GreenBkk.com Aviation | Kan Air makes maiden flight

Kan Air makes maiden flight

Kan Air, a new startup airline flying domestic routes, will take to the skies today from its initial base in Chiang Mai.

Kan Air’s cockpit crew pose with the airline’s Cessna Grand Caravan 208B.

The wholly Thai-owned carrier will offer daily flights on two routes - Chiang Mai-Pai and Chiang Mai-Nan - before embarking on twice-daily Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai service on Feb 25.

Kan Air is among four new Thailand-registered airlines that will start operations in the coming weeks in a bid to tap the recovery in the travel and tourism markets.

Three other startups - Crystal Thai Airlines, PC Air and Sunny Airways - will include international services, with one or two offering charter flights to as far afield as Germany.

Kan Air has bought a brand-new Cessna Grand Caravan 208B, a single-engine turboprop with 14 seats and costing 69 million baht, for its northern service, president Somphong Sooksanguan told the Bangkok Post yesterday.

The airline plans to acquire a second plane for southern operations out of Phuket.

Kan Air, with the slogan "Flying with Nature" and a hornbill as its logo, plans to start regular flights from the Phuket base to Ranong, Chumphon, Hat Yai and Betong within the next two months if all goes smoothly with the initial operation in the North.

The airline is offering a flat one-way fare of 1,899 baht for all three northern routes.

It is taking over the Chiang Mai-Pai route from the commuter airline SGA Airlines, which operates as Nok Mini and is also based in Chiang Mai.

That airline had dropped the Pai service in order to focus on other routes with heavier traffic such as Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai-Udon Thani.

Kan Air is registered with paid-up capital of 200 million baht and employs nine pilots and co-pilots, all Thais.

Mr Somphong admitted a lack of experience in the airline, travel or tourism industries but said he was keen to start Kan Air because he saw an opportunity.

Mr Somphong, 34, is from Phatthalung province and founded the successful Kannithi Co Ltd in 2005 to provide debt management services and litigation in hire-purchase cases, mostly involving cars.

Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)