The sights and sound of
Thailand came to Airbus’ Toulouse, France delivery centre today as Thai
Airways International (THAI) received the first of six A380s on order,
which will bring a new dimension to the airline’s in-flight experience
when it enters service next month.
Introduced by a troupe of dancers representing the
four regions of Thailand, THAI’s no. 1 A380 was revealed to a capacity
crowd of invited guests during the mid-day delivery ceremony, followed
by photo sessions and visits to the aircraft.
“We chose the Airbus A380 aircraft because it is
preferred by passengers for its spacious cabin – offering extra flying
comfort,” explained Capt. Montree Jumrieng, THAI’s Executive Vice
President, Technical Dept. “Throughout our 50-year history, THAI has
built a very strong reputation for the quality of its Royal Orchid
Service as one of Asia’s most admired airlines. The six A380s joining
our fleet will continue this tradition, and add new dimensions in
customer appeal.”
Capt. Montree noted that THAI’s decision to
configure the A380 fleet with only 507 seats – 12 in Royal First Class,
60 for its Royal Silk executive class, and 435 in economy – is aligned
with THAI’s strategy to offer more modern and enhanced state-of-the-art
products and services “at every customer touch point.” The airline’s
A380s are outfitted with personal entertainment screens, individual
power supplies, internet connectivity, Wi-Fi and access for in-flight
mobile telephones, along with SMS and MMS messaging.
Kiran Rao, the Airbus Executive Vice President for
Sales & Marketing, said THAI becomes the ninth airline to receive
A380s, joining what he described as the elite club of world-class
carriers that define the air transport industry’s leaders.
“Since the A380 first entered service almost five
years ago, it has exceeded all expectations, proving to be a
game-changer in every way,” he told the invitees at the delivery
ceremony. “In terms of performance, operators are reporting reductions
in fuel consumption of up to 20 percent per seat compared to the
747-400. The A380 also is delivering on its environmental promises,
with significant reductions in carbon emissions and a much lower noise
footprint than even some aircraft half its size.”
Source: airbus.com
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