Nok Air is a low-cost airline

Low-cost carrier

A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...

 headquartered in Sathorn, Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

, Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, operating domestic and international services out of Bangkok Don Mueang Airport. Nok Air is the budget airline of Thai Airways International

Thai Airways International

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national flag carrier and largest airline of Thailand. Formed in 1988, the airline's headquarters are located in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, and operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Thai is a...

. Nok Air is currently an official sponsor of TTM Phichit , Bangkok United and Chiangmai FC.

History

The airline was established in February 2004 and started operations on 23 July 2004. It has 130 employees (as of March 2007) and around 600 in 2011. Nok Air began its first international service on 31 May 2007, with daily flights to Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. The airline acquired landing rights to additional Indian cities (Chennai

Chennai

Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

, Hyderabad and New Delhi

New Delhi

New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...

).

Nok Air suspended its operations to Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

 in November 2007 - the second low-cost carrier to suspend operations after Jetstar Asia Airways

Jetstar Asia Airways

Jetstar Asia Airways Private Limited , operating as Jetstar Asia, is a low-cost airline headquartered in Singapore. It is the Asian offshoot of Qantas Jetstar Airways...

. According to Rajiv Bhatia, the General Manager for the Indian operations, this was due to non-availability of aircraft, and to allow service to other lucrative routes in South East Asia like Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

. However, according to sources in the travel sector, the suspension of operations may be due to the decrease in passenger load factor for Nok Air by 40%.

After its troubled international expansion, Nok Air has decided to focus on domestic services in Thailand. It is now the airline the serves the highest number of domestic routes within Thailand. This strategy has been successful. In 2010, Nok Air generated 618 million Thai Baht in net profit on revenues of 3.97 billion Thai Baht. The airline plans to add seven Boeing 737-800

Boeing 737 Next Generation

The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...

 aircraft and four ATR 72

ATR 72

The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...

 turboprop aircraft in 2011.

Since its inception, Nok Air has been operating largely independently from Thai Airways International

Thai Airways International

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national flag carrier and largest airline of Thailand. Formed in 1988, the airline's headquarters are located in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, and operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Thai is a...

. This has led to some friction between the two companies along the way. To gain greater control of Nok Air, Thai Airways has tried to purchase the shares of other shareholders, notably Krung Thai Bank

Krung Thai Bank

Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited is the state-owned bank under the license issued by the Ministry of Finance.- History :The bank was incorporated on March 14, 1966 through the merger of Agriculture Bank Limited and Mondhon Bank Limited, which the government was their major shareholder...

. However, although Thai Airways and Krung Thai Bank are both state enterprises under the control of the Ministry of Finance (Thailand), Krung Thai Bank refused to sell its shares in Nok Air to Thai Airways. The purchase would have lifted Thai Airways’ stake in Nok Air from 39% to 49%.

Destinations in Thailand

Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

 (Don Mueang International Airport),stop service temporary because the flood at Don Mueang International Airport
Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

 (Suvarnabhumi Airport) temporary
Buri Ram (Buriram Airport),
Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...

 (Chiang Mai International Airport),
Hat Yai

Hat Yai

Hat Yai is a city in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border. Located at , it has a population of 157,359 in the city itself and about 800,000 in the greater Hat Yai area. Hat Yai is the largest city of Songkhla Province, the largest metropolitan area in Southern, and third largest...

 (Hat Yai International Airport),
Loei

Loei

Loei is a town in the north-east of Thailand. In 2005, it had a population of 22,677. Loei covers the whole tambon Kut Pong of Mueang Loei district.Loei is the capital of the Loei Province.- References :...

 (Loei Airport),
Mae Sot

Mae Sot

- External links :* * : an audio documentary.* *...

 (Mae Sot Airport),
Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son ) is a town in north west Thailand, capital of the Mae Hong Son Province. It is located in the Shan Hills, near the border with Burma along the banks of the river Pai...

 (Mae Hong Son Airport),
Nakhon Phanom

Nakhon Phanom

Nakhon Phanom is a town in northeastern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Phanom Province. The town covers the whole tambon Nai Mueang and Nong Saeng and parts of tambon At Samat and Nong Yat, all of Mueang Nakhon Phanom district...

 (Nakhon Phanom Airport),
Nakhon Si Thammarat

Nakhon Si Thammarat

Nakhon Si Thammarat is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Province and the Nakhon Si Thammarat district. It is about south of Bangkok, on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. The city was the administrative center of southern Thailand during most of its history. ...

