Thai Business class - poor value.

[SCW]

I recently flew Thai business SYD-Bangkok-Lahore return. Very disappointed in the seat comfort, the food & the entertainment options. The staff were very friendly but that did not make up for the bad experience. The cost was substantial as it was 2 weeks out. I usually fly QANTAS / One World & will avoid Thai in the future

 

[Forg]

From what I can tell, Thai is usually cheaper for J than the top-tier airlines.
However, the 747’s they fly to Sydney are old-old-old-old-old. Not just the aircraft, but the fitout. My workmates who have fairly regular trips to Bangkok don’t necessarily avoid Thai Airlines, but they do from Sydney!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I recently flew Thai business SYD-Bangkok-Lahore return. Very disappointed in the seat comfort, the food & the entertainment options. The staff were very friendly but that did not make up for the bad experience. The cost was substantial as it was 2 weeks out. I usually fly QANTAS / One World & will avoid Thai in the future

TG's 747s, 777-200s and some 777-300s all have angled beds in business class. The rest of their intercontinental fleet are all flat bed including the 77W, A380 and A350.

There is rumour TG will be ending 747 service to SYD sometime this year, but no date has been announced. It will likely be replaced by an A350. TG on board service is probably slightly better than QF, especially the meals. Lounges are also better given you can use the SQ lounge.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

However, the 747’s they fly to Sydney are old-old-old-old-old. Not just the aircraft, but the fitout.

Some of their 747s are only 14 years old. They have a bunch of them delivered around 2000-2003 and then another older bunch delivered in 1998. The 9F/10F can come from either of the two periods of delivery. So could be a fairly 'new' plane. Just a bad interior for J

 

[drron]

Despite the furore I liked the TG 789 J cabin BKK-BNE.
The Thai menu was extremely good.But you needed to like spice.

 

[jokes128]

Despite the furore I liked the TG 789 J cabin BKK-BNE.
The Thai menu was extremely good.But you needed to like spice.

drron, I thought TG uses 787-8 for BNE-BKK rather than 787-9. Have they recently changed planes? If they change to 787-9 I am a very happy man. I think TG uses 787-9 on BKK-AKL route at present.

 

[potm]

The updated Thai J seats are decent. Before the United devaluation they were 30k points one way in J to Asia which was excellent value.
Now at 50k, not so great.

 

[Gold Member]

The updated Thai J seats are decent. Before the United devaluation they were 30k points one way in J to Asia which was excellent value.
Now at 50k, not so great.

I recently flew MEL-BKK-MEL on their new A359s in business. Certainly a big step up from the old biz, but still poor hard product for a brand new fit out. Very limited pitch so much that I had my legs permanently bent and the width is preeptty poor too all adding up to overnights flights where you are so uncomfortable that you wake up every half hour or so needing to change position.

I would never pay retail fares for TG, but the odd award that offers great value will suffice.

 

[drron]

We had a lucky substitution.

 

[JohnK]

Thai is not too bad. Service is usually quite ok but personally I was not too pleased with business on the 787 recently.

I cannot comment on the TG A350 but I liked travelling on the TG 747 a few years ago and have flights booked for family in business June and August this year and hoping it stays as 747 as the wife is booked in First on one of the legs.

 

[jokes128]

We had a lucky substitution.

Is the lucky substitution about the Thai day flight BNE-BKK or have you heard rumours of the change? Mine is the red-eye flight(TG478) and on Thai website it still lists 787-8 Dreamliner for the equipment.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thai is not too bad. Service is usually quite ok but personally I was not too pleased with business on the 787 recently.

.

The 789 has reverse herringbone, all with direct aisle access. The 788 - as you found out - is pairs of seats.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is the lucky substitution about the Thai day flight BNE-BKK or have you heard rumours of the change? Mine is the red-eye flight(TG478) and on Thai website it still lists 787-8 Dreamliner for the equipment.

The TG website is usually pretty accurate in terms of the equipment planned. Substitutions can happen on the day of travel. If you know the rego of the 788s and 789s you can cross reference with flight radar to see how often the substitutions occur.

 

[drron]

Is the lucky substitution about the Thai day flight BNE-BKK or have you heard rumours of the change? Mine is the red-eye flight(TG478) and on Thai website it still lists 787-8 Dreamliner for the equipment.

We had the day flight BKK-BNE but it obviously went back that night.Nothing I know of any changes.

 

[jokes128]

The TG website is usually pretty accurate in terms of the equipment planned. Substitutions can happen on the day of travel. If you know the rego of the 788s and 789s you can cross reference with flight radar to see how often the substitutions occur.

We had the day flight BKK-BNE but it obviously went back that night.Nothing I know of any changes

Oh I see, it was a last minute substitution of the 788 to 789 and not a regular change. Sorry my bad........and back to 788 then.

 

[Melburnian1]

I've said previously that TG has become in the last few years a very low profile airline into and out of Oz.

Rarely do I see promotions for it on sites like Webjet or Flight Centre. It doesn't seem to do any advertising: not on trams in Melbourne, billboards at railway stations, nor online as 'banners' or in newspapers.

A contrast to what I vaguely recall 30 years ago when it seemed to be more high profile. It had a higher market share before the JQs of the world commenced.

So it's good to see Matt Graham - who does an excellent job in writing the AFF blog - giving it a little extra attention.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

they advertise through their monthly newsletter. But i’ve yet to be on a TG flight to or from australia that hasn’t appeared to be completely full in economy. Ex SYD i’ve seen a couple of seats here and there free in business class (no surprises given the seating), and first is not often half full.

Flights to MEL on the other hand are often full in both cabins.

 

[Chrisd26]

I recently flew Thai business SYD-Bangkok-Lahore return. Very disappointed in the seat comfort, the food & the entertainment options. The staff were very friendly but that did not make up for the bad experience. The cost was substantial as it was 2 weeks out. I usually fly QANTAS / One World & will avoid Thai in the future

I used to do this on a regular basis. Sydney to Bangkok on a very old 747. Rather unique seat layout in J. It was all OK - nice staff etc but were into speed feeding! Did F once - not much difference. Bangkok to Lahore was on a very old 737? in Y as I always managed a row of seats to myself down the back. Very basic overall.

 

[NZflygirl]

You could use google flights to find out aircraft type on the route on your date (admittedly some aircraft are seasonal so type in a summer and a winter date to find out).
- Then go to seat guru and have a look at the aircraft types to get an idea of whether or not they could swap aircrafts on the route. They list aircraft types.
- Then click through the seat maps on seat guru to get an idea of economy or business etc layout and make sure they match with the review stage as some aircraft have been refurbished and others not etc.
- Then google for a review in that cabin class eg you'll probably get an OMAAT review if premium cabin or another blog that has reviewed it in some depth. Alternatively search you tube. Every airline and cabin class on every aircraft seems to have been uploaded!

Then you can make the best informed decision whether it's worth the money to fly or switch airline or if using points maybe position to another airport with a different aircraft.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Unfortunately with seatguru they still list the very old Thai 747 with 50 inch seat pitch in business class and 14 F configuration. These have been out of service for many years now. They also have the new one, but that doesn’t necessarily show up if asking for a seat map.