Bangkok Airways

Bangkok Airways rose from humble beginnings as an air taxi service using a single 10-seat plane during the Vietnam War. It operated under the name of Sahakol Air and was given assignments by the Overseas International Construction Company, the United States Operations Mission and other organisations based in the United States conducting oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Thailand.

Over the years, what has come to be known as Bangkok Airways grew by flying commercial flights to destinations in Southeast Asia. Today, Bangkok Airways flies to 20 different cities in eight countries. Using Bangkok as its hub, the airline offers domestic service to Samui, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and Trat. International destinations are Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in Cambodia; Guilin, Hong Kong, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Jinghong, Shenzhenin and Xi'an in China. Bangkok Airways also flies to Luang Prabang, Laos; Hiroshima, Japan and Yangon, Myanmar.

The company chooses new destinations based on the cultural history and heritage that can be found there, making Bangkok Airways an airline that caters to travellers intent on exploring a country's past.

The airline is undergoing a process of standardizing all its aircraft in order to improve service and operations. A five-year lease with Aero International and Aircraft International Renting, Ltd will see a gradual change towards standardization of all aircraft on Bangkok Airways routes.

The fleet as it stands now includes eight ATR 72-500 planes, four Boeing 717-200s and three Airbus 320s. The ATRs are produced in France and in Italy and provide lots of space for cargo as well as having a spacious cabin. More than 65 airlines worldwide use this plane regularly. The Boeing aircraft are used for short to medium-haul journeys due to their speed, maneuverability and reliability. The longest flights on Bangkok Airways routes make use of the Airbus 320, which, with its fly-by-wire control system, is one of the most modern planes in the sky.