Thai Smile joins Star Alliance as Connecting Partner.

Thai Airways’ regional subsidiary Thai Smile is about to become Star Alliance’s second Connecting Partner airline.

The Connecting Partner program was launched in 2016 to fill gaps in regional connections between the alliance’s full member airlines. As a Connecting Partner, Thai Smile doesn’t need to fulfill industrial relationships with all full members but partner with simply three.

It will meet these criteria by the end of the year, Star Alliance said.

Thai Smile can add eleven destinations to the alliance’s network that spans 194 countries. “I am happy to announce that Thai Smile is about to become the next Star Alliance Connecting Partner, which is able to support us in any strengthening our position because the leading airline alliance network,” said Jeffrey Goh, CEO, Star Alliance. The Bangkok-based carrier operates an all-Airbus fleet of A320 aircraft.