Why Is Thai Airways More Expensive Than Other Carriers?

[Prakanong]

In Asia, air carriers tend to charge more in their home markets. Same with Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong.

Would agree with that - TG prices seem to be better out of Singapore than out of Thailand.

Cheaper than SIA but I have to fly SIA on company business.

Could you PM me the name of your travel agent coz I always get quoted silly money for TG SIN-BKK-SIN, and as SQ are pricey too, I end up on Swiss, who are great but have only one flight per day which is sometimes inconvenient ...

CC

I was talking about the flights to Europe and the USA I see advertised.

I think Swiss is the best bargain of the lot - I got a 1 year open Biz class for 16000THB in BKK recently - the 1 year open economy on SIA is 14000 and 12000 on TG

I still have two return sections on SIA back to BKK to use but none the other way. I also need to book my Christmas flight with my airmiles on TG - I will get 50% off for my birthday month as Gold so should be OK getting a flight - must do this tomorrow.

[johnbd]

Some of the pricing differential has to do with your chances of surviving the flight. Or the perception thereof.

kenk3z

Generally good in-flight service, but use some really old equipment when off the flagship routes. Try BKK to China, beat up 20 year old bangers. Thai need to buy some up to date aircraft.

Johny boy

[cobalto]

As Mr. Knowledge said, it's almost impossible to compare fares. So the best way is to check all the options and see which fare, on that specific point in time, is more cost-effective...

If you google for dohop you will get an online fare check for all possible ways and you can sort by price, duration or whatever. But again, their rates might not be the best... Better find a trusty travel agent, which you know will not sell you the highest fare to increase their margin, and search for the cheapest option...

Oh, and don't forget to check the codeshares!!! I once tried to book a Nippon Airways flight from New York to Tokio but it was fully booked. When checking the United Airlines codeshare (same flight, operated by Nippon Airways) it still had seats and the cheap ones!

Edited October 29, 2007 by cobalto

[aussiep]

Some of the pricing differential has to do with your chances of surviving the flight. Or the perception thereof.

kenk3z

TG from Australia in economy has 3 classes

Ths cheapest (no points, very restricted, no changes)

Medium 50% points and restrictions

Q class ( which I just used ) no change restructions, 3 month ticket. AUD$1190 includes 245 tax

Very good if you are staying more than 35 days but trying to avoid the expencive 1 year ticket.

I will be at the travel agents this week so can give prices and classes if your interested.

aussiep

[smurf384]

And they have no competition from Frankfurt to Bangkok without stopover. Brunei was always some hundred Euros cheaper for us. One beer on a flight was never worth the higher price. And Service isn´t that good , and I always catched old planes when travelling with them.

You have to worry when you taxi toward runway and you have prayers start on the public address in the plane.

When you buy a computer you can buy a HP or you can buy a no name brand!!!!!

[dee123]

i prefer eva to thai.....but thai's have been brought up to beleive that its the best in the world and so they have a ready supply of customers

[londonthai]

no, eva simply doesn't have that good servivce as TG - that's on to ease of comminiction for those who don't speak that good english or mandarin

[dee123]

I prefer asian service rather than british service as you well know British sevice is next to none at the bottom of the list,also I like to travel away from british when vacationing I find not only are the planes less full,the plane is less crowded with brits single or travelling with wife and the service is far better on eva. ....just my opinion.

[speedways]

i am flying from madrid spain to bkk in january then on later to manila and back to madrid late february

most non stop flights to thailand do not run from spain

my options were lufthansa via china or frankfurt and best quote i got on internet was over 1000 euro

or thai at 1150 euro

i eventually chose outward to bkk and return from mnl with qatar via doha each way with a cebu pacific flight from bkk to mnl

the total fare? 720 euro over 400 euro cheaper than tg

no wonder everyone says tg are expensive

ohh and on the fra/bkk no competition on direct flights your contributor was incorrect

this route is also direct on lh and cheaper too

[pistolpete]

Do you know what is TG stand for??? TG stand for Tomorrow Go

[torrenova]

A few years ago I was flying regularly from BKK-LHR and was using Thai. The in flight was near non existant and had I paid for a business class seat and got that old product I would have been really unhappy but they did have a good mileage programme, their seats were slightly more generous and the food edible. Their pricing was fair to good for the direct route.

Fast forwasrd a few years. I had to go back to London in March and I checked out the options. TG were in the 38-46k with BA around 42k. So I looked at the 1+11 or 11+1 scenarios with Singapore, Frankfurt etc. as the acting hubs. They were slightly better but still way over what I had usually paid.

On the net I find Etihad. Sure it is that dreaded 6+6 but the layover was about 60-90 minutes each way. Great planes, luckily not totaly full but it was priced at Bt19,000 plus taxes which worked out at about 28k all in (the other fares were before tax !).

So I flew for less than 30k which is just over £400.

The benefits I used to get from TG such as being able to cancel at a moments notice and rebook for free were not worth more than 50% more cash. And for a much inferior product.

[Payboy]

Do you know what is TG stand for??? TG stand for Tomorrow Go

always thought it stood for third grade