|
|
Thai Airways International is the national airline of Thailand. The airline operates domestic, regional, and intercontinental flights to destinations around the world. The main hub of Thai Airways International is Bangkok International Airport.
Thai Airways International was formed in 1960 as a joint venture between Thailand’s domestic airline, Thai Airways Company (TAC) and Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). The airline commenced its operations in 1960 with flights to nine overseas destinations within Asian continent. In 1971, Thai Airways started its intercontinental services in 1971 with flights to Australia, followed by flights to Europe in 1972 and to North America in 1980. In 1988, Thai Airways International merged with the domestic airline, Thai Airways Company. In 1991, Thailand Government approved a resolution authorizing Thai Airways to list its shares on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). Subsequently, listing of Thai Airways shares was commenced on July 19, 1991.
As of April 2006, Thai Airways had a fleet of 87 aircrafts. This included 8 Boeing 747-400, 2 Boeing 747-300, 6 Boeing 777-300, 2 Boeing 777-200, 10 Boeing 737-400, 3 Airbus 340-500, 5 Airbus 340-600, 12 Airbus 330-300, 10 Airbus 300-600, and 2 ATR-72. Thai Airways has an extensive network in India. Presently, it flies to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore. By the end of October 2006, Thai Airways has plans to add Bodhgaya, Varanasi, and Hyderabad to its list of destinations.