Thai Airways Business Class

[tw25rw]

Go here.

That's ok for outgoing. Incoming is where the confusion lies. They announce fast track arrival on the video on the plane when on approach to BKK, but don't say where it is. I usually join the normal queue having been careful to avoid the ones with Indian or Chinese groups loitering nearby waiting for their place holder to reach the front so they can all jump in.

[JoeThePoster]

Go here.

That's ok for outgoing. Incoming is where the confusion lies. They announce fast track arrival on the video on the plane when on approach to BKK, but don't say where it is. I usually join the normal queue having been careful to avoid the ones with Indian or Chinese groups loitering nearby waiting for their place holder to reach the front so they can all jump in.

If you look carefully, you'll find that it's the map for the Arrivals level. The long lines with numbers are the baggage carousels. The purple area shown by the arrow is the incoming fast track for TG business & gold card passengers.

Edited January 21, 2009 by JoeThePoster

[tw25rw]

Go here.

That's ok for outgoing. Incoming is where the confusion lies. They announce fast track arrival on the video on the plane when on approach to BKK, but don't say where it is. I usually join the normal queue having been careful to avoid the ones with Indian or Chinese groups loitering nearby waiting for their place holder to reach the front so they can all jump in.

If you look carefully, you'll find that it's the map for the Arrivals level. The long lines with numbers are the baggage carousels. The purple area shown by the arrow is the incoming fast track for TG business & gold card passengers.

Oh I see.. Now I look closer.. How many lines are there? If every eligible person queued there it would be busier than the normal queue.

[JoeThePoster]

Oh I see.. Now I look closer.. How many lines are there? If every eligible person queued there it would be busier than the normal queue.

There are at least 2 manned counters and every time I passed through in no more than 5 mins. It is faster here than the outgoing fasttrack counters - because it's so much more difficult to locate.

[almarg3088]

The best cabin I found was on the 777-300 to Australia. Earlier last year I flew in an old cabin, but in December I twice had the new one which was very spacious (and empty).

Quick side question if I may, any idea what the economy cabin in the new ones was like? I've flown Australia - Bangkok several times and been stuck on the ancient planes. We're coming over for our honeymoon and have the option to fly Emirates business class thanks to frequent flyer points, but it's a hassle as we need to fly to Sydney first, and we have a 7 hour wait for the connecting flight in Bangkok. It's more of a headache but business class would be nice for the honeymoon, but if the new economy section is better it might not be worth it?

I didn't look back there, but the specifications of that cabin are on their site:

http://www.thaiair.com/Travel_Destination_...oc/B777-300.pdf

The pitch isn't great, but seats are thinner these days so it's probably as spacious as the old 34" pitch.

The 777-200ER is a bit older but with a comparable spec:

http://www.thaiair.com/Travel_Destination_.../B777-200ER.pdf

It's the 747s that let the side down on the LHR-BKK route, but late in the year there will be A340s flying that route as well.

The 777's defintitely have more pitch between seats in econnomy and they are the only aircraft in which I have been able to get out in the aisle without the other passengers having to stand up or contort their legs to let me pass.

Lovely aircraft and the entertainmant was okay with plenty of films and such to keep me occupied and this was Thai.

Yes it is a pity they keep flying their old shit box 747's I see QANTAS has finally got rid of their last 747, but I wouldn't fly with them anyway as they have been ripping everyone off for the last 6 months with their inflated, profit building fuel tax.

Scumbags

[Maigo6]

Yes it is a pity they keep flying their old shit box 747's

The 747/400 is a good aircraft, it's just a shame Thai Airways hasn't upgraded the interiors on all of their fleet.

I can't see Business Class travellers being attracted to such a poor service.

I flew Thai Airways Business Class to Tokyo because Singapore Airlines was full, I paid 65,000 baht for a 6 month open return ticket, to say I was disappointed in the IFE ( In Flight Entertainment ), or lack of it, would be an understatement, the food was also very poor compared with Singapore Airlines.

Thai Airways may have felt good the first time I travelled with them 18 years ago, but now it all seems so dated.

Singapore Airlines knocks the pants off of Thai Airways, period !

[technocracy]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - just slap the passport down on the 1st Class desk and show them the Business class boarding pass. If they say anything just tell'em you ain't standing with the cattle fighting in the other lanes!

I've done a few times and the most in the way of a complaint I got from the immigration staff was a tut and roll of the eyes . . . fuc_k'em! Shithole . .. sorry Suvarnabhumi . . . must be the only major airport in the world in which there is no official fast track for Business Class passengers.

People can say what they want but this the kind of service which can be provided for very little cost by airlines - particularly at their home airport!

[SeaVisionBurma]

This topic has definitely been covered before:

TG-Business-Class-Inbound-Immig

As previous posters in this newer thread have said - there is a "fast track" type of system in place, you just need to go and find it. If you end up in one of the other general immigration halls, look for the diplomatic/VIP counters off to one side of the hall, and try those. Make sure you show your biz class boarding pass as you walk through.

Common sense should apply. The most amazing entertainment I had on a late night arrival in BKK was a passenger having a fantastic dummy spit at airport staff & immigration officials about not being able to find the fast track counter, and refusing to queue at the standard counters - the chap was borderline hysterical in his rant, waving his business class boarding pass & shouting at anyone in earshot.

Why was it amazing? There was virtually no queue in the normal immigration lines... He could have just gone through the normal counter & been on his way.

Can I suggest that anyone who wants to continue the debate about which airline's business class is good/crap/their favourite/evil/etc please start a new thread....

Mods I think the OP's question has been answered; can we kindly close this thread please....

[samgrowth]

Yep, I was on a 747/400 that didn't have a refit, no screens in the seat backs, no PC plugs, and hardly any choice of movies, 15 crap channels, that was it !!!!, No games, nothing......in fact I just used my iPod the whole trip, very dissapointing especially as I was using Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Business class before, but Singapore Airlines were full on the date I wanted so Thai it was.

Singapore Airlines will be seeing me again for sure.

Thai business class? No way, unless the planes get modernized, the Fast Track was useful, and not queing up with the peasants in economy is good and I had a nice shower in the lounge but the plane was dissapointing, I'm sure it was the same one I used in 1990 when I first came to Thailand!

What route was that? The ones that fly from London are much more modern.

To be honest, the 747/400 they use on LHR-BKK (TG916/TG917) route is a relativey 'old' plane and is pretty rubbish compared to other airlines, but most of the time (5 times this year), I get a row of 3 seats in Economy, which is better than being crammed onto EVA Air....albeit with better entertainment.

The strange thing is that Thai Airways use a almost new Airbus A340 from BKK-CNX, which I always do Business (nice after a long trip to use lounge etc) has massaging fully flat seats (albeit at a slight angle) and is really comfortable.....but.....

I have a question for Thai Airways......why use a crappy old 747 for the long haul to London and a spanking new all-singing and dancing A340 for a 1hr hop from BKK-CNX???

Guessing this will probably change under the new administration

LHR flight is always full due to limited slot for TG (or any other airlines). Hence TG only use metal tube with the maximum capacity, regardless of any other considerations. 747 have a higher capacity than A340.

[tw25rw]

I have a question for Thai Airways......why use a crappy old 747 for the long haul to London and a spanking new all-singing and dancing A340 for a 1hr hop from BKK-CNX???

That A340 is possibly being used in between long haul flights rather than have it sitting idle for a few hours.