David Eyre 
Three A330-300s are to be retired by Thai in 2017, likely to be their older A330-321s.
Photo © David Eyre
13 July 2011:
Thai Airways International has announced that it plans to increase the number of aircraft to be decommissioned as new types enter service. The airline will now retire and sell 50 aircraft over the next six years, increased from the previously announced 38 aircraft.
This is due to to fleet planning changes and the availability of leased aircraft.
Thai will phase out all Airbus A300s, Airbus A340s, Boeing 737-400s and ATR72 aircraft by 2017. Thai will retire and sell the following aircraft:
- Airbus A300-600: 13 to be retired from 2011 – 2015
- Airbus A330-300: 3 to be retired in 2017
- Airbus A340-500: 4 to be retired from 2012 – 2013; seat retrofit cancelled
- Airbus A340-600: 6 to be retired from 2015 – 2017; seat retrofit cancelled
- ATR72: 2 to be retired in 2017
- Boeing 737-400: 9 to be retired from 2014 – 2015 (including 4 leased to NOK Air)
- Boeing 747-400: 6 to be retired from 2012 – 2013
- Boeing 777-200: 2 to be retired in 2017
- Boeing 777-300ER: 5 leased aircraft to be returned to owner Jet Airways (India) in 2015
Offsetting this, Thai announced that it will order or lease 37 aircraft from 2012 – 2017 (including orders for 12 Airbus A350s and 8 Boeing 787s announced last month), and another 38 aircraft from 2018 – 2022.
