Red tape snags THAI Smile’s Cebu launch

THAI Smile’s planned launch of regular flights from Bangkok to Cebu in the Philippines is being put off for two months because of regulatory issues.

The wholly owned full-service subsidiary of flag carrier Thai Airways International (THAI) now hopes to commence service on the route on July 1 instead of May 1 as scheduled earlier.

THAI Smile acting chief executive Woranate Laprabang told the Bangkok Post that the launch delay is due to some complications in processing papers with the Philippine authorities, rather than any objection to traffic rights on their part.

“Admittedly, we were not quite familiar with their procedures, resulting in more time required to complete the process,” he said.

THAI Smile intends to offer seven flights a week on the Bangkok-Cebu route using Airbus A320 narrow-body jets.

With the debut, THAI Smile would become the only airline to offer a direct air link between the Thai capital and the Philippines’ oldest city and first capital.

The four-digit flight number, TG 2626, will underscore that the service is a codeshare with THAI.

Cebu is one of the next international destinations in THAI Smile’s expansion.

On Sunday, the airline started its two latest routes, Bangkok-Kota Kinabalu and Bangkok-Chittagong. Earlier this year, it commenced regular flights to Zhengzhou in China.

Last year, THAI Smile launched six international routes, including Changsha and Chongqing in China and Gaya, Varanasi, Jaipur and Lucknow, all in India.