Thai budget carrier Nok Air is once again looking at the possibility of opening long-haul operations, despite abandoning similar plans in 2012.
A spokesman for the company tells Flightglobal Pro that the airline is in the process of studying a long-haul operation, but would not elaborate on how advanced its plans are.
Nok previously studied launching a long-haul arm in conjunction with Thai Airways in 2011. Under that plan, Nok would have taken Boeing 777-200ERs from Thai to launch the carrier and later transition to a 787 or Airbus A350 fleet.
That plan was put on ice in 2012 as Thai moved toward a new portfolio strategy under which Nok was to focus on the domestic and regional international budget market, while the mainline carrier would be the only entity to operate widebody aircraft.
Thai now holds a 39% stake in Nok following the latter carrier's initial public offering in June this year.
It is believed that the carrier is once again looking at long-haul to compete against the likely launch later this year of a Thai base for AirAsia X.
The Malaysian carrier’s Thai joint venture, TAAX, is expected to receive its air operator’s license from Thailand’s department of civil aviation at the end of September, ahead of an application for an air operator’s certificate.
TAAX is 49% owned by AirAsia X, while Thai AirAsia chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld holds 41% and local entrepreneur Julpas Kruesopon holds the remaining 10%.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
