Thai Airways offers cargo service on passenger seats as alternative revenue source

[superal]

3 hours ago, JayBird said:

Have that considered lowering their rates?  I think it's the most expensive solution out of here, esp business class.

I would normally fly Thai or Eva direct from Heathrow ( British Airways at a push ) but this time I took a chance and flew direct with the no frills Scoot Air who I believe are owned by Singapore Air . Scoot fly out of Gatwick but are not flying this route again until 26th March 2022 . The aircraft was a 787 and looked new . Very few passengers , about 90 (mostly Thai ) with a 220 capacity . Have to pre-order food which was small at around £9 40 and if you want a drink on board you have to download their app and order . I could not download the app but was served 2 small tiger beers and paid on arrival when I could download OK . Plenty of legroom and because of lack of passengers I was able to lay out across 3 seats and got some sleep . The total cost for a return trip was £361 which is a huge saving .

[richard_smith237]

I find TG pricing prohibitive.

 

Because they are ‘direct’ (bkk/Lhr) I always check, they’re always a lot more than the ME Arline’s. 
 

Ok, so we pay a premium for direct flights - but that’s airline profiteering. 

 

Their business class seats are always way higher. 
 

Compare for example to Finn Air - their competitive pricing has made them successful. Their flights always seem very busy even during the Covid downturn. 

The same for Emirate & Qatar airways.
 

If TG offered competitive pricing they’d be busier - for a long time they’ve relied upon national loyalty. 

Thai airways pricing is consistently too high - they’re not competitive. 

Selling pastries in a cafe & putting boxes on seats won’t help. 
 

 

[Burma Bill]

Are those boxes filled with sand?????

[The Hammer2021]

9 hours ago, Virt said:

If i can fit in a box do i get a discount from Copenhagen to Bangkok?

The Gift.

[jonclark]

I am not an aviation expert.... but that configuration looks rather inefficient, both economically and spatially. Wouldn't it be better just to remove all the seats and then fill the cabin roof to bottom with cargo...like a real cargo plane perhaps? 

 

Or do they mean sticking passenger and cargo together in the same cabin - box / person / box / person - type config. 

[London Lowf]

49 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Because they are ‘direct’ (bkk/Lhr) I always check, they’re always a lot more than the ME Arline’s. 
 

Ok, so we pay a premium for direct flights - but that’s airline profiteering. 

I fly back to London at the end of the month - I booked direct with Thai (I refuse to use agents these days) and it cost me B18,500.

 

Yes, I could have got it 33% cheaper with a ME airline but then I would need a pre-flight PCR test and would also have a long transit, presumably in a quarantined section of the airport. And, the Thai flight departure and arrival times are very convenient.

 

I keep promising myself that I will never use Thai again, but when I came out back in October they were doing direct flights from London to the Phuket Sandbox - a no-brainer!

 

And my flight home will be relatively painless - I'm happy to pay the extra!

 

[John Drake]

9 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Said it last week, there was only 21 people on my 777 Thai flight to BKK from heathrow  on 27th Jan. They better do something, as unless this daft government lift restrictions very very soon, Thai Air will be in more financial problems than they were before

Hotel/Hospital/Hospitel scams, insurance scams, and testing scams are too lucrative for a well placed few to give up and go back to normal.

[sawadee1947]

6 hours ago, Highend Expat said:

China's economy is falling to bits

You wish........this will never happen. We are too dependent on China's products, chips in particular????????

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

11 hours ago, Virt said:

If i can fit in a box do i get a discount from Copenhagen to Bangkok?

That would require pre- flight incineration.........????

[Captain Monday]

2 hours ago, jonclark said:

I am not an aviation expert.... but that configuration looks rather inefficient, both economically and spatially. Wouldn't it be better just to remove all the seats and then fill the cabin roof to bottom with cargo...like a real cargo plane perhaps? 

 

Or do they mean sticking passenger and cargo together in the same cabin - box / person / box / person - type config. 

That has been done also. There are issues with floor strength and fire detection and suppression.

 

Load a few "flight attendants" to do smoke watch every ten minutes.

 

https://www.businesstraveller.com/features/in-photos-airlines-remove-seats-from-planes-for-cargo/

[RJRS1301]

 

1 hour ago, sawadee1947 said:

You wish........this will never happen. We are too dependent on China's products, chips in particular????????

 

????

computer, wood, or potato?

[sawadee1947]

4 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

 

????

computer, wood, or potato?

I see........

you got a wooden mobile phone run by a potato chip....????

[Cake Monster]

Do you think they would carry my Pet Pot Belly Pig in the cabin, as she gets lonely on her own.

