Thai Airways Denies 200 Pilots Have Quit

Thai Airways International calls a press conference to deny media reports that 200 pilots had suddenly left the airline.

Thai Airways held a press conference on Monday to dispel reports similar to those published by The Nation, which trumpeted the “mass resignation by over 200 pilots” employed by the carrier. Following the reports, the value of Thai Airways’ shares fell 1.9 percent.

During the press conference, Thai Airways’ executive vice president for operations, Athisak Padchuenjai, told reporters in Bangkok that the reports were untrue, according to Reuters.  Only “about 30 pilots” have resigned this year, Padchuenjai said, adding that the departure “has not affected the airline’s operations.”

In July, Thai Airways approved a restructuring that was designed to cut costs and rethink routes after five consecutive quarters of financial losses. The carrier hoped to show profit by the middle of 2015. Early retirement for hundreds of employees and the cutting overtime were key parts of the strategy.

The carrier aims to “shed more than a quarter of its full-time employees by 2018,” according to Reuters. It also plans to cut flights to Europe and increase service to China and Japan.

At Monday’s news conference, however, the acting president of Thai Airways, Siwakiat Jayema, said Thailand’s military government rejected the airline’s proposal “because the existing plan has no details on how the airline will become a leader in the region and on the appropriate size of its fleet.”

Thai Airways’ board will meet again on August 29 to come up with a new plan. As of August, the airline currently has 1,350 pilots.

[Photo: iStock]