**Thai Airways drops First Class, revamps Business Class as part of major fleet renewal** Thai Airways has announced the elimination of First Class across its entire long-haul fleet, standardizing its cabins around three classes: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. This strategic repositioning is part of a comprehensive cabin retrofit and fleet renewal plan, while Thailand invests heavily in its airports to cement its role as a regional hub. First Class, once the flagship product on Thai's Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 aircraft and still present on some Boeing 777-300ERs, will gradually disappear from the airline's offering. "Business Class will become the airline's premium product," confirmed CEO Chai Eamsiri, endorsing a shift to a three-class model. **A new generation Business Class** The national carrier will introduce a new generation of Business Class suites equipped with VantageNOVA seats by Thompson Aero, offering direct aisle access and sliding doors for enhanced privacy. A front row called "Business Plus" will be installed at the front of the cabin to provide a level of isolation and space close to that of First Class. According to CEO Chai Eamsiri, Thai is aligning with a global trend where "major airlines have made Business Class their premium product" and First Class is deemed too costly given declining demand. The future bet is to offer a new-generation "Royal Silk" Business Class, capable of delivering an experience "comparable to First Class, but at a much more competitive price," adds Chief Commercial Officer Kittipong Sarasombat. Thai Airways is thus dropping First Class because it is no longer profitable or strategic for its positioning, whereas Singapore Airlines or Korean Air still rely on this product as an ultra-premium showcase. At Thai Airways, First Class ticket sales did not generate significant profits, with the product being more about "prestigious image" than solid economic logic. **A major fleet modernization program** The core of the program involves 14 Boeing 777-300ERs, which will be fully retrofitted starting in mid-2027. First Class will be removed in favor of a revamped Business cabin, plus a new Premium Economy and a modernized Economy. In parallel, Thai Airways has ordered 45 Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft. These will be delivered from 2028 directly configured with the new three-class layout, without First Class. Twenty existing Airbus A350-900s will also undergo a modernization program starting in 2028, to align the entire long-haul network on a homogeneous standard. Passengers will need to check seat maps at the time of booking to identify aircraft already equipped with the new suites, especially on the 777-300ERs and A350s. For Thai Airways, the goal is to "simplify the premium offering while improving the onboard experience," concentrating investments on a single true premium class. **Thailand develops its airports** In parallel, Thailand is accelerating airport infrastructure development with seven major projects totaling approximately 470 billion baht (about €11.5-12 billion). The roadmap aims to support traffic growth and strengthen the country's position as a regional aviation hub, facing competition from neighboring Southeast Asian countries. Key projects include the eastern expansion of Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi Airport for 12 billion baht (about €300 million), which will increase capacity from 65 to 80 million passengers per year, as well as a revised master plan of 200 billion baht (nearly €5 billion), including a South terminal and a fourth runway. Bangkok-Don Mueang Airport will also increase from 30 to 45 million passengers per year thanks to a Phase 3 of 69 billion baht (about €1.7 billion), while Chiang Mai and Phuket airports are also among government priorities. Airports of Thailand (AOT) is also working on safety, with future anti-drone systems and bird strike prevention to protect sensitive airport areas. Additionally, tenders are being prepared at Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi for a second ground handling operator (about 9 billion baht, €225 million) and a second cargo operator (about 15 billion baht, €375 million).