Thai Lion Air (Thai: ไทยไลอ้อนแอร์, English name Thai Lion Air, IATA two-letter code SL) is the Thai member of the Indonesian Lion Air Group. It flew its first service on 4 December 2013 on the Bangkok to Chiang Mai route and is based at Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). It runs low-cost passenger services with an all-Boeing 737 narrowbody fleet,operating no freighters at all— every shipment flying from China to Thailand travels in the airline'spassenger belly holdfor the carriage.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited draws on the belly capacity of Thai Lion Air's scheduled flights from several Chinese cities to offer overseas importers buying goods in China direct air freight from major Chinese airports to Bangkok Don Mueang, with connections at Bangkok to more than ten Thai cities and to subregional points in South-East and South Asia.
The registered legal entity of Thai Lion Air isThai Lion Mentari Co., Ltd.(Thai: ไทยไลอ้อนเมนทารี), trading as Thai Lion Air. It was set up as a joint venture between the Indonesian Lion Air Group and Thai partners, the first step in Lion Air's export of the low-cost model, and one of the earliest carriers in Thailand's low-cost market to build a network into second-tier Chinese cities.
Unlike most network carriers, Thai Lion Air has long put its commercial focus ontourism charters and point-to-point scheduled flights: domestically it links more than ten tourism and labour-source cities such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Surat Thani and Krabi around Bangkok Don Mueang, while internationally it concentrates on short-haul markets in China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and Japan. In freight terms that shows up asfrequencies concentrated on short and medium sectors, a single aircraft family and short turnarounds, well suited to time-critical general cargo on sectors of 3 to 6 hours.
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | Thai Lion Air |
| English name | Thai Lion Air, registered legal entity Thai Lion Mentari Co., Ltd. |
| Thai name | ไทยไลอ้อนแอร์ |
| Country / region | Kingdom of Thailand |
| Parent company | Lion Air Group of Indonesia, the affiliated and joint-venture system of Lion Air |
| Head office address | 89/46 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Sanambin Sub-District, Don Mueang District, Bangkok 10210, Thailand |
| Main operating base | Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport DMK |
| Secondary hub and key cities | Hat Yai HDY; public sources also list Taipei Taoyuan TPE as one of the operating bases |
| Founded and first flight | Incorporated on 4 December 2013 with the first Bangkok to Chiang Mai flight the same day, and full commercial operations from 5 December |
| Slogan | Freedom To Fly |
| Carrier type | Low-cost carrier, passenger-focused, with freight carried in passenger belly holds |
| Freighter | 0 aircraft, with no freighters now or historically |
| Official lookup website | www.lionairthai.comOfficial website, which also carries the cargo service entry; Thai Lion Cargo telephone +66 2 529 9839, 24 hours |
| Airline alliance | Member of no global alliance: not Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam |
| Safety and compliance | An IOSA-registered carrier; the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) oversees its delay handling and passenger rights protection |
Used in booking systems, as the flight number prefix such as SL901, and for rate enquiries and capacity bookings. Note that the IATA code SL is a controlled duplicate, also used by Ireland-registered SAS Connect, so identification must take account of the sector and the carrier's full name.
Used in air traffic control flight plans, flight tracking platforms such as Flightradar24, which shows SL/TLM, airport ground handling systems and operational messages.
The radiotelephony identifier, taken from "Mentari", meaning sun in Indonesian, in the registered company name. Used in flight tracking and crew contact.
The air waybill (AWB) has 11 digits: the first 3, 310, are the carrier prefix and the last 8 are the serial number with a check digit at the end. Every master waybill issued by Thai Lion Air follows that310-xxxxxxxx.
| Aircraft type | Cabin layout | Maximum range | Maximum takeoff weight | Fuselage length | Belly-hold cargo characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737-800 |
189 seats Single-class layout |
5,765 km | 73,708 kg | 39.5 m Wingspan 34.3 m |
Two lower holds, fore and aft, bothBulk holdbulk; volume of roughly 44 cubic metres as an industry reference rather than an airline figure; door about 0.9 by 1.22 metres, loose loading only |
| Boeing 737-900ER Boeing 737-900ER |
215 or 220 seats Single-class layout |
5,990 km | 83,914 kg | 42.1 m Wingspan 34.3 m |
Also bulk holds, with a longer fuselage and slightly more hold volume than the 737-800, roughly 50 cubic metres; the same door dimensions, still loose loading and no pallets |
The 737-800 is the type most often used on Thai Lion Air's China routes, with flights such as Guangzhou SL901, Shenzhen SL903, Chongqing SL931, Xi'an SL951 and Changsha SL935 all listed as 737-800 in public timetables. The type has a single-class 189-seat layout, cruises at about Mach 0.785 and has a maximum take-off weight of 73.7 tonnes.
