Thai AirAsia buying seven new planes
The low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia Co Ltd (TAA) this year is planning to acquire seven aircraft to bring its fleet to 63 aircraft, according to its statement on Thursday.
TAA aims to add more routes to the Indian and Asean markets while maintaining its customer base in the Chinese market. This diversified strategy is intended to minimise the risk of dependence on a major customer base and to enhance the company's future sustainable revenue growth.
TAA is confident it can end the year with a load factor average of 87 per cent and with a target of 23.2 million passengers served.
In 2017, TAA received five aircraft, bringing their year-end total to 56 aircraft.
Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Asia Aviation Plc and Thai AirAsia, said that despite an increase in average global fuel prices in 2017, efficient management allowed TAA to continue to grow. Throughout 2017, TAA inaugurated 16 new routes, focusing on inter-regional connections and secondary provinces in support of the overall tourism and government policy.
