Over the past 10 days, the private airline has operated some 10 charter flights from the two countries. The airline usually operates a single flight every few months to Libya, except during October and January when a more regular service is provided to accommodate pilgrimages to the Middle East.

However, not all airlines are benefiting from the crises in Japan and Libya. Thai Airways International has witnessed a drop in revenue from Japan, and its president Piyasvasti Amranand said the airline might need to boost flights to China and South Korea to offset the lost income.

THAI operates 59 flights per week to and from Japan, accounting for about 7 per cent of its revenue from passenger business.

Piyasvasti said earlier that the cabin factor of return flights from Japan stood at 80 per cent.

Orient Thai chief executive officer Manassanant Tantiprasongchai yesterday said it had serviced two special operations from Japan, on Saturday and Sunday.

The British Embassy in Tokyo on Saturday hired the airline to carry 400 citizens out of the country after the earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent radiation crisis.

The airline, however, brought only 16 passengers to Bangkok before getting other flights to their homelands. The rest of the passengers decided to remainbecause of poor in Japan, while the situation in some areas has improved.

On Sunday, it was asked by the Spanish Embassy to take 160 passengers from Japan to Bangkok.

"We are talking with some clients to help carry passengers from Osaka to Thailand," Manassanant said, adding that the airline had also operated six charter flights from Libya, ferrying out 3,000-4,000 passengers.

It is also negotiating with agents for further special operations in Libya, as the conflict in the country continues.

She said Orient Thai was ready to cope with the opportunity presented by the crises by preparing two Boeing 747s, each capable of carrying 450 passengers.

"We were recommended by many organisations [as a suitable airline] to take on these jobs, because of our reputation and experience. But we will not raise our charges" for these operations, she said.

The carrier currently operates a fleet of four Boeing 747s and six MDs. The aircraft are used for international charter flights mostly to Hong Kong and South Korea, as well as for domestic service.

The airline is set to receive three new leased aircraft, starting next month. The new fleet will help increase frequency on key domestic routes such as Chiang Mai and Phuket.

This year, the airline hopes to earn Bt1 billion from charter flights and scheduled domestic operations. Charter flights account for 60 per cent of income.

Revenue is expected to grow by 20-30 per cent from last year, despite the fact that the company has not hedged for future oil prices, which are becoming a larger portion of its operating costs.

Because of the sharp hike in oil prices, the airline is considering halting a plan to add new domestic routes such as Udon Thani and Krabi.

Manassanant also clarified that three old aircraft, two of which are parked at Phitsanulok Airport and the other at Udon Thani Airport, had been deployed from the company 10 years ago.

One-Two-Go, a low-cost unit of Orient Thai, kept the engines as spare parts while the cabins were left at the two airports.

"We invited organisations to use these aircraft for study purposes or any other use, but no one wanted them," she said.