THAI confirms to keep surcharge intact until end of April 2012

BANGKOK, March 28 (TNA) - Thai Airways International (THAI) confirmed Wednesday that the national flag carrier will keep its surcharge unchanged until, at least, the end of next month. THAI President Piyasvasti Amranand insisted that the national airline has no policy to raise the surcharge, to be added on its airfares, in March-April 2012 despite rising world oil prices, to some 136 US dollars per barrel currently. Piyasvasti announced that THAI will consider whether its surcharge should be raised after next month, taking updated global oil prices into account. Piyasvasti, meanwhile, affirmed that ThaiSmile Airways, THAI's new subsidiary low-cost airline, will kick off its aviation business operations in July 2012 as scheduled, using Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport as its base, saying that air ticket reservations for passengers will, however, be allowed from next month onward. (TNA)