By Skies Magazine | August 28, 2014 Estimated reading time 1 minute, 27 seconds.
Thai low-cost carrier Nok Air has taken delivery of its first Bombardier Q400 NextGen. It is the first Q400 manufactured with high density seating, which seats up to 86 passengers. The new configuration reportedly offers a decrease of seven per cent fuel burn per seat and provides an operating seat cost advantage of up to 17 per cent compared to its closest turboprop competitor.
Nok Air first ordered Q400s in a contract announced on Nov. 19, 2013. The deal included two firm orders and six purchase options, two of which were converted to firm orders on March 31, 2014, and two more on July 16, 2014, at the Farnborough International Airshow. Based on the list price for the Q400 NextGen airliner, the firm order is valued at approximately US$66 million.
Nok Air is the Bangkok-based division of Thai Airways, established in 2004. It currently operates two ATR-72-500s (to be replaced by Q400s), and 16 leased Boeing 737-800NGs. It finalized a $1.45 billion direct order with Boeing for eight Next-Generation 737-800s and seven 737 MAX 8s in May 2014, making it the first airline in Thailand to operate the 737 MAX.
