doc

Continued seemingly intense competiton for Thai Airways and its BKK hub continues, as AF noted its interest and suggests it will join DL in bidding for a 10% (purchase) stake in Thai Air.

leroy11

I hope so - Thai is a good airline and another way to get to SE Asia besides KE would be most welcome. (and still get base miles - which you can't on SQ.)

motnot

I agree. Thai would be good for anyone and seems to be unappreciated by Star Alliance, especially with SIA right there.

doc

AF has been pursuing Thai Airways for some months, urging the co-founding member of the Star Alliance to forsake that alliance and join AF & DL, along with Aeromexico and KAL, in the nascent SkyTeam alliance. "Clearly we're very interested in having Thai Airways as a partner. Air France and Delta will bid for a 10 per cent stake in Thai Airways. It may help force the airline to join our group," said Jean-Francois Fauveau, AF regional manager of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, according to Reuters.

Previously AF stated: "Membership offers Thai significant opportunities, which include enhancing its positioning in response to competitive challenges within South-east Asian countries, development of a global cargo service and financial support through a strategic equity investment."

Eidetic

In Asia, anytime there is a public (as in AF) declaration that one is going to "force" another (as in TG) to do something, usually the opposite happens. Very bad form.

AC*SE

DL and AF may wind up finding themselves holding 10% of the equity, and being unable to do anything in the management of TG, as the government elected directors run circles around them.

How ironic, buying up equity to give a cash injection to a competing alliance's carrier.

doc

Thai Airways said it would start taking bids in September from potential strategic partners for a 10% block of its shares. Thai Air President Thamnoon Wanglee told reporters the national carrier would also go on a roadshow in November to promote an IPO of a further 13% of its stock.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000706/bkk21261.html

doc

Thai Airlines will shortlist four to five potential partners ahead of the road show in October and submit terms of reference to them after completing the public offering.
http://dowjones.wsj.com/archive/gx.c...er=display-d2h

dcpremex

I believe that LH/UA have also indicated that they would bid for THAI (and I would not be at all surprised if SQ joins in that bid).

doc

THAI Airways International pcl, Asia's sixth-largest passenger carrier, is "open" to joining other airline groupings if it brings more benefits than the Star Alliance grouping, its newly appointed president said yesterday.

"We are in Star Alliance because of mutual benefits," said Thai Air president Bhisit Kuslasayanon. "I don't want to play a lesser role. If anyone comes up with a better proposal, we will consider that."
http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/4/news/nseas01.html

doc

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum6/HTML/000064.html

doc

Air France SA has had talks with potential recruits to its SkyTeam global alliance but it is not vital that they join, the French carrier's Managing Director Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told Reuters on Monday.
``There are companies who talk to us, who question us, but we feel that an alliance with too many partners becomes difficult to manage,'' Gourgeon said.

SkyTeam's five members, which also include Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE AL - news), Korean Air Lines and Aeromexico offer seats on each other's flights and run harmonised timetables and frequent flyer programmes.

The grouping competes with three others, Star Alliance and OneWorld, which have 15 and eight members respectively, and the smaller Wings, which has three.

Discussions between SkyTeam and Thai Airways International Plc, which is mulling pulling out of Star Alliance, have so far led to no agreement.


http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/010709/l094969.html