What it means for shippers:The lower hold is split into fore and aft sections, both bulk, so cargo is loaded and unloaded piece by piece by hand. The door opening is about 0.9 metres wide and 1.22 metres high, soany rigid package with one side over about 1.1 metres will not fit, and LD3 containers and pallets cannot be accepted. In practice, weight per piece should stay under 150 kilograms and dimensions within about 100 by 100 by 80 centimetres, subject to the airline's acceptance on the day.
The advantage of the type is that the China to Bangkok sector, about 1,700 kilometres and roughly three hours, sits in its most efficient cruise range, with payload and range to spare, so the belly space released is relatively predictable.
The 737-900ER has the longest fuselage in the 737 family, and the Thai Lion Air website lists two cabin configurations, 215 and 220 seats in a single class, with a maximum take-off weight of 83.9 tonnes, maximum range of 5,990 kilometres and cruise speed of Mach 0.791. The type has also been used on China routes such as Bangkok to Jinan.
What it means for shippers:The longer fuselage means hold volume and payload are slightly better than the 737-800, and under the same passenger and baggage load it usually releases a little more belly space for cargo. Butthe door dimensions are identical to the 737-800, so it is still a bulk hold with manual loading, and oversize cargo still will not fit.
Low-cost carriers protect passenger baggage first in peak season, and with 215 to 220 passengers the 737-900ER carries a great deal of baggage, so the remaining belly space narrows noticeably. It is thereforenot suited to carrying large volumes, and is better for shipments of up to a few hundred kilograms that need a stable schedule.
| Aircraft type | Number | Introduced | Withdrawn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATR 72-600 | 1 | 2014 | 2014 | Transferred to another airline in the group after a short trial |
| Airbus A330-300 | 3 | 2017 | 2020 | Used on high-density routes, later withdrawn |
| Airbus A330-900 | 4 | 2019 | 2022 | Returned to the parent company |
| Boeing 737 MAX 9 | 3 | 2018 | 2023 | Returned to the parent company |
The company isthe general sales agent (GSA) in China for Thai Lion Air (SL) and Lion Air of Indonesia (JT)and also acts for Vietjet Air in Guangzhou; it holds first-class international freight forwarding status and is an IATA and WCA member.
GSA appointments may change with airline commercial policy, and the airline's or agent's written confirmation at the time of booking governs.
In its published business profile Taiyu Logistics listsThai Lion Air (SL)among its core airlines and names two preferential routes:
Its main export gateways include Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Kunming, Nanning, Shanghai, Zhengzhou and Xiamen, with one-stop trailer, warehousing, customs declaration and airport ground handling.
Times are local and schedules may change with the season; each shipment must be rechecked before booking.
For cargo arriving at Bangkok Don Mueang that needs distribution to those cities, it can transfer to a domestic sector after clearance at Bangkok, or Goodhope can arrange road delivery depending on volume and transit requirement. Some of those domestic points are seasonal or low-frequency, so the current schedule and capacity must be confirmed before booking the domestic leg; Goodhope sets out an air distribution and a road delivery option side by side according to volume.
It has operated in more than ten countries and regions across South-East, East and South Asia. Some points are suspended or withdrawn, so onward points must be verified shipment by shipment.
China has been Thailand's largest trading partner for more than a decade, with bilateral trade in the hundreds of billions of dollars and still growing. Thai imports from China cover electromechanical products, auto parts, household appliances and consumer electronics, consumer goods, textile and garment inputs, machinery and spares, and chemical raw materials, which happen to be the cargo types most often flown:higher unit value, moderate volume and sensitivity to delivery dates, a good match for the acceptance characteristics of Thai Lion Air belly holds.
At the same time, the mutual visa exemption between China and Thailand that took effect in March 2024 has sharply increased travel between the two countries and pushed up passenger demand. For freight that cuts both ways:more passengers means denser schedules and more belly supply overall, but checked baggage rises too and squeezes the space left for cargo. That is exactly why space must be locked early in the tourism peaks: Songkran, Chinese New Year, the summer holidays and the period after Singles' Day.
