Nok Air

[dabchick 0]

Hi has anyone heard any more about the possibility of Nok Air to quit flying, there was an article in the Nation last week but I have not heard anymore, I was planning to use them to fly from Udon Thani to Chiang Mai in Novemeber as they were the only airline that flies direct on that route. Thanks.

[joekicker 53]

Their day of reckoning is approaching.

[Eneukman 1]

Just had a look at their web-site and you can't book any flights after the end of October!

 

Alan

[CheshireTom 1,377]

As the original article mentioned, they are due to meet early this week to decide what to do.

 

It'll be a shame if they disappear as i much preferred flying to/from Don Meuang over Suvarnabhumi.

[arbiez 0]

Can someone post a link to the article?

 

PS: Is it possible that Royal Thai will just reacquire the airline like United recently did with TED resulting in no real change other than elimination of dual branding.

[Strugg 0]

Just had a look at their web-site and you can't book any flights after the end of October!

 

Alan

 

I found that in March when trying to book for October 26 they would only go 6 months in advance...but as the months progressed it still stopped at the end of October...am booked so will see if it was a waste of $70

[ginseng 0]

I'm booked with them to go to Phuket this Friday and back Monday, hope their still in action.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Can someone post a link to the article?

 

PS: Is it possible that Royal Thai will just reacquire the airline like United recently did with TED resulting in no real change other than elimination of dual branding.

 

Nok Air will be advised at a board meeting on Friday as to what the decision is .............

 

The article that appeared in the Bangkok Post .......

 

 

D-Day approaches for Nok Air

High fuel prices may sink budget carrier

 

BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

 

 

Far-reaching implications of any drastic decision are holding back leaders of Nok Airlines from determining the fate of the budget carrier, which has been hit hard by high fuel prices and falling traffic.

 

Top management executives representing the airline and major shareholder Thai Airways International (THAI) are due to meet again early next week to make a final decision, following up on earlier talks held on June 10.

 

Last week's discussions included Apinan Sumanaseni, the president of THAI which holds 39% in Nok Air, and were shrouded in secrecy.

 

However, an insider who asked to remain anonymous said: ''There aren't many options left for Nok Air's future. A very drastic decision has to be made very soon.''

 

With jet fuel prices above US$160 a barrel, it did not make economic sense for four-year-old Nok Air to continue, he said, indicating that a shutdown could be imminent.

 

The low-cost carrier (LCC) business model simply did not work with oil prices at such high levels, he said.

 

For reasons that were not made clear, THAI was not currently at liberty to dispose of its shares in Nok Air, he added.

 

The national carrier is Nok Air's largest shareholder and shares resources, offering preferential aircraft leasing rates and aircraft maintenance fees. THAI has been worried about the no-frills carrier's financial status for the past few years.

 

Some executives have also expressed unhappiness over Nok pursuing strategies that did not complement THAI's operations, and in some cases seemed to represent direct competition.

 

Demand for domestic air travel, to which Nok Air is confined to operate following its exit from the Bangalore and Hanoi routes, is also slowing.

 

THAI itself was having its own difficulties with prohibitive fuel prices and slowing traffic demand, the source added. Mr Apinan himself admitted in an interview this week that the national carrier's near-term focus was on survival, rather than growth, as it was struggling to break even.

 

THAI is scaling down its 10-year business growth plan including a major fleet modernisation that was to include the procurement of 65 new aircraft.

 

One of the consequences arising from any drastic decision involves Nok Air's 100-plus pilots and more than 200 cabin staff.

 

Nok Air operates 52 flights a day, with nine Boeing 737 series jetliners, four of them leased from THAI, and one ATR propeller plane.

[dennismoore 8]

Cheshire Tom's quote was from an article in the Bangkok Post on 20th June. Another article appeared on 26th June:

 

THAI board to decide future of Nok Air

 

Thai Airways International will decide the future of its loss-ridden low-cost airline Nok Air today, but will not increase its holding, THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said yesterday. At the same time, a Nok Air executive said the airline will not stop flying.

 

Mr Apinan said the airline will be officially informed of today's decision at a Nok Air board meeting on July 4.

 

THAI has a 39% stake in Nok Air, which has been hard hit by rising fuel costs and falling traffic.

 

Some estimate the airline's losses at over one billion baht. However, Nok Air executive vice-president Sehapan Chumsai denied the accumulated loss is that high. The airline will keep flying, he said. Services and ticket sales will continue as normal.

 

He said Nok Air management had tried to adjust the airline's operations to cope with rising fuel prices, as had other airlines. Nok Air had suffered losses only during the last four to five months.

