Thai Airways May Cancel A380 Jet Order

[steveyinasia]

I flew TG from Chiang Mai to BKK and then to Singapore. The CM leg had a nice modern aircraft with In Seat Entertainment, for a 50 minute flight, however the Singapore leg had an older plane for a 2.5 hour flight with only main screen entertainment. BTW the CM leg was approx half full.

It is the inability to manage the fleet at the base level that will ensure that TG will never be a quality airline. Also it's about time someone gave the hi-so flight attendants a kick in the pants....for goodness sake you are a waiter not the queen!!!!!

[jackdanielsesq]

People were clearly wrong, as the Boeing 747 was a freightliner prior to.

The A380 never had that luxury, it was pure CAD, hence all its design & build problems.

BR>Jack

BTW - EADS parent is still under investigation for insider trading - the stock crashed.

People said similar things when Boing launched the Jumbo.

[HamSabai]

Sadly we see a lot of Thailand shooting themselves in the foot lately. They will learn their lessons at their most desperate moment, and in the mean time, the people living here will have to tread carefully, as desperate Thai's and immigrants will commit higher amounts of crimes against farangs, because there simply isn't any money for them.

Well this is no wonder. Thailand has been doing everything possible lately, to sabotage it's tourism industry. If Thai Airways is

so serious about reviving it's business, would it not make sense to lower prices? I am always checking their prices, and they

are always much higher than either bangkok air, for domestic routes, and Eva Air for international routes. The one time I

tried them I did not think they were much better. And their surly attitudes did not help. What about the Thai visa policies?

When all of their neighbors are making visas easier for foreigners, one would think Thailand would follow the lead. Eliminating

visa fees accomplishes nothing. Anyone considering a trip here is not going to make that decision based on a tiny savings on

visa fees. How about lengthening the visa periods? How about making it far easier to re-new the visa? Policy of substance is

what we are looking for, and what the Thai government seems incapable of. What about eliminating this heinous ATM fee?

Thailand should be subsidizing ATM withdrawals, not taking them. With 30% hotel occupancy nationwide, one would expect some

constructive policy. Do we see any? Do we see any cooperation between the immigration office, the tourism dept, and the central

govermnent? Is this too much to ask? Why is this country so fabulously dysfunctional?

No they won't Thais learning from their mistakes is simply not conceivable.

Edited June 9, 2009 by HamSabai

[dukkha]

I have never flown Thai but wifey has, most recently last month back to BKK from LHR.

Her opinion was that the plane was very old and dirty with no seatback IFE. Cabin crew were 'very old' and disinterested.

It was very poor compared with the outgoing flight with Etihad for which she had nothing but praise.

If Thai are no unable to ungrade their deteriorating long haul fleet I can only see them losing even more of what should be their core customers.

'Wifey'...what century are you living?......dukkha

[timinchina]

Thai Airways may cancel A380 jet order

THAI reconsiders costly jumbo jet deal

Not going to happen unless the contract is switched to other stock of equivalent value. Airbus possibly have bent over backwards to get that initial deal signed.

I can see the high power negotiations now

Head of Thai Airways to Airbus CEO:

"You want money for plane...you bad man!"

[BarryM]

Thai has lost the plot. They have recently increased fares whilst other airlines have reduced theirs. For the last four years I've been making 5-6 trips a year on TG in first class to Europe. Not any more. Changes to ROP rewards and the "we're Thai you farang you not understand thai people" attitude means I'm saving myself 100 - 120 000 baht RT and flying Etihad biz. Flat seat is just as comfortable as TG first (TG biz is a joke). OK no third rate caviar but 120k baht buys alot on the ground. And noone's gonna arrest you for using reading lights either......

[robbiecia]

As poorly operated at Thai Airways International is this seems like a prudent business decision. Because it is Thai I am supicious that something else is going on, a back story of some kind. The move that makes most sense is to negotiate for smaller Airbus aircraft to reduce penalies for canceling A380 orders. However, "This is Thailand" and the minister of communications or health may want the country to start an airline manufacturing company, maybe call DumbassSiamAirlineManufacturingCompany, in an attempt to become the aircraft manufacturing hub of hubs.

