1 hour ago, bbz404 said:

That's incorrect. You will get 2 years gold when you first fulfill the requirements and 2 years more when renewing. 

And I hope they have changed their racist policies attitudes to giving no charge FF tickets to family members with mixed names.

Whilst I agree that they are overpriced, I've flown Business Class on other decent airlines for less than Thai economy a number of times, but, if as you say, their old 777's on the BKK - LHR route are always full and making money, why would they feel the need to reduce prices, they clearly don't need to compete?
 
I flew on that route last Christmas, economy on the A380 using points, whilst the seat itself was fine, plenty of legroom in a bulkhead seat upstairs, the service was abysmal and the food on the way back was the worst meal I've ever had on an aircraft.

Re- read my post. I was referring to BA being full and making money, not THAI.

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17 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

The cheapest option for the airline..

Yes, done to lower operating costs. Whilst parked airlines incur parking fees, much lower if it's parked away from a  berth with an airbridge. 

4 hours ago, falang1969 said:

BA uses ancient 18 year old 777's LHR-BKK and are always full and making money. Buying new planes is not the answer.... reduce your prices to compete.

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I agree...I make my choice only based on price except for a few airlines which have a dubious reputation

4 hours ago, BobbyL said:

They really are a bunch of clowns. They are still one of the most expensive airlines listed for a very second rate service.

 

They were as usual the most expensive to LHR when I booked recently and when we booked Japan for xmas they were more than ANA and Japan Airlines. 

I've just bought a ticket from London to Thailand, the first time I've bought one in the UK for many years. After I'd agreed the flight and the carrier (BA) the chappie asked, now, do you want to take any luggage because if you do, that'll be another hundred quid for the return trip........apparently all the carriers in the UK are doing similar these days, it's a nonsense.

Last week we were searching for flights from Brisbane to BKK. My wife rang a few Thais that she knew that deal with cheaper tickets, especially Thai Airways. They all seem a bit pissed off with Thai Airways because Thai has a competitive price for BNE or SYD to BKK but the return leg is up there making a return flight around the 1500 /1600 AUD mark. These Thai travel agents are just not able to sell tickets unless somebody wants to eat Thai food and speak Thai to the stewards the tickets remain unsold to us common punters. How that compares with Emirates who have specials at around 700AUD, you have rocks in your head to choose Thai. Admittedly Emirates and other Middle Eastern carriers get their fuel very cheaply so it is very difficult to compete on price alone. 

Bye Bye Thai..

Edited September 21, 20187 yr by xen
clarification.

Drop the freebies, and they would make more money!  They are already uncompetitive within Thailand, and rely on lack of opposition flying in and out of Suvarmabhumi, whereas other domestic airlines have to use D. Mueang.  On International routes, they are almost invariably higher priced than most rivals.  New aircraft are not going to solve the problem whether leased or not !

 

A huge expense nobody has mentioned the carrying cost for the stored planes which are parked somewhere and rotting. Check airfleets.net or plane spotters.net. Of particular concern are the 9 Airbus 340’s which were taken out of service years ago. There were 10 but the Thai Air Force  took one. These fuel guzzlers should have been dumped when fuel prices were low but this would mean taking a loss on the books. Other models are on this list too.

5 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

I've just bought a ticket from London to Thailand, the first time I've bought one in the UK for many years. After I'd agreed the flight and the carrier (BA) the chappie asked, now, do you want to take any luggage because if you do, that'll be another hundred quid for the return trip........apparently all the carriers in the UK are doing similar these days, it's a nonsense.

BA’s LHR to BKK is awful imo. Usually more expensive than TA, horrible planes, and awful service.  Not experienced the extra baggage cost though I have to say. 

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

Especially the South East Asia airlines like MAS or Garuda. Same problems like TA. I was quite surprised that Cathy which has been a stellar profitable airline had a loss last year. Tough industry especially with the increase in budget airlines. Even they are not spared in terms of profitability like AA and Nok. The increase in fuel costs will further erode their bottom line.  

didn't happen under the Swire brothers, it happened when China took a  substantial 'interest' in the airline and started meddling in the economics.  Go figure. 

20 years ago it was a pleasure to fly Thai Airways from Brisvegas to Bangkok.  Because it is much cheaper I have been flying the last 12 or so years with Air Asia, more basic and have to change at Kuala Lumpur. I just flew Thai again to Bangkok and was shocked at how the service had deteriorated .... I  flew back to Gold Coast on Air Asia and had a great flight, better service, more comfortable (in the Quiet Zone) and cheaper.

IMO they don't need new planes (maybe they do?), but they certainly need to get back to providing great service.

Edited September 21, 20187 yr by Fireyfish

4 hours ago, swifty5x5 said:

That's the Thai way.

 

They already have

44 minutes ago, falang1969 said:

Re- read my post. I was referring to BA being full and making money, not THAI

My apologies, I'd missed the reference to BA.

3 hours ago, happy chappie said:

I used Thai air for years then all of a sudden the prices were hiked up over 30% so lost me as a loyal customer to Eva air

Must be from the UK. 

This was very true  when they announced Thai airways needed a complete overhaul due to big losses (their  idea was to increase prices), however Eva air prices are now very hit and miss and are now usually far more expensive while Thai airlines have now become the cheapest option with new A380 planes on lHR BKK route. 

3 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

It has never been a pleasure to fly that route on TG. The ancient old McDonnell-Douglas MD-11 ploughed that furrow from the mid-80's until its wings rusted off in 2006 when it was replaced due to sheer necessity.