[yogi yogi]

12 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

Lufthansa had 2,500 ghost flights last year just to keep their landing slots open,

 

I wonder how many Thai airways had ghost flights over last year, probably a lot

ghosts know how to fly they dont need to take commerical airliners

[starky]

All I know is I've had my gold status extended for third time out till Dec 2023 so it's all apples for me. ????. Still flying so enjoying all the bonuses that come with retaining my status without having to put in the big miles. Thanks Thai Airways!

[Sydebolle]

On 2/4/2022 at 8:24 AM, khunjeff said:

It's an all-cargo flight using passenger aircraft. These have been common for many airlines throughout the pandemic.

Other carriers have moved out the seats or seat rows temporarily - for obvious reasons ....... 

[GinBoy2]

On 2/3/2022 at 6:24 PM, khunjeff said:

It's an all-cargo flight using passenger aircraft. These have been common for many airlines throughout the pandemic.

Except with most airlines the seats are removed for cargo only operation.

 

There is a reason aircraft seats are basically slotted on to a rail and secured, it means they can easily be removed or replaced.

 

You then use cargo straps which secure to the former seat rails, it's not rocket science, just standard industry practice.

 

But this is TG, and always the maverick of the industry! LOL

[Captain Monday]

Many airlines did cargo in seats. Here is Cathay.  Looks well secured! Seat track rails are for seats not proper cargo ops obviously there was some improvisation, and takes extra manpower to load. The decks of real cargo aircraft  have casters in the floor, much stronger than passenger airplanes,  and down locks to allow mechanized loading of large pallets and containers. Cargo shift can be fatal.

 

A downtime job to remove and store. Allows for "one way cargo- one way passenger" ops without dedicating certain aircraft  for cargo only. That has also been done. Countries like Korea restricted passenger flights to certain number per week from USA but not cargo. Some airline flew cargo one way to maintain daily service and not have their crews sitting in down line hotels for 2-3 nights, and otherwise screwing up their network planning, 

 

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Except with most airlines the seats are removed for cargo only operation.

 

There is a reason aircraft seats are basically slotted on to a rail and secured, it means they can easily be removed or replaced.

 

You then use cargo straps which secure to the former seat rails, it's not rocket science, just standard industry practice.

 

But this is TG, and always the maverick of the industry! LOL

Yep, some years back took an evening flight business class flight Bkk to HK.

 

After reaching flying altitude hosties start to serve drinks. She serves a beer to one person before me then moves to my seat and asks 'what drink do you want?'

 

I respond 'gin and tonic please'.

 

Her response 'cannot, gin finished for today, what beer do you want?'

[berrec]

[mtls2005]

On 2/4/2022 at 10:02 AM, scorecard said:

seems to me there's very small 'set-up, operational costs/work':

 

Well not exactly a quick turn.

 

Loading/unloading those boxes will take quite a long time compared to ULDs and PMCs (containers/pallets).

 

 

[Ralf001]

12 hours ago, scorecard said:

Yep, some years back took an evening flight business class flight Bkk to HK.

 

After reaching flying altitude hosties start to serve drinks. She serves a beer to one person before me then moves to my seat and asks 'what drink do you want?'

 

I respond 'gin and tonic please'.

 

Her response 'cannot, gin finished for today, what beer do you want?'

Have had a TG hostie offer me chicken or pork for my meal.

 

I chose pork and she replied pork finished, only have chicken.

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Well not exactly a quick turn.

 

Loading/unloading those boxes will take quite a long time compared to ULDs and PMCs (containers/pallets).

 

 

Any cargo doors on the seating levels on a passenger plane ?

[mtls2005]

3 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Any cargo doors on the seating levels on a passenger plane ?

 

No. Why?

 

I assume they're using those luggage tugs with built-on conveyor. Or the standard galley lift and a bucket brigade?

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOAw5HLgcPc

 

[Ralf001]

19 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

No. Why?

 

I assume they're using those luggage tugs with built-on conveyor. Or the standard galley lift and a bucket brigade?

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOAw5HLgcPc

 

So there is no way to get a container or pallet onto that floor of the plane then.

 

not sure why you mentioned them.

[mtls2005]

19 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

not sure why you mentioned them.

 

Someone said...

 

51 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

there's very small 'set-up, operational costs/work':

 

so I responded to that comment by comparing the act of loading containers and pallets - very fast, to manually loading individual boxes. HUGE difference, requiring additional time to turn, and quite a few extra bodies.

 

 

So that's why I "mentioned" them. ????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

I think all those boxes are face masks accompanying one Thai guy 'in the know' sitting up in First Class. 

[Ralf001]

33 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I think all those boxes are face masks accompanying one Thai guy 'in the know' sitting up in First Class. 

Thats 5 years in jail and a Bt.100k fine !!

[unblocktheplanet]

I'd way rather be sitting next to a carton of goods than...you!

[overherebc]

In the event of sudden loss of cabin pressure rolls of duct tape will fall from the overhead panels.