i ended up buying tickets jfk-icn-hkg return on asiana (1476 usd) and mfm (macau)-bkk return on air asia (172 usd) for my winter trip to se asia.

i almost bought a ~1390 USD japan airlines ticket jfk-nrt-bkk return, but i read too many horror stories about jal's 30" seat pitch. that's fine for japanese people, but i stand 6'2". asiana has 34" seat pitch in economy! i can also accrue united mileage plus miles on asiana since they're part of the star alliance.

although i'm looking forward to spending a few days in hong kong and macau, the 1717 usd i paid thai airways last winter seems like such a great deal. oh well.

Thai has given up trying to sell these dogs. The only bids they got for these 400 million dollar A340-500's was for 50 million each, and that offer was from a plane dismantler in the USA for scrap. It's quite evident this Airbus model is one of the youngest planes to ever become hopelessly obsolete because of it's excessive fuel consumption and maintenance costs. Good work Airbus.

Thai has given up trying to sell these dogs. The only bids they got for these 400 million dollar A340-500's was for 50 million each, and that offer was from a plane dismantler in the USA for scrap. It's quite evident this Airbus model is one of the youngest planes to ever become hopelessly obsolete because of it's excessive fuel consumption and maintenance costs. Good work Airbus.

No comment other than

It's quite possible that ANA's premium economy seats are not being made available to Thai. As I recall, the total number of PE seats on the ANA transpacific flights are HALF that of the Thai nonstops (20+ versus Thai's 40+) and are much more expensive than what Thai was charging.

We tried to fly premium economy on JAL to LAX via NRT last year and was told they can only issue ticket with consistent travel class for the entire leg from the point of origin to the destination, therefore the premium economy ticket can't be issued in Bangkok as there's no PE class on BKK - NRT leg of flight. I guess the same applies for ANA.

Thai has given up trying to sell these dogs. The only bids they got for these 400 million dollar A340-500's was for 50 million each, and that offer was from a plane dismantler in the USA for scrap. It's quite evident this Airbus model is one of the youngest planes to ever become hopelessly obsolete because of it's excessive fuel consumption and maintenance costs. Good work Airbus.

The A340 is designed for ultra-long-haul non-stop routes, which means it has to haul the fuel required for the final hour (plus safety margins) much further, than on a mid-range route. Of course this makes it less fuel-efficient ! But that's what the market required so that's what the manufacturer produced.

Now the market has changed. Fuel is relatively more-expensive, first/business-class travel is depressed, and economy-passengers are more willing to accept a tech-stop or change-of-plane somewhere, if it means they get a cheaper ticket. But this may change again after a few years.

Thai Airways bought these planes because they wanted to fly non-stop to JFK or LAX or SFO. Now they don't, and they're trying to sell the planes on, just at the worst time, in the middle of a major aviation slump. Criticise Thai for poor fleet-planning, for trying to run a route for prestige-reasons rather than because they could make money at reasonable load-factors, if you like.

That's not the fault of Airbus Industries.