THAI plans direct flights to Brisbane

       Thai Airways International will inaugurate non-stop flights between Bangkok and Brisbane on Oct 25 to substitute the existing services that go southward to Sydney first before stopping at Brisbane.
       The change is meant to cash in on the growing traffic between the Thai capital and Queensland's capital and is part of the flag carrier's bid to enhance its Australian profile in its next traffic programme.
       THAI will offer five turnaround nonstop flights from Bangkok to Brisbane using Boeing B777-200 aircraft with 309 seats, according to THAI executives.
       The airline will continue to operate triple daily non-stop services between Sydney and Bangkok through the winter schedule that ends on March 27 next year, using a combined fleet of Airbus A340-600s with 267 seats and B777-200s.
       Likewise, THAI will keep its twicedaily flights between Bangkok and Melbourne using B777-300s, capable of carrying 364 and 388 passengers depending on the seat configurations of an aircraft.
       THAI's Bangkok-Perth service will continue at five flights a week, using Airbus A330-300s with 305 seats.
       There will be no change in its BangkokAuckland service with the continuation of five non-stop flights a week being operated by B777-200.
       Aside from the amendment for its Brisbane service, the national carrier is taking a conservative approach in planning the capacity for Australian/New Zealand networks rather than boosting capacity as it would normally do in the winter period when air travel demand is stronger.
       THAI does not expect a marked increase in demand any time soon given the impact of the recession and lingering concern about H1N1 influenza.