Bangkok-based NokScoot is planning to cooperate with Singapore joint venture partner Scoot on planned flights to Hawaii. Patee Sarasin, the CEO of the budget carrier’s Thai partner Nok Air, said that while NokScoot could deploy its fleet of B777-200ERs on flights to Honolulu, it would prefer to use Scoot’s more economical fleet of B787s. NokScoot will also hold talks with Hawaiian Airlines in a bid to tap valuable Los Angeles feeder traffic through its Honolulu hub.

NokScoot currently operates three B777s on flights from its Bangkok Don Mueang hub to Nanjing in China and shortly to Taipei Taoyuan Airport, with Scoot operating services to Osaka Kansai and Singapore Changi. NokScoot’s expansion plans have been put on hold following the International Civil Aviation Authority’s (ICAO) decision to formally file a Serious Safety Concern (SSC) against Thailand earlier this year, which was subsequently followed by a US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) audit which also turned up safety concerns.