Aircraft

Two widebodies likely to go head-to-head to succeed flag carrier's ageing Airbus fleet

Thai Airways International is drawing up a new business plan that should include proposals for the replacement of dozens of older aircraft in its fleet.

At a recent board meeting directors tasked management with drawing up a 10-year corporate plan covering the 2008-2017 period. The plan will be presented to the board in August.

Airline executives say fleet renewal will make up a key part of the plan and several dozen new aircraft may be ordered to replace older aircraft. Types to be considered are not being identified, although it is expected that the carrier will primarily look to acquire aircraft in the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 categories, in part to replace its 20 Airbus A300-600s.

Senior airline executives said last year that they had already been evaluating the two types, although studies covered the longer-range variants on offer which would not necessarily be intended as A300 replacements.

Thai could also look at replacements in the years ahead for some of its older Boeing 777s and 737-400s as well as older Airbus A330s.

Earlier this year Thai agreed to order eight more A330-300s at discounted prices in part as compensation for delays in the delivery of six Airbus A380s on order. It said at the time that delivery of the A330s would take place between 2008 and 2010, although it has yet to firm up the order.