service airlines, has an average cabin factor of 74.0 per cent in Septmeber, up from 72.5 per cent a year earlier, after expansion of domestic and international flights routes.
Thai Airways’ cargo/packages business continues to be affected by the sluggish global economy and stiff competition. The RFTK (revenue freight tonne-kilometres) rate declined by 7.0 per cent in September compared with the same period last year, while ADTK (available dead load tonne-kilometres) fell by 2.2 per cent, and the overall freight load factor dropped to 52.4 per cent from 55.3 per cent.
