MIAMI – Today in Aviation, five leading airlines founded the Star Alliance, the world’s first and largest airline alliance, in 1997. The alliance is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, near Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
The five founders of Star Alliance were then the world’s leading airlines Air Canada (AC), Lufthansa (LH), Scandinavian Airlines (SK), Thai Airways International (TG), and United Airlines (UA).
“The Star Alliance is Born” – airliners of the five founding members (United Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways, Air Canada and Lufthansa) of the alliance gathered together, May 1997. By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use
Star Alliance History
The Star Alliance network was established on May 14, 1997, as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Since its inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network. The establishment of the a
By Cirium2021-05-12T03:22:00+01:00
Two major Thai airlines, Thai Airways International and Nok Air, are at different stages of putting together business reorganisation plans outlining how they will restructure their businesses under court protection and emerge stronger from the Covid-19 pandemic.
But a recent surge in virus cases in the Kingdom looks likely to scupper the country’s plans to reopen to tourists this year – something airlines had been banking on to lead them out of the downturn.
Moreover, a huge viral surge in India has put paid to hopes of being able to accept visitors from that key tourism market, while China’s conservative approach to reopening borders could largely seal off a second major tourism market for many months to come.
44 A Thai Airways International jet sits parked on the tarmac of Suvarnabhumi airport. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)
The Finance Ministry will not recapitalise financially troubled Thai Airways (THAI) of which it is the biggest shareholder, the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO) chief said.
The remark by SEPO director-general Pantip Sripimol comes amid concerns the carrier will regain the status of a state enterprise through the re-acquisition of the ministry s majority stake in THAI.
The airline lost its state-owned status last year when the ministry decided to reduce its stake to under 50%, to help ease the debt-rehabilitation process.
Several cabinet ministers, however, were concerned the government would need to guarantee a loan worth billions of baht to prop up THAI if it were to come under the state enterprise umbrella again.
Thai Airways International planes at Suvarnabhumi Airport. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Kla Party leader Korn Chatikavanij has warned the government to keep politics out of Thai Airways International Plc s (THAI) debt-rehabilitation and not to seek to revert the airline to its former state enterprise status.
On Facebook, the former finance minister said he was disappointed with the options the Finance Ministry has floated for easing the airline s financial predicament. One option was to inject 25 billion baht to recapitalise the carrier as well as guarantee new loans worth another 25 billion baht.
The second option was to guarantee a loan worth 50 billion baht if the government opted out of the recapitalisation.
The cabinet remained split over the status of Thai Airways International ahead of a key meeting of creditors to decide the airline's rehabilitation plan, a source at Government House said on Wednesday.