31 October 2026 Published by Silicon Valley Innovation ไทย

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Thai Airways reaches 84 aircraft, adds Da Nang in December

A year after leaving rehabilitation, the airline is adding aircraft and routes faster than its costs are being absorbed.

By Thai Travel Trade Desk · · 4 min read

อ่านภาษาไทย

A Thai Airways passenger jet lifting off beside an airport control tower under a blue sky
A Thai Airways jet taking off; illustrative, not one of the 2026 deliveriesPhoto by Stroopsniper Lenn on Unsplash

Thai Airways earned 1.53 billion baht in the second quarter of 2026, Pattaya Mail reported, down from 12.12 billion baht in the same quarter of 2025. For the first half, net profit was 11.62 billion baht against 21.96 billion baht a year earlier.

Revenue grew and costs grew faster. Second-quarter revenue excluding one-off items was 48.62 billion baht, up 8.5%, and first-half revenue was 99.65 billion baht, up 3.3%. First-half total expenses excluding one-offs rose 14.4% to 82.21 billion baht. The first-half result also includes about 1.42 billion baht of net one-off income, mostly from cancelling and modifying aircraft leases. The company said instability in the Middle East has affected oil and commodity prices.

A fleet that keeps growing

Thai Airways received nine aircraft in the first half: five Airbus A321neo, three Boeing 787-8 and one Boeing 787-9. Its second-quarter report, as summarised by CAPA, put the fleet at 84 aircraft on 30 June, up from 80 at the end of March and 78 on 30 September 2025.

Three of the new 787-8s were still being painted and refurbished, and the first was expected to enter service in September. The airline planned to bring in 17 A321neos from the fourth quarter of 2025, with deliveries finishing by the end of 2026. It has cut its fleet from eight aircraft types to four. In July 2025 chief executive Chai Eamsiri set a target of 150 aircraft by 2033, according to CAPA.

Routes for the winter season

At a media briefing reported on 17 September, Thai Airways said its Winter 2026/27 schedule, from 25 October to 27 March, will cover 66 domestic and international routes, the airline's own announcement says. The additions:

  • Bangkok to Da Nang, a new route, 14 flights a week from 1 December.
  • Bangkok to Vientiane and Yangon, each at 21 flights a week, and Siem Reap at 7.
  • Europe: Amsterdam at 7 a week, Munich 10, Zurich 11 and Paris 14.
  • Bangkok to Xiamen resumes with 4 flights a week.

Amsterdam is the long-haul addition. By mid-July the route was operating: Bernama named it among the added flights behind that week's arrivals, in its weekly summary. Chief executive Chai said the airline has adopted a more flexible business strategy to respond to global uncertainty.

On the demand side, Thai Airways carried 7% more passengers in August 2026 on 4% more flights, while other airlines grew passengers by 3% on 2% more flights, according to a TISCO analysis summarised by Kaohoon International. Airports of Thailand's total passenger count fell 1.1% that month.

Where it stands after rehabilitation

The current numbers sit on a restructured balance sheet. The Central Bankruptcy Court approved Thai Airways' exit from business rehabilitation on 16 June 2025, ending a four-year process, Thailand Business News reported. Debts fell from more than 400 billion baht owed to over 10,000 creditors to about 189.6 billion baht, and equity moved from a deficit of 140 billion baht to a positive 55 billion baht. Its shares resumed trading on the Stock Exchange of Thailand on 4 August 2025, the date set in the airline's notice.

For the second half of 2026 the airline says it will focus on cost discipline and liquidity while keeping up competitiveness, and it is watching the Middle East for further risks. The first half shows why. Without the 1.42 billion baht one-off gain, first-half net profit would have been about 10.2 billion baht, by our arithmetic.

What to watch

Thai Airways' third-quarter results will show whether the larger fleet is earning its cost. The Winter 2026/27 schedule starts on 25 October, and Da Nang on 1 December is its new route.

FAQ

How many aircraft does Thai Airways have?

The airline operated 84 aircraft on 30 June 2026, up from 78 on 30 September 2025, after taking nine new aircraft in the first half of 2026. It has a stated goal of 150 aircraft by 2033.

When do Thai Airways' Da Nang flights start?

Bangkok to Da Nang flights start on 1 December 2026, with 14 flights a week.

Why did Thai Airways' profit fall in 2026?

Second-quarter net profit was 1.53 billion baht against 12.12 billion baht a year earlier. Expenses excluding one-offs rose 14.4%, and the company cited Middle East instability affecting oil and commodity prices.

Sources

thai-airwaysfleetroutesda-nangwinter-scheduleresults

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