Passenger charter operator Budget Lines (BD, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) is making a concerted foray into the cargo sector, leasing a B737-800(BCF) from BBAM. The aircraft, HS-IIT (msn 33551), was ferried to Bangkok Don Mueang from Haikou on April 29, 2023.
The airline has operated private passenger charter flights using Piper (twin piston) Chieftain PA31s since 2014. But two years ago, Budget Lines flagged entering the cargo sphere, saying at the time it planned to launch B737 freighter ops later that year, with flights around Southeast Asia as well as to India and South Korea. However, HS-IIT is the first freighter to be delivered to the carrier.
Budget Lines joins K-Mile Asia (8K, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) as one of a handful of Thailand-based airlines with dedicated cargo operations. HS-IIT is almost 20 years old, been introduced into service by Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) in the second half of 2003. If flew for that airline until late 2021, and was ferried to Guangzhou for conversion early last year. Budget Lines is operating the aircraft on behalf of Singapore's Blueorbit Logistics.
Budget Lines is a holding brand for Air Inter Transport. When collecting the five year air operator's certificate for B737 operations back in September 2022, CEO Thosaphol Wongkitikorn said that he planned to target the e-commerce and perishable freight markets. He also added that he believed Thailand could become a major cargo hub.
