Bangkok--8 Aug--Thai Airways
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) Technical Department revealsthat it now has the capability to retrofit its own Boeing 747-400 aircraft, as part of thecompany’s strategy to increase competitiveness in meeting customer satisfaction and inmaintaining a place in the top 5 airlines worldwide. THAI recently invited the media tocover the Don Muang maintenance facility to show its capability to retrofit the remainingB747-400 aircraft.
Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI President, said that the aircraft retrofit project consistsof upgrading all seats in each class of service, complete with the installation of personalscreens and new in-flight entertainment system. The retrofit project covers upgradingpassenger cabins and products on 12 Boeing 747-400 aircraft which are divided into twophases:
- Phase 1: Retrofit of 6 Boeing 747-400 aircraft with new economy class seats,equipped with personal screens and new in-flight entertainment system.
- The first Boeing 747-400 retrofit aircraft, royally bestowed SIRIWATANA,was completed in May 2011 by an external company.
- The remaining five aircraft will be retrofitted by THAI Technical Department atthe Don Muang facility. The second Boeing 747-400 aircraft, royallybestowed THEPPRASIT, is currently undergoing the retrofit and isexpected to be complete by 9 August 2011. The third and fourth aircraft are
expected to be completed in September 2011, and the fifth and sixth aircraft areexpected to be completed in December 2011.
- Phase 2: Retrofit of 6 Boeing 747-400 aircraft will be installed with new seats,equipped with personal screens and new in-flight entertainment system in each classof travel. This phase is expected to be complete in 2012.
Each step in the retrofit process is inspected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)of U.S.A. and Department of Civil Aviation, Thailand.
Beside the upgraded seats, complete with installation of personal screens and new in-flightentertainment system, a personal telephone system was also installed to allow customers tomake phone calls to ground networks while in flight through credit card payment. As well,passengers can make seat-to-seat calls on the retrofitted Boeing 747-400 aircraft.