[CathayLoyalist2]

Gold – 2K. The CX lounge in Concourse G was only refurbished in June 2015 along the new lounge design lines similar to Haneda.I was in it about two months after it opened albeit not been back since. CX also had a lounge in Concourse D which might have closed. If the ‘new’ lounge is that knackered which would surprise me it might be a reflection of the leisure clientele using it!!

[Tramor01]

If you want to go direct from UK I’d consider using EVA Air – Miles better than BA and I think they have a sale on
Like Martyn Sinclair I regularly visit BKK, and I’d only use BA direct to BKK as a last resort, and only then if it was dirt cheap (luckily I’ve not had to)
I believe Qatar have good deals ex EU at the moment – If you want One World
Thai are good – I prefer the evening flight from LHR
Also, Austrian and Swiss have an excellent service if you are willing to stop off in Vienna or Zurich
Other option is going BA to KL on their 787?

[AMcWhirter]

Eva Air is a good option if you want a non-stop flight ex-LHR.

Ever since it flew to Europe in the early 1990s Eva Air has always routed its TPE flights via BKK.

Eva Air does not overfly mainland China (unlike CAL which now flies Europe-TPE non-stop with its new A350s) and has made a success of its LHR-BKK fifth-freedom rights.

[Jackanory]

Martyn – may I ask do you still fly ex-AMS when you fly to BKK via HKG? I have just been (briefly) looking at the BA options ex-AMS given the lack of QR sales at present and I noticed the option of flying through KUL on the 787 but I don’t recall seeing HKG as an option? (at the approx GBP1200 price). Many thanks.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=803903]Also, make sure to get the immigration fast track cards before landing (BA should be handing these out) as the immigration lines are often dreadful, in particular at the time in the morning when the flight lands.
[/quote]

Just for info, Fast Track arrival cards are only valid for people holding a non-EU passport, otherwise you will be directed to the EU queue.

[MartynSinclair]

@Jackanory..yes I will be doing an ex AMS in the next few days to BKK via London and HKG.

What I only found out on this trip have been doing ex AMS for about 3-4 years is that I’m allowed a 24 hour stop over in HKG free of charge.

The price you mention is the price I pay give or take £100 either way.

Other benefits which I’ve mentioned many times before, including the fabulous CX lounges both in BKK and HKG.

Life is good…

[UKFly79]

I can’t answer for Martyn, however I fly via HKG back to AMS on my return leg. I do this because my return journey leaves BKK around 6 hours after the direct BA10 (late morning) flight back to LHR. This then gets me back to AMS at a decent hour of the day so I don’t have to overnight there before returning to LHR….. if you take the BA10 you end up back at AMS at around 10pm (assuming you don’t ditch the final sector)

[Gold-2K]

[quote quote=803939] @Jackanory..

Other benefits which I’ve mentioned many times before, including the fabulous CX lounges both in BKK and HKG.

[/quote]

CX lounges in HKG are amazing, the one in BKK is completely underwhelming and nothing like the standard I have experienced from CX

[ASEANTraveller]

Apologies I should have been clearer on the fast track cards. I meant those in BKK – normal immigration lines at the airport around 9am when the BA flight lands make LHR look positively fast by comparison. The fast track lane (it’s officially called the Premium Lane) is 50-100 metres further along from where the normal immigration lane is, so do make sure to look out for it.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=803989]Apologies I should have been clearer on the fast track cards. I meant those in BKK – normal immigration lines at the airport around 9am when the BA flight lands make LHR look positively fast by comparison. The fast track lane (it’s officially called the Premium Lane) is 50-100 metres further along from where the normal immigration lane is, so do make sure to look out for it.

[/quote]

Sorry, misunderstood.

[rferguson]

FDOS is right. The correct procedure when taking the meal order is to start from the front of the cabin, work to the rear and then prioritise card holders once the order is complete.

However….

If someone did not get their choice of meal for the first service i’d absolutely try and soften the blow by saying to them I will make sure I come back to them and take their order first for the second meal service. I would do this whether it was F, J or Y class as would most of my colleagues.

BKK is operated by Mixed Fleet cabin crew. Whilst they are generally very enthusiastic and well meaning sometimes there is a little experience lacking. Which is a shame – combine us ‘legacy lot’ with Mixed Fleet and the customer would have the best of both worlds.

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

In addition, I have been informed by a cabin crew friend of mine, that as this is one of the longest day flights, they always run out of booze. Not sure if anyone can confirm that, but that’s a solid reason to avoid if you ask me !!!!!!!!!

[sscaf001]

And LX as well from ZRH with a “high-yield” aircraft (F C Y classes)

[FDOS_UK]

BKK is operated by Mixed Fleet cabin crew. Whilst they are generally very enthusiastic and well meaning sometimes there is a little experience lacking. Which is a shame – combine us ‘legacy lot’ with Mixed Fleet and the customer would have the best of both worlds.

Recently (and I fly a mixed fleet route regularly), I have noticed less enthusiasm and concern for service.

No doubt because of the long running dispute with the company.

WRT your comment about experience, that is obviously a factor, but equally I wonder how thorough the training is on the service side (not questioning the safety side), since they do seem to make it up on the hoof at times.

The safest option is to regard the ticket price as for the seat and make your own provisions for F&B (which on gulf flights is easy). Bit of a damning situation for a supposedly full service carrier, though.

[StephenLondon]

I agree with ASEANTraveller about the CX Lounge at BKK…after its fairly recent refurb (20 months ago) it is one of the better lounges at BKK, certainly better than the TG business lounge.

BA on BKK lost the plot when they dropped the 744s for me. The equipment is always the worst, with seats and IFE that break often, planes are dirty, and I don’t particularly care for the timings. Sad, as it used to be amazing, and the crew tended to be upbeat as they loved their stopovers there. Catering ex-BKK was often better than ex-LON. But those days are over now.

I have been a keen user of EVA for a long while (even when they had 744s with ‘super first class’), but their latest product on LHR-BKK has clinched it for me. They have good fares, a great product, very attentive service, book-in-advance meals (with a very decent selection) and either Dom Perignon or Comte de Taittinger fizz…all nice touches.

With TG, I have had some good flights in First with them, but the product is getting a bit dated, and the ground service can be hit-or-miss in BKK…lately more miss than hit. Finnair are okay if you nab a decent sale fare…I quite like their new product and they have good service and a great wine list.

As for BKK traffic, it really seems so leisure orientated now. The recent turmoil with the government, the death of the king, and military rule has curbed a lot of the ‘Tiger Economy’ business that was going on. So many people seem to skip BKK now and head to the coast or islands.

[Author]

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