Sam Bee

So there has been no comment about it being leased out to another airline, and no indication of its sale (despite the massive sums it would receive).

I presume if they wanted to hold onto them for future growth they would simply lease them out to another carrier. Does anyone know if this has happened?

I do know that if they do not fly, the slot can be taken from them, so the worst possible solution. And it's almost July 1st.

So, does anyone know what has happened to the slot?

Creole Spirit

there was a rumor about two, three months ago that Thai would sell or lease it to Garuda, but it seems they finally failed and didnt get the permission to sell it....don't know for what reason they cant's sell or lease it out....

Sam Bee

Garuda applied for LHR slots according to the the airport - but failed to get them. So leasing may seem the next logical step, but Garuda are going backwards out of London rather than forward.

Would it be wrong of me to say it's typical Thai if they have the slots taken from them for no compensation due to lack of use?

I heard a rumour they were intending to re-instate the 2nd flight for the winter schedules from a reliable source, but that asked more questions than answered tbh.

Creole Spirit

That's absolutely new to me, but there is a similar rumour that the second (daylight)flight to/from Frankfurt could be reinstalled during next winter season.....so maybe there is something true about it.....

Noppasit

The second slot should be used for peak time of the year such as,

- Start/End of term. (e.g. early September and late March)
- Songkran (Thai's New Year)
- Christmas and New Year

Creole Spirit

but can they "claim" to "keep" a(n existing) slot only for limited high demand peak periods?

brunos

They cannot.

They can lease it short or long term. but I doubt that an airline would be interested in a kind of on-off lease.

Sam Bee

No, they have to use the slots or lose them. Which makes the 'high season' only approach untenable unless they can find some prepared to lease the rest of the year - normally with a similar size aircraft and same terminal at LHR, which makes someone like BA (the most likely to be interested) unlikely (as they could add an extra LHR-MAN flight etc) - whereas someone like Garuda wouldn't want slots for only 6 months of the year -

Leasing is feasable - but more longer term: http://www.acl-uk.org/UserFiles/File...esentation.pdf

The slot pair can be worth upto US$103 (max traded value, but would be lower due to the times), so I refuse to believe that a deal hasn't been done for the slots - it is next week after all they come free!

I believe airlines have to operate 80% of their slots to avoid having them taken back - which is why a number of airlines have operated empty flights to avoid losing them. Qantas use to jump upto Manchester on a daily basis...

andyptrav

Airlines do have to use the LHR slots or will lose them and I think it is more than 80%. In the low season TG have cancelled many TG916/7 and reached the limit so they have now cancelled some TG910/11.

TG were aiming to lease the slot but the deal broke down a while ago so they then considered running a 777 on TG916/7 but that idea seems to have died also so it is a mystery what will happen to the slot. I did hear that BA had offered Ł0 to take it but for 2 years or more so I expect the outcome will be something similar.

If EVA can run a 777 BKK-LHR at similar times to TG916/7 then TG should be able to do the same. It is a marketing problem. I think TG are just gifting business to EVA, Singapore Air and Emirates. I fly LHR-BKK-HKT 9 or 10 times a year and I loath TG911, I am giving it another go next month but suspect it may be the last time. I will have to pay the extra for EVA out and TG return or it will be Singapore or Emirates.

brunos

Indeed EU regulations have a "use it or lose it" rule. Within each season, the airline must use the slot 80% of the time (may be raised to 85%). Then they are grandfathered for the same season next year.
Few airlines would be interested in a one-season lease.

There is an active market for slot trading. A slot is constrained in terms of landing time, aircraft size and terminal used. SAS sold two slot pairs recently, the estimates were $60 million for a morning slot pair and $22 million for an afternoon slot pair. That's a lot of money.

SunLover

This makes sense as the operating authorities want the landing fees, ticket taxes, and ancillary revenue.

Continental paid $209 million for four morning slot pairs in 2008 for an average of $52 million per. Close to the SAS estimated price considering inflation. http://centreforaviation.com/analysi...t-again-108646

Not sure which airline(s) would be a good candidate to lease or purchase it, but timing wise evening LHR slot pairs do not work for North American routes that is for sure.


SunLover

andyptrav

It seems TG do not need the money, I am told they have now lost the slots Tuesday and Thursday through the 80% rule and will lose the other days as well in due course if they don't use them or lease/sell them.

Lament

TG has always been managed by incompetent , corrupt bufoons.
The current management is no exception to the rule .
.

andyptrav

The only exception was Amranand who was doing a good job until fired by Yingluk - or do I mean Thaksin. Amranand was fired for what appeared to be solely political reasons and replaced by a PR man who was not even good at PR. This was a disaster for TG and now it together with we customers are paying the price. Amranand had a clear vision and strategy for Thai Air which included the formation of Thai Smile in order to compete with low cost airlines. His replacement thought improving the rice served on board would eliminate the competition.

Sam Bee

Well, blow me. Surprises never cease.

Thai re-introduce their second flight from 25th October - using a 2 class 773.

Currently loaded until 26th March 2016, usual TG 916/917 times.

May I respectfully suggest that if anyone wants a Xmas holiday from the UK, get booking now whilst availabilty at W/V/Z class is good over prime dates.

And i'm still mystified how they got around the slot usage at LHR. But fundamentally - Good News!