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Thai Smile

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THAI Smile Airways
บริษัท ไทยสมายล์แอร์เวย์ จำกัด
IATA ICAO Call sign
WE THD THAI SMILE
Founded19 August 2011(2011-08-19)
(asThai Wings)
Commenced operations7 July 2012(2012-07-07)
(asThai Smile)
Ceased operations31 December 2023(2023-12-31)
(re-integrated intoThai Airways International)
AOC #AOC.0007[1]
HubsBangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Focus citiesChiang Mai
Frequent-flyer programRoyal Orchid Plus
AllianceStar Alliance(affiliate; Connecting Partner)
Fleet size12
Parent companyThai Airways International(100%)
Headquarters89Vibhavadi Rangsit Road,Chatuchak,Bangkok10900, Thailand
Key peopleViset Sontichai (CEO)
Websitewww.thaismileair

THAI Smile Airwayswas a Thairegional airlineand a wholly owned subsidiary ofThai Airways Internationalheadquartered inBangkok.In 2023, it was announced that Thai Smile would be merged into its parent company, Thai Airways.[2]The airline merged into Thai Airways International on 31 December 2023. The full cessation of operations was fully effective on January 1, 2024.[3]

History

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Foundation

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On 20 May 2011, the Thai Airways board announced plans to create a new lower-cost airline, at the time dubbedThai Wings.[4][verification needed]The creation of the airline was announced by Ampon Kittiampon, the chairman of Thai's board of directors, on 19 August 2011.[5][verification needed]It began operations in July 2012.[5]According to Ampon, THAI Smile was intended to serve the market gap betweenlow-cost carriersand full service airlines.[5]The name THAI Smile was chosen from a pool of 2,229 entries in a contest to name the airline.[5]According to an official at Thai Airways, THAI Smile was planned to begin showing an annual profit of about five millionbahtwithin two years of the start of operations.[5]

Merger into Thai Airways International

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In February 2023, it was reported that Thai Smile would be dissolved as a separate entity and merged with its parent company,Thai Airways International,by mid-2024 in an effort to reduce losses.[6]On 18 May 2023, Thai Airways announced that Thai Smile would be merged into its parent as part of the group's post-COVID reconstruction process by the end of 2023.[2]Thai Smile was set to cease all operations on 31 December 2023.

Corporate affairs

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Thai Smile Airways was an officialsponsorofThai Honda LadkrabangandRatchaburi Mitr Phol.[7][8]

Destinations

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As of 2023, Thai Smile flew to the following destinations. The airline served only domestic destinations before ceasing operations on 31st December 2023.:[9]

Country/territory City/region Airport Notes Refs
Bangladesh Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport Terminated
Cambodia Phnom Penh Phnom Penh International Airport Terminated
Siem Reap Siem Reap International Airport Airport closed
Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport Terminated
China Changsha Changsha Huanghua International Airport Terminated
Chongqing Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Terminated
Kunming Kunming Changshui International Airport Terminated
Xiamen Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport Terminated
Zhengzhou Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport Terminated
Hong Kong Hong Kong International Airport Terminated
India Ahmedabad Ahmedabad Airport Terminated [10]
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminated
Gaya Gaya Airport Terminated
Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Terminated
Jaipur Jaipur International Airport Terminated
Kolkata Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Terminated [11]
Lucknow Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport Terminated
Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminated
Varanasi Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport Terminated
Indonesia Jakarta Soekarno–Hatta International Airport Terminated
Laos Luang Prabang Luang Prabang International Airport Terminated
Vientiane Wattay International Airport Terminated
Macau Macau International Airport Terminated
Malaysia Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminated [12]
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminated
Penang Penang International Airport Terminated
Myanmar Mandalay Mandalay International Airport Terminated
Yangon Yangon International Airport Terminated
Nepal Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport Terminated
Singapore Changi Airport Terminated
Sri Lanka Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport Terminated
Taiwan Kaohsiung Kaohsiung International Airport Terminated
Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminated
Thailand Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport Terminated [13]
Suvarnabhumi Airport Hub
Chiang Mai Chiang Mai International Airport Terminated
Chiang Rai Mae Fah Luang - Chiang Rai International Airport Terminated
Hat Yai Hat Yai International Airport
Khon Kaen Khon Kaen Airport
Krabi Krabi International Airport
Loei Loei Airport Terminated
Nakhon Si Thammarat Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport Terminated
Nan Nan Nakhon Airport Terminated
Narathiwat Narathiwat Airport
Phuket Phuket International Airport Terminated
Roi Et Roi Et Airport Terminated
Surat Thani Surat Thani International Airport Terminated
Trang Trang Airport Terminated
Ubon Ratchathani Ubon Ratchathani Airport
Udon Thani Udon Thani International Airport Terminated
Vietnam Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport Terminated
Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport Terminated

Fleet

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Thai SmileAirbus A320-200

As of 2023,THAI Smile operated the following aircraft:[14]

Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Note
U Y Total
Airbus A320-200 3 12 156 168 Transferred toThai Airways International.[15]
9 162 174
Total 12

References

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  1. ^"List of Thailand Air Operator Certificate Holders".Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.5 October 2022.Retrieved5 October2022.
  2. ^abCross, Lee (2023-05-18)."Thai Smile to be Re-Absorbed into Thai Airways International".Airways.Retrieved2023-05-22.
  3. ^"Thai Smile Airways to cease flight operations on December 31".nationthailand.2023-12-01.Retrieved2023-12-02.
  4. ^"THAI to launch new budget airline".Bangkok Post. 20 May 2011.Retrieved22 August2011.
  5. ^abcde"THAI sister airline launch set for 2012".Bangkok Post. 20 August 2011.Retrieved22 August2011.
  6. ^bangkokpost - Thai Smile-THAI merger 'to cut losses'25 February 2023
  7. ^""ไทยฮอนด้า" ทุ่ม 100 ล้าน ลุยไทยลีก ตั้งเป้าท็อป 10 ".Retrieved29 January2017.
  8. ^"สายการบินแรก!ราชบุรีจับมือไทยสมายล์".Retrieved15 September2017.
  9. ^"Thai Smile Booking and Destinations".Thai Smile.Retrieved1 May2020.
  10. ^"THAI SMILE MOVES AHMEDABAD SERVICE TO THAI FROM SEP 2023".Aeroroutes.Retrieved24 August2023.
  11. ^"Thai Smile Resumes Kolkata Bangkok Flights".
  12. ^Liu, Jim (August 16, 2017)."Update 2: Thai Smile cancels Kota Kinabalu service from Sep 2017".Routes Online.Retrieved2022-01-25.
  13. ^"New Route! Fly Direct Flights from Donmuang to Chiang Mai".Thai Smile.
  14. ^Airbus Orders and Deliveries (XLS), accessed via"Orders & Deliveries".Airbus. 31 August 2017.Retrieved4 October2017.
  15. ^leah (2023-05-18)."Thai Airways - Thai Smile merger gets green light".Thaiger.Retrieved2023-05-21.
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