 (Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport),
Nan

Nan, Thailand

Nan is a town in Northern Thailand. It is located some 668 km north of Bangkok. Its population exceeds 24.000. It is situated in the centre of the province which bears its name, and of which it is the administrative capital. It covers the whole tambon Nai Wiang of Mueang Nan district, an area...

 (Nan Airport),
Narathiwat

Narathiwat

Narathiwat is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Narathiwat Province. The town covers the whole subdistrict Bang Nak of Mueang Narathiwat district. The town was established in 1936.-External links:...

 (Narathiwat Airport),
Phitsanulok

Phitsanulok

Phitsanulok is an important and historic city in lower northern Thailand and is the capital of Phitsanulok Province, which stretches all the way to the Laotian border. Phitsanulok is one of the oldest cities in Thailand, founded over 600 years ago...

 (Phitsanulok Airport),
Phrae

Phrae

Phrae is a town in northern Thailand, capital of the Phrae Province.The town covers the whole tambon Nai Wiang of the Mueang Phrae district. It covers an area of 9 km² and as of 2005 it has a population of 17,971....

 (Phrae Airport),
Phuket (Phuket International Airport),
Roi Et

Roi Et

Roi Et is a town in Northeastern Thailand, capital of the Roi Et Province. It covers the whole tambon Nai Mueang of Mueang Roi Et district. As of 2006 it has a population of 34,229....

 (Roi Et Airport),
Sakon Nakhon

Sakon Nakhon

Sakon Nakhon is a town in Thailand within the Isan region, and capital city of the Sakon Nakhon Province, with a population of approximately 76,000. It has a regional airport in the north, Sakon Nakhon Airport. During World War II, the town became a haven for Free Thais, and a base for Communist...

 (Sakon Nakhon Airport),
Surat Thani

Surat Thani

Surat Thani is a city in Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani, Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand. It is the capital of the province Surat Thani. The city has a population of 128,179 , and an area of 68.97 square kilometers. The city's population density is 1,858.47 inhabitants per km².Suran Thani is...

 (Surat Thani Airport),
Trang

Trang

Trang is the capital of Trang Province, Thailand. The city has a population of 59,637 and covers the whole tambon Thap Thiang of Mueang Trang district....

 (Trang Airport),
Ubon Ratchathani

Ubon Ratchathani

Ubon Ratchathani is a city on the Mun River in the south-east of the Isan region of Thailand. It is known as Ubon for short. The name means "Royal Lotus City." The provincial seal features a pond with a lotus flower and leaves in a circular frame. Ubon is the administrative centre of Ubon...

 (Ubon Ratchatani Airport),
Udon Thani

Udon Thani

Udon Thani is a city in Isan, north-east Thailand, and the capital of Udon Thani Province.-Location:The province of Udon Thani has a population of 1,467.200, the city alone 500.000. Geographical location and is approximately 560 km from Bangkok...

 (Udon Thani International Airport).

Island Destinations (by bus/ferry from Trang Airport)

Koh Lanta (Saladan Pier),
Koh Kradan,
Koh Laoliang,
Koh Lipe,
Koh Mook,
Koh Ngai

Koh Ngai

Koh Ngai is an island in Thailand....

,
Koh Phi Phi,
Langkawi

Langkawi

Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border...

 (Awanna Pier).

Island Destinations (by bus/ferry from Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani Airports)

Koh Phangan (Tong Sala Pier),
Koh Samui (Nar Ton Pier).

Terminated destinations

India - Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

Thailand - Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai

-Demographics:Official Population count: According to the Thailand National Statistical Office, as of September 2010, Chiang Rai municipal district has a population of 199,699...

, Krabi

Krabi

Krabi is a town on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phangnga Bay. As of 2005 the town has a population of 24,986. The town is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi district...

Vietnam - Hanoi

Hanoi

Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...

Fleet

As of December 2011, the Nok Air fleet consists of the following leased aircraft with an average age of 17.3 years:

Nok Air fleet

Aircraft	In Service	Orders	Passengers (Business/Economy)
ATR 72-200	1	—	66 (0/66)
Boeing 737-400	10	—	149 (12/137) 150 (0/150)
Boeing 737-800	3	7
Total	14	7

Shareholders

Shareholders	% of shares owned
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited	49 %
Dhipaya Insurance Public Company Limited	10 %
Government Pension Fund	10 %
CPB Equity Company Limited	6 %
The Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited	5 %
Thailand Prosperity Fund by ING Funds (Thailand) Company Limited	5 %
King Power International Company Limited	5 %
Individual investors	10 %

External links

• Official website (Thai and English)