Bangkok To San Francisco

[JonnieB]

As posted below, I am going to SFO in a couple weeks and was researching my options on the net. OK, found out that Thai apparently does not fly direct to SFO anymore. All my friends like EVA so decided to give them a try. (I have flown this flight many times in the past but not in the past few years. Have used Korean, Cathay, and Northwest before.) Everyone seems to rave about the cost/benefit of the EVA deluxe class vs. regular economy so priced that and also their business class "J class" prices.

First, nothing available till the week of 09 Sep. in either class. Evergreen deluxe came in at B 41,000. Not too bad I thought. Business came in at B 75,845 (inclusive...final price (including a 5% discount for using Mastercard). I priced the same date and flight on NWA for business (wouldn't even consider their cattle class) and in came back at B 172,000!!!!!!! <deleted>...and that was listed as a "PROMO" price!!!!!!! So it's about US$ 2,230 on EVA and US$ 5,058 on NWA. That sure made it an easy choice. Receive gracious service from pretty young air hostesses for 18 hours for 2k or half-ass service from 40-50ish old cows on NWA for more than twice the price

The EVA booking site also had a couple new tricks up its sleeve that I hadn't seen before. Of course, you can book your seat and see a diagram of the cabin to do so...but they also have a pop-up flash video of the actual area of the cabin where the seat you are picking from are shown...comptete with one of those pretty hostesses I mentioned. Kinda neat. Also, of course, you can select your meal selection for every meal and snack served on your itinerary. And what a selection it was. Several Western entrées and lots of Asia ones of course. Pretty nice. As this is my first time on EVA...I hope it's as good as people say and the business is worth the $500 premium vs. Evergreen deluxe.

Only one worry, on the return from SFO, the transit time from Taipei flight and boarding for the Taipei to BKK leg is just 45 minutes. I will have to hoof-it and probably no check-in bags either.

Edited August 23, 2007 by JonnieB

[Carmine6]

Northwest apparently hasn't changed from the description you gave. Years ago I had to fly to detroit a couple weeks in a row so flew Northwest. Worst morale of any flight crews I've ever seen. One flight attendant was walking down the aisle saying "I hate my job. I hate my job. I hate my job." Not loud, but since most people were sleeping I could hear it clearly.

Eva is a good choice. The layover shouldn't be an issue in my experience. Normally the flight in arrives early and then you have to wait that much longer for the connector. Out of LA the normal layover is 1 hour and I've never had a problem with that. Usually I have time to do a quick run to their lounge (I have a gold card), check email and grab a snack.

One odd thing is the food service is more hit and miss in business class. Its way more ornate and the make the flight attendants do so much that I prefer just getting it pretty much on one tray. In business class its served more in courses but since not everyone has the same thing, there are far too many trips the flight attendants have to make. So it's not a nice timely delivery at times. Very good food though and nice cheese and fruit platter after dinner. Desserts were nice as well.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Carmine6

[Jimjim]

I've heard EVA Evergreen is quite good itself, but if you have the dosh, then go ahead and do business.

[JonnieB]

I did go ahead and book the EVA business class ticket. The only concern about a short layover is the final segment on the return...Taipei to Bangkok. The flight for Bangkok from Taipei departs only 45 minutes after the arrival of my flight from San Fran is scheduled to land.

[steelepulse]

YOu might want to drop in to flyertallk.com and see what seasoned flyers have to say about BR (EVA).  I looked into the same destination and from what I can see and tell, the old business class from BR isn't like business class for TG, SQ etc.  Older seats, no AVOD, seats don't lie flat etc.  However they do have some new planes with a better seats, entertainment options etc., so look into it as biz class seats are not the same, even on the same airline for transpacific flights.

Also look into ANA into SF as they have lie down sleepers, new planes and it was about 84K R/T in business class plus whatever the taxes/surcharges are.

Added, I see you ahve the flight booked, but not sure if you have already paid for it or not before looking into ANA as a better option as far as a seat goes.

[JonnieB]

YOu might want to drop in to flyertallk.com and see what seasoned flyers have to say about BR (EVA).  

Also look into ANA into SF as they have lie down sleepers, new planes and it was about 84K R/T in business class plus whatever the taxes/surcharges are.

What's with ANA's website...never seen an airline site like it. Doesn't seem to have a booking engine that I can see...plug in BKK-SFO and get schedule and fares. Seems to only give info on BKK-Japan flights. Am I missing something

?

[Carmine6]

On EVA, if the leg is on a 747, it'll be an old plane and not so nicely outfitted. If it's a 777 or an A330, it'll be new.

If memory serves, the 747's do not have on demand video, they run several movies in parallel so you have to live with their schedule, but they do have individual screens in business. I think the new planes have in flight entertainment for every seat in all classes, including movies on demand, games, music, tv shows, etc.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Carmine6

[Shah Jahan]

they will hold the connecting flight if you are lat coming in as proabably about %30 of the connecting passengers will be on your flight

[Thanyaburi Mac]

YOu might want to drop in to flyertallk.com and see what seasoned flyers have to say about BR (EVA).  

