Thai Airways adds capacity on busy trade routes

JOY ORLEK
THE LAUNCH by Thai Airways of a new service between Johannesburg and Bangkok on October 31 adds a range of new transhipment options to South Africa’s fastest growing trade lanes. The airline has committed to three frequencies a week – on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday – for the first year, using an Airbus 340-600 with 20 to 25tons of cargo capacity. The frequency will be reviewed after a year and increased if warranted by demand. “We will be concentrating on China, Japan, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka in terms of transhipment cargo,” says Anne Sanders, MD of agents GSAfrica. “The first flight carried 18 tons and the second 27 tons, so we’re off to a great start.” And the newly opened Bangkok airport offers significant benefits, in her view. “It can handle 966 000 kilograms of cargo per annum and has significantly streamlined connections into China and Japan in particular. Same day connections are offered nine times out of ten. “Our export drive will concentrate on abalone and lobsters out of Cape Town and motor vehicle components into China and India. The airline flies directly into Narita, Tokyo which is a big market for flowers.”