News
Bangkok Airways eyes CS300
October 27th 2017
Thailand’s ‘boutique airline’, Bangkok Airways, is studying the Airbus/Bombardier CS300 as a replacement for its A319 fleet, the airline’s network and fleet management advisor, Peter Wiesner, told FlightGlobal. Read More »
Wiesner said the airline required approximately 20 new aircraft from the second half of 2019, with some on direct order and others on lease contracts.
Bangkok Airways was evaluating the CS300, the A319neo and the B737 MAX 7. Wiesner said the Bombardier C Series was the lightest and thus most fuel-efficient of them all, but added an new aircraft type would increase the airline’s costs.
Airbus purchased a majority stake in the Bombardier C Series programme last week. Speaking to media at the announcement, Airbus Group CEO, Tom Enders, said he hoped the C Series acquisition would mitigate a five-year slump in A319 sales. “We have not sold any A319s for the last five years,” Enders said. “That tells you something about the competition between the A319 and the C Series.”
The C Series would “cover the lower end” and would allow the OEM to offer a “full spectrum” of single aisle aircraft to its customers, Enders said.
Bangkok Airways’ has 15 A319s, nine A320s and six ATR72-500s. Industry sources have suggested a Bangkok Airways Boeing order was unlikely, citing high conversion costs.
“Ideally, we should make a decision between six and nine months,” said Wiesner. “But the leases of our existing aircraft are on-going so there's no real rush.”