Also look into ANA into SF as they have lie down sleepers, new planes and it was about 84K R/T in business class plus whatever the taxes/surcharges are.

What's with ANA's website...never seen an airline site like it. Doesn't seem to have a booking engine that I can see...plug in BKK-SFO and get schedule and fares. Seems to only give info on BKK-Japan flights. Am I missing something

?

This looks to be for U.S. origin departures, $993 ex IAD, but limited sale price:

http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/travelservice/ssf/ssf.html

Here's for ex Japan, fares in Yen:

http://www.ana.co.jp/eng/int/

And velly strange here, select BKK to SFO and it comes up with NW & UA options??

https://aswbe-i.ana.co.jp/p_per/sky_ip_per_...cheduleInput.do

However the AIRLINE TIMETABLE booklet shows NH954 connecting to NH 008 for that routing....

Mac

[JonnieB]

On EVA, if the leg is on a 747, it'll be an old plane and not so nicely outfitted. If it's a 777 or an A330, it'll be new.

If memory serves, the 747's do not have on demand video, they run several movies in parallel so you have to live with their schedule, but they do have individual screens in business. I think the new planes have in flight entertainment for every seat in all classes, including movies on demand, games, music, tv shows, etc.

The BKK-Taipei leg is on a Triple-7; Taipei to SFO is a 747. I don't really care much about in-flight entertainment as I usually like to read, listen to recorded podcasts, and sleep in that order. Basically I splurge for business on cross-Pacific flights for the extra overall size of the seat/leg-elbow room, better service/food, and hopefully few or no kids kicking the back of my seat

I don't expect the plane/service/food to be up to Singapore or Cathay standards...just something reasonable comfy for the 18 hours or so...expecially for "only" about US$ 2000. What was so amazing was their price differential vs. everyone else...basically more that half the cost (thou the service/plane are not exactly comparable).

[steelepulse]

What's with ANA's website...never seen an airline site like it. Doesn't seem to have a booking engine that I can see...plug in BKK-SFO and get schedule and fares. Seems to only give info on BKK-Japan flights. Am I missing something

I agree, not the easiest website, but I checked and somehow got it ( can't remember) but the rate they gave was outrageous.  However if you look at traveltech2000's site they have business class ANA for 84K which is a great deal for a star alliance carrier and with new aircraft and seats.

[JonnieB]

However if you look at traveltech2000's site they have business class ANA for 84K which is a great deal for a star alliance carrier and with new aircraft and seats.

Interesting site...never heard of it before. Have you actually booked and purchased a ticket from this site/agency? Did everything go okay. Lots of spelling errors on the site so not very contentious web-designer. Are they legit to deal with?

[steelepulse]

However if you look at traveltech2000's site they have business class ANA for 84K which is a great deal for a star alliance carrier and with new aircraft and seats.

Interesting site...never heard of it before. Have you actually booked and purchased a ticket from this site/agency? Did everything go okay. Lots of spelling errors on the site so not very contentious web-designer. Are they legit to deal with?

They are based in BKK and have been around for quite a while.  I believe they also run ads in the BKK post (almost) every day.  I personally have never booked from them, but I have read many accounts in various travel fora that they are fine.  Their correspondence is generally within a day of inquiry, but I'm sure you could call them.  I plan on making my booking BKK-SFO with them for my travel in Dec.

[sfokevin]

I have done EVA's SFO-BKK at least a dozen times... Every time with a 45 minute layover in the SFO to BKK segment and have never had a problem with connection the CKS airport is pretty straight foreword and organized I usually have time to go to their lounge and take a quick shower (The lounge is on the upper level of the shopping area) and I actually prefer the deluxe cabin to the business class upstairs which as a bit too claustrophobic for me.

Edited August 24, 2007 by sfokevin

[JonnieB]

I have done EVA's SFO-BKK at least a dozen times... Every time with a 45 minute layover in the SFO to BKK segment and have never had a problem with connection the CKS airport is pretty straight foreword and organized I usually have time to go to their lounge and take a quick shower (The lounge is on the upper level of the shopping area) and I actually prefer the deluxe cabin to the business class upstairs which as a bit too claustrophobic for me.

The concern is not with the outbound leg to SFO...there is like a 2-3 hour layover in Taipei on that flight. It is with the return from San Francisco to Bangkok. The time interval between when the plane lands in Taipei from San Francisco, and when the connecting flight to Bangkok departs, is listed as only 45 minutes.

[jaiyenjohn]

Did the SFO-BKK route on EVA many times. Never had a problem making the return connection. Chiang-kai-Shek is really easy. You get in your gate, go through a security screening, take the escalator upstairs, and back out to the story above where you came in.

Really easy, and you'll probably be waiting around for a half hour out of that 45 minutes, especially flying business or evergreen as you have your own exit out of the plane and don't have to wait for the rest of the 747 to get out before you.

JB