[FirstTraveller]

golfpro, where did you buy the ticket from DXB to BKK on TG first class with the price mentioned in your first post. I have been shopping around but the best fare I could find in first class for round trip on TG is around AED 13,000 !!!

[MarcusUK]

It has been 3yrs+ since i flew TG from LHR -BKK (with a stopover) then down to AKL.
1st class was withdrawn to Oceania. The A346 was confortable & the 1st class on the 747 mixed. Business seats were torn & frayed on the 747 i noticed.
Colleagues & friends have said that aircraft vary considerably, & the fleet appears ageing, with on board cabins clearly wearing, little investment. I also see that TG are leasing more of their aircraft?

Their spa was superb & lounges in BKK, check in impeccable, but it remains in 1st class, to very few routes.
A sad decline, & a downgraded service into Australia which has not gained a good reputation in recent times…shame.

[OzTraveller]

..which brings to mind all the cost cutting, route closures, general downgrade of services and amenities on board etc as a result of the world financial crisis. Too many airlines, as a result, react only as financial controllers and not keep uppermost in mind the need to continue to provide no less service when the times get tough. When business takes a downturn, service, marketing, sales should be ramped up – not down. Of course, survivial is the name of the game right now, but it is the airline in these tough times that consistently (there’s that word again) provides top class service on board and on the ground that will survive. Cost cutting weakens all the efforts and reputation hard won of the past. TG, without the advantage of expertise and savvy of top management, shows that cost cutting now in all service standards only results in further declining passenger loads. TG got by in the past with the smiling, gentle nature of their crew. Their food and aircraft seats, amenities etc was never anything positive to talk about. The decline of Gulf Air is similar.

[golfpro]

Bought ticket from DNATA, Sheik Zayed Road, (Next to Immigration).
Pay cash and that is the price. (i.e. 7% discount).

[MaggieS1]

I’m a long time TG flyer (since 1984 in fact) and have to say that there is definitely one thing that has improved dramatically – their punctuality. In the bad old days THAI stood for To Hang Around Indefinitely. Now its common place to depart early and over the past three years I’ve not had a hold up of more than an hour or so on many flights. It’s OK to have a sook about their old planes on the BKK to Europe flights, the downgrading of equipment from BKK-MEL, but the fact remains they offer a very competitive J class fare out of Oz. I’m not keen on paying an extra 40% for the sarung kebaya or Sydney’s favourite airline-Qantas. Their seats are fine and there’s plenty of space. Not to mention the spa in BKK which is a godsend on a 23 hour flight.

[AMcWhirter]

[Thai] “offer a very competitive J class fare out of Oz.”

MaggieS1, Great fares out of London too. Book by March 31 with and some of Thai’s F and J fares are almost halved in price.

[Hess963]

Hi everyone !!

I was curious and tried what LondonCity has commented. Yes, TG has a promo already rolling out ( let us see if SQ, EK, CX will follow this –like last year ). Just an example booking now and flying in the end of may.
LHR-SYD–TG around 2600 GBP ! good price –but still a lie flat seat and dearly be warned of TG’s reputation of spontaneous aircraft changes –so you might end with an old business class seat. But comparing it with EY’s price of around 2900 GBP –although 300 GBP more — but you have the assurance that you are flying with a full flat bed all the way down to Oz. I find both airlines good — but with a light advantage for EY– especially in such long flights.
So everyone — it is your choice !

[MarcusUK]

Hi folks.

Indeed the prices are very hiked again from UK to Australia again.
I could have chosen Cathay, Thai, Emirates, Etihad, Qantas for my flight (booked in July), for last Sept -Nov to Sydney.
I took SQ o the A380 for £1,950, but all were within £100 of each other.

I am in Oz now, but for travelling again end April -May the fares are £3,900 – £6,500. Whilst the seasons make some difference, never to this extent in previous years. TG do have some low fares, by comparison to the rest, but whilst i have had many years of travel with them, recently it is shabby, unpredictable on board, thought the service & food is good. The Aircraft seem to be swapped easily, few months ago the A346 on the LHR – BKK route, now the old 747’s.

I have taken a 747 where the seats have been ripped, frayed & broken around the cabin, IFE failing. Inter-Asia flights or domestic aircraft are dreadful.
Several EU embassies as well as Australian, are advising against travel to BKK at the moment again. There have been recent turbulent political times in Thailand, & these issues have not yet settled. These have burst through at times & seriously disrupted travel (Airport closed or occupied, riot police on Bangkok with curfews).

On balance, with these several aspects to consider, common factors the last few years, I wont be choosing TG for a while, like above, i would pay the £300 extra to know what i a getting.
And the same goes for SQ with their cabin variations at present.

But fares are higher than other years at this time, with the withdrawl of flights, taking out of Business seats, the hey day of First having gone, & PE being developed.
This seems the common factor amongst all Airlines at present…

[Author]

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