Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways sign joint business agreement

Istanbul : Turkish Airlines and Thai Airways on June 1 signed a joint business agreement to implement a revenue-sharing model on the Istanbul-Bangkok route, the companies announced.

The deal, which is subject to approval by competition authorities and regulatory bodies in both countries, is set to run for an initial three-year term with a two-year extension option.

Pending regulatory clearances, the agreement is expected to take effect with the launch of the 2025/2026 winter schedule.

The foundation for the strategic partnership was laid in December 2023 when Thai Airways resumed daily flights between Bangkok and Istanbul, Turkish Airlines said in a statement on June 2.

The move, combined with Turkish Airlines' vast global network, set the stage for deeper cooperation, it added.

The agreement was formally signed during the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) annual meeting in New Delhi.

The partnership aims to boost passenger traffic between the two countries while offering travelers enhanced connectivity, the statement said.

Turkish Airlines is known as the airline operating flights to most countries in the world, while Thai Airways is renowned for its strong regional footprint in Asia.

THY Chair of the Board Ahmet Bolat highlighted that the expansion of cooperation marks a significant milestone in enhancing the tourism potential between Türkiye and Thailand.

"This collaboration will strengthen the connection between the two countries and provide passengers with more options through both airlines' flight networks."

Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri said the codeshare flights operated on the Bangkok-Istanbul route will be implemented during the 2025-2026 schedule period, subject to approval from relevant authorities.

"Through this agreement, both airlines will expand their flight networks and explore new cooperation opportunities in the future," said Eamsiri.