NokScoot of Thailand folds its wings and enters into liquidation

Thailand regional airline NokScoot, a joint venture between Singapore's Scoot and Thailand's NokAir, has entered into liquidation. According to Singapore Airlines subsidiary Scoot, NokScoot has not posted a profit since its founding in 2014.

In a report from Ch-Aviation, problems were attributed to, among others, intense competitive pressures and that it could not see a path for the airline's recovery. NokScoot operates long-haul low-cost routes from Bangkok Don Mueang airport using a fleet of Boeing 777-200ER which came from either Singapore Airlines itself or Scoot.

In a statement, NokScoot said, "Unprecedented challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have further exacerbated the situation. Consequently, the Board of Directors does not see a path to recovery and sustainable growth for the airline.”

NokScoot focused on serving main origin markets for tourists visiting Thailand, mainly China. As such, the airline was heavily hit in the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, in January 2020, when the Chinese authorities practically halted all outbound tourism.

NokScoot Destinations using 777-200ER aircraft

The airline flew to 11 destinations before the coronavirus crisis took its toll on the airline industry. Out of these 11 destinations, 5 are flights to China namely Nanjing, Quingdao, Shenyang, Tianjin, and Xian. Its other destinations are Delhi, Taipei, Osaka, Tokyo, and South Korea.