Thai Airways has launched its first Boeing 747-400 aircraft following a series of retrofits across its fleet. The newly retrofitted Boeing 747-400 aircraft boasts revamped passenger cabins, improved in-flight products, and will operate on flights from Bangkok to London vv. tentatively end of October 2011 and later to a few other European cities.

Every seat in every class of service has been upgraded with the installation of personal screens and new in-flight entertainment systems. Flight connectivity has also been developed to provide customers with the freedom of staying connected whilst travelling onboard by installing a personal telephone system.

The project, personally led by THAI’s president Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, is part of an ongoing development plan to retrofit a number of aircrafts within its fleet to meet customer needs, exceed expectations  and improve THAI’s overall competitiveness.

Thai Airways upgrading on its 12 Boeing 747-400 aircrafts has been divided into two phases:
- Phase One: Retrofit of six Boeing 747-400 aircrafts to include new seats equipped with personal screens and new in-flight entertainment systems on every seat. This phase is already being implemented and expected to be completed during 2011 – 2012.
- Phase Two: Retrofit of further six Boeing 747-400 aircrafts expected to be completed during 2012 – 2013.

Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI’s President, commented: “With the first retrofitted aircraft now in operation, I believe that gradually, even before the introduction of the A380 to the Thai Airways fleet, customers will benefit from our improvements.”

Economy class has 325 refurbished seats each with an 18-inch width, pitch of 34 inches and individual nine-inch personal screen equipped with an in-flight entertainment systems and personal telephone system to allow customers to make calls to ground networks whilst in flight.

There are ten Royal First Class seats on the aircraft which may be adjusted to 180 degrees, have a width of 21.84 inches, a pitch of 76 inches and equipped with a 10.4 inch personal screen.

A total of 40 seats are equipped in Royal Silk Class and the new seats can be adjusted to 170 degrees, with a width of 20 inches, pitch of 60 inches and equipped with a 10.4 personal screen.