THAILAND: Thai Smile Intstalls Wheelchairs In Cabins On All 20 Of Its Aircrafts

Thai Smile sets out to provide greater convenience to passengers with disabilities and special needs with the installation of wheelchairs in cabins on all 20 of its airliners.

The safety instructions are now also in Braille in order to facilitate the visually impaired and the crews have been trained to sign safety regulations to the hearing impaired.

This comprehensive service is designed for the disabled who cannot walk. We have long provided a wheelchair within the airport until boarding and a High Lift service to take passengers with wheelchairs.

Now we also have wheelchairs in the cabin to facilitate the movement of passengers within all aircraft, says Nednapang Teeravas, chief customer service officer.

A manual on air safety regulations is also provided in both Thai and English versions for the visually impaired.

It also offers sign language through a service-minded crew to convey the safety regulations for the hearing impaired.

This is to allow both groups to understand and learn self-safety practices.

It also creates a feeling of care for the passengers who needs special treatment.

Other special services for passengers include pre-ordering of special meals - vegetarian, for children to be served on board.

Notification should however be made a minimum of 48 hours prior to taking off.

The airline is also teaming up with Kasetsart University’s Institute for Food Research and Product Development (IFRPD) to help farmers under the project - Bring Smiles to Thai Farmers- by buying surplus agricultural products for beverages and snacks.

The service will come into effect around the middle of this year.

About Thai Smile Air

Thai Smile Air is the regional airline and wholly owned subsidiary of Thai Airways.Based in Thailand, it began operations in July 2012.

On 20 May 2011, the Thai Airways board announced plans to create a new lower-cost airline, at the time dubbed Thai Wings.

The creation of the airline was announced by Ampon Kittiampon, the chairman of Thai's board of directors, on 19 August 2011.

According to Ampon, Thai Smile serves the market gap between low-cost carriers and full service airlines.

The name Thai Smile was chosen from a pool of 2,229 entries in a contest to name the airline.

Thai Smile currently flies to the destinations below. The airline consolidated its Bangkok operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport in January 2017, ending services from Don Mueang airport.

Destinations

Cambodia

- Phnom Penh - Phnom Penh International Airport

- Siem Reap - Siem Reap International Airport

China

- Changsha - Changsha Huanghua International Airport

- Chongqing - Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport

- Zhengzhou - Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport

- Guangzhou - Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

India

- Gaya - Gaya Airport

- Jaipur - Jaipur International Airport

- Lucknow - Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport

- Mumbai - Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

- Varanasi - Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport

Laos

- Luang Prabang - Luang Prabang International Airport

- Vientiane - Wattay International Airport

Malaysia

- Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur International Airport

- Penang - Penang International Airport

Myanmar

- Yangon - Yangon International Airport

- Mandalay - Mandalay International Airport

Thailand

- Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi Airport

- Chiang Mai - Chiang Mai International Airport

- Chiang Rai - Chiang Rai International Airport

- Hat Yai - Hat Yai International Airport

- Khon Kaen - Khon Kaen Airport

- Krabi - Krabi International Airport

- Narathiwat - Narathiwat Airport

- Phuket - Phuket International Airport

- Surat Thani - Surat Thani Airport

- Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani Airport

- Udon Thani - Udon Thani International Airport

Taiwan

- Kaohsiung - Kaohsiung International Airport

Future destinations

- Surabaya - Juanda International Airport

- Medan - Kualanamu International Airport

- Manila - Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Closed Destinations

- Ahmedabad - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport

- Macau - Macau International Airport

- Kota Kinabalu - Kota Kinabalu International Airport

- Chittagong-Shah Amanat International Airport

THAI Smile's fleet consists of the following aircraft:

- Airbus A320-232 - 6

- Airbus A320-232(SL) - 14

- Total - 20

Thai Smile Airways is currently an official sponsor of Thai Honda Ladkrabang and Ratchaburi Mitr Phol



Tourism Observer