Charamporn Chotiksathien emphasised that cancelling the routes was only a short-term measure. The president explained that as soon as passenger demand in these locations picked up again the routes would be reinstated.
THAI have not released an official statement regarding the reasons behind cutting certain routes. Airline industry insiders say the EU’s current economic climate will reduce demand for long-haul inter-continental flights over the coming few years.
THAI’s board would only say cutting routes is an integral part of a two-year schedule to adjust its marketing and costing budgets. Thailand’s Tourism Ministry had previously identified both Russia and Spain as locations which showed the most potential as sources for inbound tourism.
Thai Airways scraps selected Europe routes
News in Asia
The Thai national airline has cancelled some routes to Europe in what management claims is a stopgap measure. The president of Thai Airways told media sources that routes from Bangkok to European cities including Moscow and Madrid had been temporarily shelved.