Thai Airways aims to take advantage of the growing demand for affordable premium travel by introducing its premium economy class once again—essentially re-launching it.
The Star Alliance member previously offered premium economy on its Boeing 777s, but this product was discontinued during one of the airline’s numerous business plan revamps and realignments. Now, as there is an evident increase in demand for enhanced inflight comfort beyond economy class, yet with a more accessible price than business class, Thai Airways is bringing its premium economy offering back to the forefront.
This trend has attracted numerous airlines, including Emirates, while Cathay Pacific has expanded the size of its premium economy cabin on its revamped Boeing 777s by 50%, increasing the number of seats from 32 to 48.
At the airline’s Fly for the New Pride event this week, Thai Airways CEO Chai Eiamsiri announced plans for new premium economy seats on the Boeing 777. These seats are set to debut across a fleet of refurbished Boeing 777-300ER jets, as part of a comprehensive overhaul that will also enhance the first, business, and economy classes, along with the inflight entertainment system.
The aging 777-300ER Royal Silk business class seats are expected to be replaced with those already installed on Thai’s newest 787s, potentially revamping first class with a more standardized design rather than relying on costly custom suites typically associated with first class.
As previously reported, Thai Airways is also exploring a new business class for its upcoming order of 45 Boeing 787-9s, which are scheduled for delivery starting in 2027 over a ten-year period. To meet the 2027 rollout timeline, the airline will need to finalize the design by the end of 2025. Predictions suggest that Thai Airways will likely opt for a modern business class layout featuring ‘suites’ equipped with sliding privacy doors, large 4K video monitors with Bluetooth streaming capabilities, as well as wireless charging alongside standard AC and USB-C outlets.
Post Comment