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Hi All
Just booked biz class with Thai airways on a few routes between india, thailand and singapore. I am on a mixture of 744, 333 and 772 aircraft. Not having flown Thai for sometime, was wandering what the state of their seating is ? Are all these aircraft with the newer seating or are there any horrors awaiting me ? ? Tried to make sense of their website but just got even more confused as to what to expect.
Any info will be appreciated
Flying Thais these days is like Bingo, they have very mix about their fleet. But if U fly the new 333 and 345 + 346 is the newer products. So be aware every time, I just now that even the AC and seats can be crap, but the crew and the food is always lovely! Good Luck!
Hi everyone!!
Hi Jacky--you might have read in other previous comments on different threads regarding TG's inconsistency in providing a planned aircraft ----it is always a surprise to see a different aircraft than planned. But it seems it is a part of TG's policy--But this inconsistency is absolutely a dismay when you booked a premium fare for a long haul flight und you get an old seat with obsolete functions--even the best TG inflight service would not compensate your anger and deceptions and especially your lost comfort onboard.
Indeed.. i only booked a week ago and one sector was on a 340-600 and is already been changed to a 333!! Just praying i get lucky and get a ride on one of the new ones. All the 747's have been refitted with new seats havent they ?
Hi Freedom1
I am not sure--as far as I know in the past TG used oftenly old generation 747 and seatings( really old and absolutely obsolete) in routes to Copenhagen( here the old F cabin is sold as C cabin and the old C cabin is sold as Prem. Y cabin) and probably to HKG-TPE or PVG which F cabin is sold. It depends on TG on day to day basis if the old aircraft with old seatings are operated on that route and on that day. This "747 gamble" might affect the BKK-SYD for F cabins as well--although A340-600 is planned to be used who knows when they will used the 747--just hope it is not the old seatings in F as it will be absolutely a terrible seat and experience for a premium fare.
this all sounds terrible! I am flying to SYD with them in a couple of weeks, I've been told the LHR - BKK sector is always with the new seat , has any one had a different experience?
LHR-BKK with the new seats on F and C but Y seats without its own TV, but the seat pitch is good. Thai use 747 on these routes, so the AC is old Im afraid. From Europe Thai have two routes that I know that they use A346 Zurich and Oslo. But they will switch the Oslo routes to 777 soon. On Sydney sector is more hard to tell since they tend to switch the A/C .
Hi..
As someone pointed out, TG has a many different configurations serving Europe. In Europe, they use to my knowledge
ARN, CPH - Old 747 (perhaps 300 series) with old F sold as C, and old C sold as Premium Y. Scandinavia is not a big F market.
OSL - A340-500 originally procured for EWR-BKK direct with C, Premium Y, and Y
ZRH - A340-600 with new F, C, and Y (been on this in C and F, good product)
LHR, FRA, MUC - 747-400 with new F and C. Don't know what Y is like.
Other European destinations like FCO, I don't know.
Hi everyone!!
I have checked with TG about the aircraft used for FCO and MXP for Nov.09--it is planned to use B747 to FCO and B777 to MXP. But as we have known better now--there is no guarantee that it stays like this.
Seating to/from India
I flew DEL-BKK earlier in the year in Business Class. It was served by the 777-300 that were yet to be refurbished. The seating is 2x3x2 (which, by the way is a useful way of discovering if you are on an old config aircraft).
The seats are the very old style armchair/cradle type J class seats with quite limited legroom.
My flight was light enough that everyone/couple had 2/3 seats between them. If however, you were in an aisle seat and your neighbour wanted to get out whilst the seats in front were reclined, you would be treated to a rather intimate lapdance as they squirmed over you.
My journey is documented in a trip report that appears on a different site. Not sure of the rules re linking to another site. However, if you Google
baggageinhall trip report india thai
you will find it.
Hi Baggageinhall !!
Thank you for sharing your flight experiences !! I have read your trip report over INDIA in F with other airlines including TG in J and F .The pictures of the meals are very nice and your report is quite exciting to read.
Keep up the good spirit and more wonderful flights for you !!
Hess
I travel frequently between KUL-BKK with TG in C class. From my experience, TG never stay with the aircraft type according to their timetable. It can be any widebody plane in their fleet of A300-600, A330, A345/346 or B772 / 773. They also have different seat configuration for the same aircraft type, some with new seats, some with old seats; so you won't know what is your seat like before boarding.
