Recent experience with Thai Airways?
 

I've read some negative comments about Thai Airways lately. Being a nervous flyer booked on an upcoming Thai Airways flight, I'm rather concerned. I did a search here, but most of the information is dated. Has anyone out there had any recent experience with Thai Airways?

I'll be flying business class from Dubai to Bangkok. I'm most interested in feedback from people who have flown Thai Airways on International flights within the past few months.

Thanks in advance.

Feb 2003 we flew Thai from Munich to BKK to Hanoi, Danang to BKK and back to Munich. On our return flight (BKK-MUC) a drugged up, drunk acting guy kept trying to light a cigarette, created quite a scene, acted really suspiciously and gave us and everyone else nearby the creeps. The crew was alerted after which they did their best to avoid the back of the plane, where we were sitting, even though the dude was still carrying on. I mean, they didn't come back to even check on the guy and it was left to the big men sitting near him to keep him under control. When we landed, no one arrested him or even stopped him for questioning, which led us to think that the crew didn't alert anyone in Munich. It didn't leave us with a lot of confidence in the crew!

I flew Bangkok -- Dubai and Dubai ? Bangkok in November last year in Business Class and it was fine.

Since then I have had flown Chiangmai ? Bangkok ? Hong Kong ? Bangkok ? Chiangmai in economy and also fine.

They are not up there with Singapore Airlines, BA or Cathay, but they are more than adequate.

I agree with Tangata, they are 'ok' they use A-330's on DXB-BKK and I don't think they have even managed to install seatback TVs in Business Class yet! ( Correct me if I'm wrong but I took an A-330 with them a few weeks back and there were none but on their 747's they used to hand out the Sony Watchmans ). They are not in the Emirates/Gulf Air/Singapore leage but adequote. Surprised you not on Emirates on that sector.

James -

I'd rather be on Emirates, but we're flying around-the-world from Kuwait, and Emirates isn't part of Star Alliance. Unfortunately......

Thai Airways is the only way we can get to Dubai with Star Alliance, and then we have to fly Thai to Bangkok before we can switch to Singapore Air to go to Singapore and New Zealand. I'd much rather take Singapore Air from Dubai, but we can't get to Dubai from Kuwait to make the connection - there's only one flight a day from Dubai.

Thanks for the responses so far. Any more out there?

Flew sydney-bkk return,bkk-rangoon return in april-may and it was fine.

Plenty food,drinks ,attentive service.It was not the newest 747 I have been on.

Hi:

Its been a while (~3 years) since Thia Airways (business class, London/Bangkok/747 & Bangkok/Dempsar/A-330).

Business class seating was the smallest I've ever seen (better quality seat, but leg room about the same as most airlines have for economy for international routes). However, the armrest/console between the seats are removalable so if you are fortunate enough to have an open seat beside you take it out & stretch out (I did for both flights).

As previously noted, the planes are somewhat old and lacked personal video. And the lounge in Heathrow was somewhat limited.

However, the crew/service and the food was amazing. More than madeup for the rest of their shortcomongs. I've flown with a lot of international carriers (BA, Cathay, Air Canada, Luftansa, Singapore, Austrian) and would put the service on Thai well above the rest.

Just my opinion though.

Z

We flew Business Class on Thai to Densapar, Bali on June 22 and returned on July 3. Service was just fine although the plane was about 1/3 full. I have heard mixed reports on Thai but have never had a problem. Always flown Business Class as it is not much more expensive than Economy. In Bangkok and in Bali we could wait for our flight in the executive lounge (free newspapers, drinks, snacks etc.) which was a nice perk.

Follow-up:

My husband and I flew Thai Airways from Kuwait to Dubai this weekend (Thurs-Fri in the Middle East) and had a very good experience. The flight was two hours late arriving in Kuwait, but we were called at home and notified, so we didn't have to sit around the airport.

We were upgraded from economy to business class as the flight was overbooked and we're Star Alliance Gold card holders. They also upgraded the couple traveling with us although only one of them had the gold card.

We weren't upgraded on the return flight (bummer), but economy was fine. The service was incredible, especially considering it was only a 90 minute flight. No in-flight entertainment in either class, although business class did have individual entertainment systems - maybe they don't turn them on during the short flights - who knows.

The plane was a new A330. This will be the same flight we take next month - we'll have a short layover in Dubai before going on to Bangkok on the same aircraft, so I feel much better about flying Thai Airways on a long haul flight.

Thanks to all for your input.

I've never flown Thai Air longhaul. But they are usually a cheaper priced carrier when traveling in ASia. I flew THai airways last year. Hong kong to Korea, round trip. And Bangkok-Phuket. Since BAngkok-Phuket is such a short trip I'll comment on Hong Kong-Korea. The planes were fine. THe flight was less than 2 hours, so no movie, but every seat in economy had video screens in the headreast. I believe I flew an Airbus 330. That was nice because the whole plane was fairly new and modern.

The food however was horrible. Maybe I'm spoiled by Cathay, but some supposedly Thai chicken dish with gravy was very poor. It was dry, cold, tasteless and tough. I could barely eat it. Usually in Cathay, the Asian dish is generally a little better than the western dish. My boss, who used to fly Thai in the mid-late 90's used to rave about Thai Air's food. i do not share his opinion.

Service was decent. Nothing special. I find Cathay attendants to be more meticulous. Thai attendants seemed to do the bare minimum. Not saying they did anything wrong, but a lot of the smaller additional things that Cathay attendants do, the Thai attendants were not required to do. But yet, still way better than any US carrier.

I think my complaints are fairly minor. The plane itself was fine. ANd they were one of the cheapest carriers when I walked into a HK travel agency and said, I want to go to Korea. DUe to price, and no major complaints I would fly them again, if it was a choice between Thai and lets say, China Air, United, Northwest, etc. But I would not rank it higher than Cathay, Singapore, etc.

As far as I am aware 'no' Thai Airways aircraft have seat-back TV screens.

You know what? I feel like a fool. I might be getting it mixed up with a Cathay short flight. Now I remember there being a TV in the aisle ceiling like older US domestic flights have.

However, I stand by all my other opinions about the food and service.

Sorry for the confusion. It was my mistake.

We flew Thai Business Class last week and every seat had an individual video screen that popped up out of the armrest. FWIW