 

In fact most of the major BKK to Australia routes are serviced by old aircraft still, I note SYD to BKK is an old 747 as witnessed on the tarmac in Sydney earlier this week.

 

Still, if your customers put up with it, and Aussies really aren't the most discerning or clued up bunch, then why not.

 

 

Wrong, TA to Perth use the 787 dreamliner,on the Melbourne service, their using the brand new A350. 

Lazy people don't end up making money no matter what the equipment is.. It makes it worse when the company is state owned where nepotism rules and saving face is the key in every decision.  

Edited September 21, 20187 yr by FinChin67

49 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

BA’s LHR to BKK is awful imo. Usually more expensive than TA, horrible planes, and awful service.  Not experienced the extra baggage cost though I have to say. 

BA's lHR BKK is crap.

The baggage cost,however, is true. BA is now advetising its flight cost without including the baggage costs.

It is not until you go to the check details will you see that the cost of checked baggage is not included and can cost up to £70 each way depending if you pre book it online. Normally doubles at the airport if you fail to book it online. ( i have been caught out by this before)

Apparently all airlines are contemplating doing it but is already in operation by nearly all budget airlines flying out of the UK

 

5 hours ago, chezy86 said:

Never flown Thai because it’s always too expensive compaired to middle eastern airlines so I guess that tells you something. They need to be competitive otherwise buying a new fleet is not going to make any difference to their current situation.

Indeed, but they will get kickbacks if they buy new planes !?!?

.......and those losses are exactly why you'll never find me flying Thai with Somchai and his bike spanners saying it will be fine faced with parts that need changing immediately

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

And I hope they have changed their racist policies attitudes to giving no charge FF tickets to family members with mixed names.

I am not sure what you mean. I myself have claimed reward tickets for myself and my nominees. Never any issues as it's fully automated online. Or by phone and that didn't cause any problems either. Can you elaborate on your experience.

 

By the way, I fly THAI a lot professionally and privately I prefer them for the annual trip back to the old country as they offer direct flights and their Y class is really quite comfortable compared to US/EU carriers. Yes, they are more expensive most of the time, but with a bit of planning it's still manageable. And rewards are quite nice as well with the wife and I going to Europe return for free during July (high season). 

Their fleet management is awful and VIP seating for officials is also unacceptable. THAI International only flies 2-aisle aircraft now which they frequently use on short haul routes (Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Phnom Penh, Yangon, Vientiane) which is simply economically stupid. Let's see if they can overhaul their managment to become more competitive.

Loosing money and now buy more planes from government money. Multibillion costs. 

Reminds me of something that happened a few years ago 

They will have a new motto soon.

 

Politics before Passengers.

 

When an airline allows its pilots to refuse to take off because they don't like a politician on board , to the inconvenience of all the other passengers, then you get a good perspective of how they value your custom.

 

Never flown with them again since they permitted this to happen.

Any national carrier that lets off longhaul passengers onto the tarmac to be packed into hot oven busses is an abject failure. 

they will have to upgrade their poor service and attitude first

4 hours ago, aircooledflat4 said:

I’d like to use Thai as they’re a direct flight for me but since they can’t be arsed to park at a gate like a normal airline and just drop you on the tarmac and shuttlebus you to the gate..  and not even close to immigration where you’d expect to be dropped off... oh no.... that’s a bit much to ask.... still gotta walk half mile through the walkways just to rub it in.... bloody rude.. never again will I use their so called service.

Flew Thai HCMC/BKK a few years ago. Was given one of their famous box meals. Arrived at the middle of nowhere and bused to terminal. Plane to terminal half the flight time.

Flew Vietair next trip. Hot meal on board. Arrived at a gate. Guess which airline I flew for the next 2 years?

On complaining to Thai about the box meal they replied that the flight is too short to serve hot meal.

According to their website they have run at a profit every year, for the last 40years.

2 hours ago, Denim said:

They will have a new motto soon.

 

Politics before Passengers.

 

When an airline allows its pilots to refuse to take off because they don't like a politician on board , to the inconvenience of all the other passengers, then you get a good perspective of how they value your custom.

 

Never flown with them again since they permitted this to happen.

Interesting. They've clearly forgot their ethics code no.2

 

https://www.thaiairways.com/en_KR/about_thai/company_profile/history.page 

1 hour ago, Toosetinmyways said:

Flew Thai HCMC/BKK a few years ago. Was given one of their famous box meals. Arrived at the middle of nowhere and bused to terminal. Plane to terminal half the flight time.

Flew Vietair next trip. Hot meal on board. Arrived at a gate. Guess which airline I flew for the next 2 years?

On complaining to Thai about the box meal they replied that the flight is too short to serve hot meal.

Those busses are one of the most pathetic things I've ever experienced. National carrier. Either they have classic Thai inability to manage and plan or they have the other classic trait which is cheapness as they may save money by not parking at a gate. 

 

Really low class 

6 hours ago, Pilotman said:

BA are hardly a role model of efficacy.  Leasing new aircraft is a big part of the answer.  Fuel costs are the biggest single cost for an airline and the new generation of aircraft and 'leased by the hour ' engines are more that 50% more fuel efficient .  You dont have to be an aviation guru to do the maths.  Thai needs to be in the private sector to have a future, but that is never going to happen.   

True, but on the downside, BA employs fat,older stewardess who should have retired years ago. 

Usually fly EVA or Emirates....Thai is too expensive and, well, have other concerns as their planes are older.