I used to be a frequent TG flyer SYD-ZRH but gave up when they deleted First from Sydney and found their business offering SYD-BKK inconsistent. they have two versions of their 'upgraded' 777 they fly to Syd - one with 2-3-2 and one with 2-2-2. the 2-3-2 is not comfortable, and has even slightly less legroom than the 2-2-2. however as others have noted aircraft substitution is the order of the day with TG, and they have a truly tight 2-3-2 regional 777 that can be pressed into service without warning. if you cop this on the overnight from BKK you cannot sleep - very close, recliner seats. they still have 6 old 747's in the fleet which as others have noted are sold as J, premium economy and economy, but if you are unlucky with A/C change that suddenly becomes F, J and economy. even their best J class is borderline in my view - the slope is quite steep on the seat - but you still pay full $$$ whether you get that or go down 1 or 2 levels. they have too many aircraft with substandard seating to be relied upon. and i do have memories of a flight years ago when the 747 was changed to a regional 777 BKK-SYD - i was downgraded from first to (regional) business - and TG point blank refused to offer any compensation whatsoever saying it was a discounted First ticket, despite it being completely open dated and refundable
basically its a total lottery then !! :)
Well my longest sector is just under 4 hours so im not overly concerened. More a wish of a great seat as i have flown many times with Thai but only in economy where they are in my opinion a clear winner in terms of service and food in that class, so i got high hopes for biz class!!!
Thanks for all info guys
TG has certainly gone downhill i recent years. I flew the new First (3 years ago), on an old 747 from LHR - BKK, then on down to Auckland on an a 346. returning was the older style first into LHR.
The then also new lounge areas at the new airport in BKK were simply stunning including individual lounge rooms & spas prior to flying.
I hear that Thai have more leased aircraft than previously, & there is little new or investment. the aircraft & cabin layouts do vary very considerably on the same route. The staff are always wonderful, food excellent, but the planes are old n tired now, & they have simply been left behind. Not a great sign to wipe out First from the Oceania routes!
I wouldn't choose them anymore...
Hi everyone !!
Well, not entirely wipe out in Ozeania.. TG has implemented F cabin in the SYD route again. But as you can see--there is big competition in this market for F cabin--just leave the point of the profitability. QF, SQ, CX, BA, MH...are some who are battling for pax and revenue. And you might consider that most pax from Oz and New Zealand are more fond of flying in C cabin--a point why NZ scrap F cabin entirely.
Hi everyone !!
TG is planning or has already planned in the near future to phase out the old A300 ( will never forget those dreadful hours flying in those obsolete, narrow pitched seats and vey old style toilet in C cabin). With the delivery of the new A330-300 with new lie flat seatings--these will be used primarily for Middle East, Japan, Korea and South Asia routes--there should be more consistency and definitely more quality improvements for C cabins and seats. Beware there are older A330-300 with the old 49" inch lounge style seatings still be existing in the fleet.
I am sure that a lot of TG premium pax will never cry those A300 any tears!! It is not like the MD-11 in the past--especially the F cabin--the twosome seats in the middle with the more than gracious legroom is absolutely missed and flying in these seats with the great TG service--I am dreaming of old times..!!! TG management--that was F class experience รก la bonheur !!
From my experience with TG - if the flight involves the Indian Sub-Continent then the aircraft will be the oldest available on the day. Some are really cr@& !! Just hope that the smiling stewardesses can make up for the discomfort and the lack of any other viewable entertainment. Your run to Singapore should be much better though as there is "comfort competition" on that sector.
many differents flights with Thai on Business class and first and it's true that we can find a various different seat and configuration but always a good service on board !
Sadly we had the misfortune of flying Thai from Tokyo to BKK on an old 747! was meant to the 340-600! The seating was crap and service average. The continuing leg from BKK to KUL was on a 777 and the seat was great and so was the service. Chatted to a friendly stewardess and she was ashmed of the mix of aircarft and the old seating. The flight back from KUL to BKK was on Lufthansa - good seats, average food and service, but the onward journey on Thai 747 , new seating was a total disappointment. The seats were broken upstairs, lacked padding and very uncomfortable. The service and food was awful! If that what business class is on Thai best not to bother! Old tied aircraft! Yet on the BKK -KUL route better aircarft and seating and good food! What the logic THAI?
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