Summary
- Thai Airways has put its entire Airbus A380 fleet up on the market in an “as-is, where-is” condition following three years of grounding in Bangkok and Utapao.
- Although its A380s haven’t accomplished C-checks since before the pandemic, the jets are still considered airworthy with no everlasting grounding directives.
- Thai Airways is specializing in a more streamlined fleet of newer jets, comparable to the Airbus A350, with plans to expand to 114 aircraft by 2027.
Despite a transient flicker of hope that Thai Airways’ quadjet fleet would return to service amid a surge in demand late last yr, its days of Airbus A380 ownership seem like at an end. As reported by Aerotime Hub, the Thai flag carrier has opened bidding on its superjumbos until September 12.
Sale away
Listed in ancondition, Thai Airways’ A380s are up for grabs – for just the low deposit price of $50,000. With the oldest jet, HS-TUA, coming in at slightly below 11 years old, Thai Airways’ A380 fleet is comparatively young – and under-utilized, averaging around 31,000 flight hours based on ch-aviation.
All six jets have remained grounded at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) or U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport (UTP) because the early days of the pandemic, leaving any interested air operator a major amount of labor and investment to return the giants to the skies. Any purchaser can be required to ferry the aircraft elsewhere or dismantle it on-site, limiting options.
Photo: Jay Limsirichai / Shutterstock
Despite not one of the aircraft completing C-checks since before the pandemic, Thai Airways’ A380 is noted to stay airworthy, with no Airworthiness Directives or Service Bulletins permanently grounding the aircraft.
In line with the carrier’s invitation, it retains the correct to reject bids from parties sanctioned by the USA and Thailand or any general
The carrier previously attempted to shirk off its two youngest A380s, HS-TUE and HS-TUF, as a part of its restructuring and bankruptcy plans in 2020 and 2021. The initial survey of interest didn’t attract a buyer inside the two-week purchase period, leaving questions as as to whether Thai Airways can sell all six aircraft. The newest sale appears to fall under the identical banner because the previous, with Thai Airways’ invitation letter outlining,
Future fleets
Thai Airways A380 aren’t the one widebodies facing the chop. Although initially anticipating a 2024 retirement date, the carrier’s iconic Boeing 747-400s met an identical fate to its European counterpart, being listed on the market in 2021. Thai Airways shifted ten jumbo jets alongside one older Classic Boeing 737-400, leaving just seven remaining in storage at Bangkok and Utapao.
Photo: Thiago B Trevisan / Shutterstock
Bouncing back from bankruptcy, the airline is anticipated to quit protection next yr, reemerging as a more streamlined and efficient carrier with a concentrate on Boeing and Airbus’ newer jets, shaving its fleet right down to lower than half of its pre-pandemic peak as of August 2023.
Nevertheless, the airline is already gearing as much as surpass that before 2027, utilizing a possible 30-strong widebody order and further leases to expand to around 114 aircraft over the following 4 years. An order is yet to materialize following reports in June, but because it regularly completes its fleet merger with Thai Smile, an update could also be on the horizon.
Have you ever flown on Thai Airways’ Airbus A380 fleet? What was your experience? Tell us within the comments.