Really Cool Airlines: Will Thailand’s New Airline be a Really Cool Flop?

With a dreadful name and brand reminiscent of early noughties WordArt, Really Cool Airlines feels about twenty years out of date. Yet, the airline which is due to start operations anywhere from Q1 to Q4 this year, could be about to connect Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong and Tblisi, Georgia (!?). Here’s what we know so far…

Everything is prefixed with really cool

One look at their website and you’ll notice something, everything is described as really cool. From their ‘Really Cool Cabins’ to their ‘Really Cool Experiences’ and ‘Really Cool Benefits’. Perhaps its time to think of some other adjectives…

The problem with these statements? All of these have near-zero information to back them up.

An example in ‘Really Cool Cabins’ states:

We've reimagined the traditional cabin layout and introduced unique seating arrangements to create a more comfortable environment…our atmospheric lighting and curated music selection set the perfect vibe for a truly unforgettable travel experience.

While all that sounds really nice, it doesn’t particularly suggest anything groundbreaking. After all, airlines such as Qatar have ‘reimagined traditional cabin layout’ with Q Suite and others such as Finnair have a ‘curated music selection’ (example below).

The airline plans to use A330s

According to Simple Flying, the airline will use three leased Airbus A330 aircraft at launch - even though there seems to be no record of the airline entering into an agreement with any leasing companies to do so. Equally, other websites have rumoured the airline plans to use the Airbus A350 at some point…which cannot be substantiated

This isn’t an A330…it’s an A350…

The routes and business plan are sporadic

Interviews between media outlets such as Airways Mag and the CEO of Really Cool, Patee Sarasin, suggest that there’s no real direction in the business plan of the airline. Sarasin suggests they would like to ‘fly to Japan…Shanghai…and Tel Aviv’ while other reports state they will to near-regional destinations such as Singapore or further afield to Georgia. In short, they’ve no idea where they’re going to fly right now.

Equally, the business plan itself seems unfocussed with the airline describing itself as a ‘lifestyle carrier’ blending between luxury features with a cost base of a low-cost airline. While this would be an ultimate win for the consumer, why would a person opt for Really Cool over a true premium airline? Particularly when Asia is full of excellent airlines. This issue with this model is that:

• A) The airline will keep the low cost base but not pass the savings onto passengers leading to low passenger loads - impacting their ability to be profitable.

• B) They will pass on the savings to consumers but won’t be making enough cash from ticket sales to be profitable.

• C) They’re product is neither cheap enough to compete with low cost airlines and not premium enough to compete with premium airlines.

In all cases, the airline doesn’t win - and I struggle to see how this airline will appeal on the ‘lifestyle’ business model they’ve proposed.

The branding is awful

It really is a travesty. With ‘Impact’ font and a design that seems like it was knocked up in PowerPoint within thirty minutes, Really Cool looks Really Dreadful.

The language used on the website isn’t a bad translation, but it is rather dramatic in tone:

Yesterday, our future was uncertain. Our economy, in turmoil. Today, the dark clouds have passed. And we can take back to the skies. We were not ready for the turbulence that came before.Never again.

For a new airline, it’s not exactly a positive start - but they go on to say:

This is why we are reimagining the future of aviation. A future where air travel is redefined. Where innovation meets safety. Where service is unparalleled. Where the experience of flying is completely transformed.

It’s all rather bizarre and the statements on the site throw up more questions than they answer.

I’m pro-competition, but be serious

Despite having a Thai aviation veteran as CEO, the airline otherwise lacks seriousness. This feels more like the pet project of a high school student, than an airline that will actually carry passengers to and from Bangkok. Let’s see if I’m proven wrong…