Thai Airways International vs Air France

Overview

Thai Airways International is the flag carrier of Thailand. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 1960 as a joint venture with Scandinavian Airlines and began operating in its current form in 1988 after merging with Thai Airways Company. The Ministry of Finance holds 42.94% of the shares, and the airline is listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Its headquarters are in Chatuchak, Bangkok. Thai is a founding member of Star Alliance. Its regional subsidiary Thai Smile was merged back into the mainline carrier from 2023.

Network and hubs

The main hub is Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. As of January 2026 the airline served 51 international and 9 domestic destinations in 29 countries, with a network focused on Europe, Asia and Oceania. A return to North America is under discussion, according to Aviation A2Z (July 2026).

Fleet

Wikipedia lists a fleet of 80 aircraft as of January 2026, with a large order book (see the fleet page). In July 2026 Aviation A2Z reported a Boeing 787 fleet of 45 aircraft, including those on order. TTG Asia (25 September 2026) reports that long-haul flying will rely on the Airbus A350-900, Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787 family as older wide-bodies retire. It also reports that the Airbus A321neo fleet will grow from nine to 15 by the end of 2026, with a target of 32. The fleet is to be streamlined to four types, with a cabin overhaul planned for 2027.

On board

• Cabins: Royal Silk (business), Premium Economy and Economy, depending on aircraft. Royal First is listed in some baggage tables.
• Meals: Thai and international dishes, which vary by route and month. Pre-selection is available up to 72 hours before departure.
• Seat pitch, entertainment and Wi-Fi: not confirmed in the sources reviewed, and these vary by aircraft. Check the airline before booking.

Good to know

• Cabin baggage: Thai's official page allows one hand-carry bag of up to 7 kg.
• Checked baggage: third-party sources such as HappyFares report a piece-based allowance for tickets issued from 25 November 2025 for travel from 2 March 2026. Economy Saver and Standard include 1 x 23 kg, and Royal Silk includes 2 x 32 kg. Older tickets keep the weight-based allowance. Check the official site for your fare.
• Punctuality: Cirium reported 79.29% on-time arrivals for June 2025.
• Lounges: Royal Orchid and Royal Silk lounges. The loyalty programme is Royal Orchid Plus.

Overview

Air France (legally Société Air France) is the flag carrier of France. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 30 August 1933 and is headquartered at Roissypôle, Charles de Gaulle Airport, in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance. Its subsidiaries include Transavia France and Air France Hop. Its IATA code is AF, ICAO code AFR and call sign AIRFRANS.

Network and hubs

The main hub is Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Focus cities are Lyon, Marseille, Nice and Toulouse. Wikipedia lists about 184 destinations, covering Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia, plus France's overseas territories.

Fleet

The Air France–KLM fleet page reports that Air France had 229 aircraft at 31 December 2025, all in operation. These comprised 120 long-haul aircraft, 107 medium-haul aircraft and two freighters. In 2025 the airline took delivery of six Airbus A350-900s and 11 Airbus A220-300s. It also removed 12 A320-family aircraft, four A330s and two A380s. Renewal continues, with the group aiming for up to 80% new-generation aircraft by 2030 (Air France-KLM, October 2026). Figures for the Air France Hop regional fleet and for Transavia are separate.

On board

Baggage guides list Economy, Premium Economy, Business and La Première cabins, though not every aircraft has all four. Seat pitch, entertainment, Wi-Fi and meal details were not confirmed from the sources used here. Check the airline's cabin pages for the specific aircraft type before booking.

Good to know

• Cabin baggage: one bag of up to 55 x 35 x 25 cm plus one small item of up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm. The combined weight limit is 12 kg in Economy and 18 kg in Business, according to MyBaggage.
• Economy Light: this fare includes only the small personal item and no free checked bag, according to eDreams. Standard and Flex fares add a cabin bag.
• Loyalty: the frequent-flyer programme is Flying Blue, shared with KLM.
• Parent group: Air France–KLM, with Air France CEO Anne Rigail.

Allowances and fees vary by fare and route, so confirm them on the airline's website.