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Thai budget carrier offers Bangkok-HK-Taipei flight

The Thailand-based budget airline Thai Sky Airlines will start flying to Taipei next month by launching a Bangkok-Hong Kong-Taipei flight, the airline's local agent said yesterday.

"It will launch the inaugural Bangkok-Hong Kong-Taipei [flights] in August. It will operate five Bangkok-Hong Kong-Taipei flights in August and turn it into a daily flight in September," said Hsu Ming-hung (許明宏), vice president of Hsi Yang Yang Travel Service (喜洋洋旅行社).

The return ticket for its Bangkok-Hong Kong-Taipei flight is NT$3,999 (US$133), NT$2,000 cheaper than the normal airfare.

"In September, Thai Sky Airlines plans to launch the Bangkok-Hong Kong-Seoul flight. It is considering launching charter flights to China, like a charter flight to Kunming which is near Thailand," he said.

Thai Sky Airlines' launch of the Hong Kong-Taipei flight will increase competition on the route, which is serviced by four airlines, but Hsu thinks there are still profits to be made. Last month, Taipei-Hong Kong flights carried 230,000 passengers.

"The Hong Kong Disneyland park will open in September, and that will trigger a surge in Taiwan tourists to Hong Kong," he said.

Thai Sky Airlines positions itself as a low-fare airline rather than a budget airline.

It sells tickets through its agent, makes seating arrangements and serves meals on board.

"Instead of selling just tickets, we want to offer package service -- plane tickets and hotel booking -- to our Taiwan customers," Hsu said.

Thai Sky Airlines has three 343-seat TriStar L-1011 jets made by Lockheed Martin. They include two passenger jets and one cargo jet.

Thai Sky Airlines opened an office in Hong Kong in June last year, making Hong Kong its first overseas base for regional expansion.

Thai Sky Airlines will become the second foreign budget airline to fly to Taiwan, after the Singapore-based JetSTar launched its Singapore-Taipei flight last December.

Far Eastern Air Transport Corp (遠東) said yesterday it will launch regular passenger flights to Clark in the Philippines, and between Hong Kong and Palau later this week.

The carrier will start the twice-weekly charter fights from Taipei to Clark Friday mainly to serve Taiwanese people traveling to the Philippines.
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