Bangkok Airways adds two prop planes to its fleet

Bangkok Friday, April 18, 2008

Bangkok Airways is putting two additional ATR 72-500 propeller planes into its growing fleet to support its expanding network in Indochina and Burma in the next few years. The two new planes would be provided to the privately owned airline through a leasing agreement arranged by Ireland-based Aircraft International Renting Ltd (AIR), which purchased the ATR 72-500s for about US$37 million from ATR, part of the European defence and aerospace giant EADS.

The airline hopes the new planes will help it consolidate its network in Indochina and Burma by allowing it to serve more cities, including Hanoi, Vientiane, Sihanoukville, Danang and Bagan. It also plans to raise frequencies to existing destinations from its Bangkok hub.

Growing tourism and economic expansion in those countries were cited by Bangkok Airways vice-president Nandhika Varavan as the main reasons for the carrier stepping up its flight operation to build on its current routes.

Bangkok Airways is capitalising on new business opportunities in those countries after expanding into longer routes to Japan, namely Hiroshima and Fukuoka, in the past two years.

''We feel the need to make a stronger presence in the Indochina states where we pioneered,'' she said.

In the case of Cambodia and Laos, Bangkok Airways was the first carrier to fly from Bangkok to major cities in those countries. Bangkok Airways has operated flights to Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Rangoon and Ho Chi Minh City.

Deliveries of the two turboprops in late 2008 and 2009, capable of carrying 70 passengers, would be instrumental to Bangkok Airways' expanding regional routes.

Their arrival would expand Bangkok Airways' ATR 72-500 fleet to 10, making it one of the largest ATR operators in Southeast Asia.

Bangkok Airways flies ATRs on some domestic routes, including to Sukhothai and Trat. It also uses them for airports with short runways in neighbouring countries, such as in Luang Prabang.

It uses Airbus A320s, A319s and Boeing 717-200 jets on high-traffic and longer routes. ATR has to date has sold 953 aircraft, 760 of which were delivered with a current backlog of 193.


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