Thai Airways is redefining regional business class travel with the introduction of its Royal Silk Class on single-aisle Airbus A320 aircraft. This marks a significant step up from the previous configuration under Thai Smile, the now-absorbed subsidiary that featured a Euro-business model with economy seating and a blocked middle seat.
The upgraded Royal Silk Class on Thai Airways’ 20 A320 aircraft introduces 12 spacious recliner seats with a 38-inch pitch and 5-inch recline, ensuring passengers enjoy a more comfortable journey on short-haul and regional flights. These enhancements bring the airline in line with competitors such as Malaysia Airlines and Cathay Pacific, which also opt for recliners on their single-aisle regional business class routes. Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines takes a different approach by offering flatbed seating on its Boeing 737 MAX fleet.
Seamless Connectivity and Exclusive Perks
Despite the absence of traditional seat-back entertainment screens, passengers can stream content via the Thai Vision Connect inflight entertainment system, accessible through personal devices over WiFi. This move aligns with the broader industry trend of wireless IFE seen across airlines looking to modernise without increasing aircraft weight.
Thai Airways is also enhancing the premium travel experience by offering Royal Silk passengers:
- Priority services: Fast Track immigration, priority boarding, and priority baggage handling.
- Lounge access: Entry to the Royal Orchid Lounge.
- Generous baggage allowance: 40kg checked baggage and 7kg carry-on.
- Gourmet meals and premium beverages, including amenity kits on flights exceeding 3.5 hours.
- Bonus Royal Orchid Plus miles: Between 125-150%, making these flights more rewarding for frequent flyers.
Expanded Regional Reach
The A320 Royal Silk Class will be available across eight domestic routes from Bangkok, including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Krabi. Additionally, Thai Airways will deploy the A320s on select flights to over 20 international destinations, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.
This expansion comes as part of Thai Airways’ broader fleet modernisation. The airline is also planning to reintroduce premium economy and unveil an all-new business class product for its Boeing 787s, underscoring its commitment to offering competitive premium services across all cabin classes.
A Smooth Transition After Thai Smile’s Closure
Integrating Thai Smile’s A320 fleet into the mainline operation was not without challenges. Previously, Thai Airways faced backlash for selling the Thai Smile A320 economy seats as business class, leading to passenger complaints and eventual refunds. The reconfiguration of these aircraft corrects this misstep, ensuring passengers receive a true business class experience.
Operationally, the transition also involved repainting aircraft, retraining crew, and integrating Thai Smile’s former pursers into Thai Airways’ seniority system—a move that stirred some internal discontent among legacy crew members. However, as the dust settles, Thai Airways is now well-positioned to deliver a more consistent and premium regional business class offering.
A Long-Awaited Upgrade for Regional Travellers
With the launch of Royal Silk Class on the A320 fleet, Thai Airways is reaffirming its position as a leading full-service carrier in Asia. The move brings its regional premium product in line with industry standards while offering frequent flyers an improved experience—one that can now be booked using Royal Orchid Plus miles. As the airline continues to enhance its product offerings, these upgrades signal a renewed commitment to passenger comfort, premium service, and a seamless travel experience on both domestic and regional routes.
