Thai Airways clears runway to tap Asia-Pacific boom with fleet overhaul

[BANGKOK] Thai Airways International is turning to Airbus jets to fill gaps in its fleet-renewal plans and tap Asia-Pacific’s travel boom, as Boeing delivery delays – first sparked by the pandemic and now potentially due to US tariffs – loom, said its top executive.

“The potentially growing market is the Asia-Pacific, and we have already secured that market with our narrow-body aircraft... 32 A321neos (new engine options),” said Thai Airways chief executive Chai Eamsiri in an interview with The Business Times.

Shares of the airline, Thailand’s market leader, resumed trading on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on Aug 4, with analysts expressing cautious optimism over the carrier’s streamlined operations and sharper growth strategy following a five-year rehabilitation exercise.