 

The airline would be able turn its business around eventually, he said.

 

See http://www.bangkokpost.net/260608_News/26Jun2008_news10.php

 

Like Cheshire Tom says, on friday 4 July THAI will advise NokAir about their future..

 

Maybe NokAir will continue to fly, maybe they will cease operation after October, maybe they will reduce the number of flight to/ from certain destinations, maybe they'll stop flying tomorrow. How knows! Maybe friday we'll know more. Maybe.... too many maybe's..

Edited July 1, 2008 by dennismoore

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

I feel it is a time for massive restructuring in the aviation industry Worldwide.

[Eneukman 1]

I quite like visiting Udon Thani in November for 3 days. In view of the possibility of Nok Air's demise (I hope it's not the case), which other airlines fly from Bangkok (either airport) to Udon?

 

Air Asia have one flight per day but I would prefer slightly earlier flights, particularly on the way back to Bangkok. Thai Air have, I think, 3 flights per day and because of their timings, I wll probably choose them in preference to Air Asia.

 

I compared prices for Thai Air on www.travelocity.com with Thai Air's own web-site and the Thai Air site was considerably cheaper.

 

Anyone know of any other airlines that go to Udon Thani from Bangkok?

 

Alan

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I quite like visiting Udon Thani in November for 3 days. In view of the possibility of Nok Air's demise (I hope it's not the case), which other airlines fly from Bangkok (either airport) to Udon?

 

Air Asia have one flight per day but I would prefer slightly earlier flights, particularly on the way back to Bangkok. Thai Air have, I think, 3 flights per day and because of their timings, I wll probably choose them in preference to Air Asia.

 

I compared prices for Thai Air on www.travelocity.com with Thai Air's own web-site and the Thai Air site was considerably cheaper.

 

Anyone know of any other airlines that go to Udon Thani from Bangkok?

 

Alan

 

Alan,

 

The 3 airlines that you mention are it. If Nok does go under I would think that either of the other two will pick up at least some of their slots.

 

Edit in ..............

 

Latest update .............

 

3 Airlines cut routes to save costs

By Suchat Sritama

The Nation

Published on July 2, 2008

 

Three low-cost airlines - Nok Air, One-Two-Go and Thai AirAsia - have cut and rescheduled flights in response to record-high jet fuel prices.

 

Effective yesterday, Nok Air cut three domestic routes - Bangkok-Chiang Rai, Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani and Bangkok-Krabi. It is also considering reducing its 21 flights a week to Phuket.

 

Affected travellers are being transferred to Thai Airways International and Thai AirAsia.

 

The domestic route changes followed the cancellation of its international Bangkok-Bangalore and Bangkok-Hanoi flights.

 

"We're losing money," an airline representative said, who declined to confirm if losses were as high as Bt1 billion as had been reported. The reports have fuelled expectations that the airline would be shut down soon.

 

Meanwhile, One-Two-Go has cut the number of Bangkok-Chiang Mai and Bangkok-Phuket flights from 28 per week to 21, starting yesterday. The flight frequency to Hat Yai has also been cut by half to seven, while those to Chiang Rai and Nakhon Si Thammarat are down from seven to two flights per week. The daily flight to Surat Thani is to continue.

 

Thai AirAsia has cancelled the weekly flight to Xiamen, China, due to lack of passengers.

 

Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia, said operating costs had jumped from 30 per cent to 50 per cent due to spiking oil prices.

 

"However, we have no further plans to reduce or cut more flights," he said.

 

The airline planned to add more international routes from Bangkok to Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China, within the next two or three months. It is also studying scheduling flights to Bali. The airline recently started flights to Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City.

 

Thai AirAsia has increased its flights to Phuket and Chiang Mai. The airline expected the number of passengers to reach 4.6 million this year, a 25-per-cent growth rate.

 

To survive the lower passenger traffic due to higher travelling costs, the airline has approached 15 corporate clients to encourage more business travel.

 

To boost loyalty, the airline has launched a programme paying up to Bt1,800 to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed more than three hours.

Edited July 1, 2008 by CheshireTom

[thaiali 0]

me and the lady have paid for 2 returns each for 2 weeks time....total cost 8000 baht plus......better be still ok.......i better not lose out

[ginseng 0]

Just got a call from Nok today. They canceled and rebooked my flight to Phuket. From reading the article above this is probably due to them having less flights there now.

[dennismoore 8]

Nok Air will continue to fly, but will cut flights and saleries. If oil price is above $ 160 it may stop flying..

 

See http://www.bangkokpost.com/050708_Business...l2008_biz01.php