Pattaya Airways welcomes 1st aircraft

Pattaya Airways is a start-up from Thailand, initiated by the Pattaya Group which is mainly known for the handling of aircraft at airports in Thailand. It established its own airline in order to cater for the cargo needs of e-commerce companies across the ASEAN-region.

On 22 April 2024, it welcomed its first aircraft, ATR72-500(F) HS-PAW (745). It was ferried to the airline's base at U-Tapao and was ferried there from Toulouse-Francazal via Cairo, Muscat, and Nagpur. Before being converted into a freighter, this particular ATR flew passengers for Air Corsica.

In the coming weeks, Pattaya Airways will use its aircraft to secure its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and aims to launch commercial operations in May 2024. By the end of this year, the airline is planning to have two ATR72-500(F)s and aims to have five aircraft in operation by 2028.

Photo by Pattaya Airways.