Another benefit that is often overlooked is the AEO mutual recognition arrangement between Chinese and Thai customs, now formally in force, under which goods of advanced certified enterprises face lower inspection rates and faster clearance at both countries' ports. Where the Thai consignee or its customs broker holds AEO status, total transit time can be compressed further. Goodhope raises this at the planning stage and prepares documents accordingly.
Conversely,bulk raw materials, building materials, full batches of furniture and oversize equipmentare heavy, large and not urgent, and are more economical by FCL ocean or a pallet position on a freighter; Goodhope tells customers plainly when air freight is not the right choice.
| Cargo type / use case | Thai Lion Air belly hold | Freighter | Ocean freight | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce parcels, samples, 50 to 300 kg loose cargo | Very suitable | Possible but costly | Too slow | Choose Thai Lion Air first. Late-night departure and early-morning arrival allow clearance to start the same day, and rates are usually below full-service carriers. |
| 300 to 800 kg general cargo, 3 to 5 day delivery | Suitable for | Suitable for | Too slow | Request the belly rate first; if belly space is tight, Goodhope quotes a freighter option alongside for comparison. |
| 800 kg to 2 tonnes, all in one shipment | Depends on the flight | Suitable for | Can be considered | Belly capacity per flight is limited and may require splitting; lock space three to five days ahead. |
| More than 2 tonnes | Not suitable | Suitable for | Lowest cost | Move to a freighter pallet position or FCL ocean; Goodhope can quote both. |
| Out-of-gauge cargo, over 1.1 m on one side | Not accepted | Suitable for | Suitable for | The 737 bulk hold door is about 0.9 by 1.22 m, so out-of-gauge pieces must move to a widebody freighter or by sea. |
| Dangerous goods such as lithium batteries, liquids and powders | Very narrow acceptance | Partly available | Partly available | Low-cost carriers restrict dangerous goods strictly, so each shipment must be confirmed with the airline and never assumed acceptable. |
| Temperature-controlled cargo, pharmaceuticals, precision instruments | Not advised | Suitable for | Depends on the category | The belly hold has no active temperature control, so temperature-sensitive cargo should use a carrier with the relevant approvals. |
| Live animals and perishables | Must be confirmed per shipment | Suitable for | Not applicable | Advance application is needed under the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR), and Goodhope can assess it. |
The China to Bangkok sector takes about 3 to 3.5 hours. The main services from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou leave between 01:00 and 03:30 and reach Don Mueang at dawn, so cargo enters Thailand's working day on landing; with clearance documents prepared in advance that gives a rhythm of delivery today, collection tomorrow.
The low-cost operating structure usually gives competitive unit rates on small and medium lots, particularly for samples, replenishment and e-commerce stock where the volume is modest but speed matters. Goodhope provides both belly and freighter quotes and the customer decides on delivery date.
Thai Lion Air covers a wide spread of mainland Chinese cities, with departures not only from Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai but also Hangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Changsha, Zhengzhou and Huangshan. Cargo from East, Central, South-West and North-West China can be delivered at the local airport, saving one to two days of domestic repositioning.
Main routes such as Guangzhou to Bangkok run close to daily, so if one belly is full the shipment moves to the same service the next day rather than waiting a week. On a low-frequency charter route a missed flight means a six-day wait.
Don Mueang sits next to northern Bangkok and the industrial belt, so last-mile delivery into the city, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani is quicker than from Suvarnabhumi, a real time saving for time-sensitive replenishment cargo.
Bangkok is the regional hub of South-East Asia, and after clearance cargo can connect to Thai Lion Air's own domestic network of Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai and others, or Goodhope can arrange second-leg carriage to Singapore, Jakarta and points in India, which suits customers distributing across several South-East Asian markets.
The Boeing 737 belly is a bulk hold where cargo is carried in and stacked by hand, which imposes packaging requirements completely different from a widebody freighter. Apply the following six rules before the goods leave the factory, because reworking them at the airport terminal costs extra and misses flights.
On receiving the cargo details Goodhope first runs apackaging feasibility check, picking out pieces that may be out of gauge, overweight or at risk of leakage and raising them early, so cargo is not found unloadable after it reaches the airport. This is the step that saves the most money when using a belly-hold carrier.
Send the commodity, weight, volume and required delivery date, and Goodhope will return a comparison of the Thai Lion Air belly option against other carriers the same day, including schedule, documentation cut-off and arrival time. Pickup is available in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and nearby.
Contact Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited Get a China to Thailand air freight quotePrepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners, and our company has no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with the airlines described. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent at the time of booking.