Thai Lion Air is a relatively new airline, founded in 2013, and is an associate company of the Indonesia-based Lion Air. The full name of the company is Thai Lion Mentari Co.
The airline is based in Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, from where it serves 50 destinations across Thailand and Asia.
Thai Lion Air IATA code is SL.
Thai Lion Airlines’ fleet currently consists of over three dozen aircraft out of which there are two Airbus A330-300 which are due to be transferred to Batik Air and 2 – Thai Lion Air Airbus A330-900neo.
Thai Lionair services domestic destinations across Thailand as well as international routes to airports in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The company's very first scheduled flight was between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Today this route remains Thai Lion Air’s most popular one in Thailand with over a dozen departures a day.
Another important destination in the Thai North in the airline’s flight network is Chiang Rai.
Lion Air flights serve all the star destinations of the Thai South including:
Thai Lionair international network covers over a dozen countries in the Asian region. Some of the most popular flights and routes are as follows:
Note that according to the company's agreement, flights between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are served both by Thai Lion Air and Malindo Air, Lion Air’s fellow subsidiary.
Booking Thai Lion Air tickets online is a simple and quick process. It can be done both via the airline's website or through its affiliated sellers.
Your e-ticket will contain the full itinerary and flight information.
To manage your Thai Lion Air booking, you have first to register or, if already registered, to sign up to your account at the airline's official website with your email and password.
You will then be able to update your booking details, contacts, special service requests, APIS or apply for a refund, though this function is subject to restrictions.
The latest Thai Lion Air promotions are posted online – keep an eye on the airline’s SM accounts.
Promo codes up to 5 percent sometimes appear on specialised promo websites.
Also, there are seasonal and holiday sales and special deals – these require either booking much in advance or at the last minute.
Positive reviews never fail to mention the included luggage, which is actually a pretty rare perk in Asia and unheard of in Europe where budget airlines will always charge for checked bags.
The constantly growing number of destinations served is yet another feature that pleases travellers.
Complaints about Thai Lion Air tend to focus on the size of the seats on their flights as they can feel a bit of a squeeze for foreign travellers.
Delays are not uncommon, so it is always worth leaving plenty of time if you have a connecting flight, just in case. This is especially true if you need to travel from Don Mueang International Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport, as Bangkok is notoriously busy at the best of times!