Thai Airways International will retrofit 14 Boeing 777-300ERs with new cabin products, including adding premium economy seating.
Airline chief Chai Eamsiri says the national carrier has “confirmed our vendors and OEMs” for the new products, but has not officially launched them to market. He adds that the 777s will have new in-flight entertainment systems and seats across all classes.
He was speaking to FlightGlobal on the sidelines of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) Assembly of Presidents in Brunei.
Thai Airways has 17 777-300ERs, of which three are younger jets that it took delivery of in 2022. The 14 older jets, which are between nine and 14 years old, are configured in a two-class layout with 348 seats.
No firm timeline was disclosed for the retrofit, but Chai says the new products “will be the same” as the airline will install on 30 Boeing 787-9s it has on order.
Chai says there are no immediate plans for a cabin refresh of the airline’s other widebodies. He notes the airline’s A350s, for example, are younger than the 777s, and would need a cabin refresh “a few years later”.
“We still have some time…and even we decided today, we are unable to get the slots we want [for the retrofit of the A350s],” Chai adds, pointing to ongoing supply chain delays in the aerospace sector.
The retrofit comes as the airline begins retrofitting its Airbus A320s - inherited from its merger with regional unit Thai Smile - to add business class seats.
In total, 20 A320s will undergo a retrofit that will take the total seat count from between 168 and 174 seats to 156 seats, comprising 12 business class seats and 144 in economy class. Airbus Services is undertaking the installation of the new business class seats.