And the managing director will be Somtit Iwannaseeyourporn

[asiawatcher]

Perhaps they could now channel some of this budget to retraining complacent staff and retrofitting seats that are compressed and uncomfortable with age, clean the planes occasionally, oh yes, and get competitive on pricing and generally raise the image and see if that does not work.

[Zombienation]

Agree fully, flown TG many times, but only due to a lack of alternatives....they are always the only carrier with seats available at christmas....

Planes old, still have the US anti-smoking warnings signs in the toilet, so you know they've been around a bit...Staff always look bored and unhappy. Their business class and first class are still stuck in the past, while the rest of the world aims for the 5 star treatment, theirs is decidedly 1 star, by comparison.

So, a crap economy class, with no individual entertainment options, a retarded, archaic ( but profit making) business and first class. Shabby planes, awful staff who really don't want to help and then they have the incredible foresight to charge some of the highest prices. Genius.

They are in huge amounts of debt. The A380 is an attractive profit making plane, more passengers means more money and it is more economical. The decision to cancel might suit todays global market, but it displays a very naive and quite frankly suicidal understanding of business. Long term business will pick up, especially if you have new stylish planes with all the bells and whistles...I for one would've flown TG if they had been using the A380. I wont be using them again.

[Zombienation]

People were clearly wrong, as the Boeing 747 was a freightliner prior to.

The A380 never had that luxury, it was pure CAD, hence all its design & build problems.

BR>Jack

BTW - EADS parent is still under investigation for insider trading - the stock crashed.

People said similar things when Boing launched the Jumbo.

But they are in service now and appear to be doing just fine. A beautifully conceived aircraft imho....and the future of flying.

[wackysleet]

People were clearly wrong, as the Boeing 747 was a freightliner prior to.

The A380 never had that luxury, it was pure CAD, hence all its design & build problems.

BR>Jack

BTW - EADS parent is still under investigation for insider trading - the stock crashed.

People said similar things when Boing launched the Jumbo.

Not so, the 747 was designed in the early sixties with an expectation of being made redundant when the supersonic airliners came into service, also being designed in the sixties.

The 747 came with a design feature that when the time came ex passenger carrying jumbos could be converted easily into cargo planes.

Your statement that they were originally freightliners is flawed, the reality is that Boeing along with several other manufacturers submitted plans to the military as requested for a large freightliner designated as The C-5 Galaxy of 1995 designed by Lockheads and powered by General Electric engines, Boeings plans were rejected, the 747 was never conceived as a freightliner.

[richmax]

I have never flown Thai but wifey has, most recently last month back to BKK from LHR.

Her opinion was that the plane was very old and dirty with no seatback IFE. Cabin crew were 'very old' and disinterested.

It was very poor compared with the outgoing flight with Etihad for which she had nothing but praise.

If Thai are no unable to ungrade their deteriorating long haul fleet I can only see them losing even more of what should be their core customers.

I had a very similar experience flying BKK-LAX on Thai and LAX-BKK on United. Business Class both ways. I never thought I would see the day that I would say that United did a better job than Thai. United, of all carriers! Anyway, here we go: UNITED DID A BETTER JOB THAN THAI.

[mdechgan]

The a380 is a very expensive aircraft. Most other airlines are also defering theirs. The whole reason for the a380 beign bought was for the BKK-LHR and/or BKK-Syndney route which are currently packed. However the route will take years possibly decades to recover the 300 million investment.

[julemanden]

Thai airways is not the only company suffering from the global money problems, and the related travel cutbacks. All mayor airlines are hurting bad. Contracts are being cancelled, aircraft are being stored, you name it, and it is happening.

That's it exactly true...not like other write it in here

[Screws]

? Do we see any cooperation between the immigration office, the tourism dept, and the central

govermnent? Is this too much to ask? Why is this country so fabulously dysfunctional?

They should line up either the immigration bods or TAT & shoot them - save at least one expense - they are totally at cross purposes.

[wackysleet]

Thai airways is not the only company suffering from the global money problems, and the related travel cutbacks. All mayor airlines are hurting bad. Contracts are being cancelled, aircraft are being stored, you name it, and it is happening.

That's it exactly true...not like other write it in here

Posters are not in fact denying that there is a global downturn in the aircraft industry what they are saying is that Thai Airways is crap and they should not have lost a very large percentage of the home market as they have.

[animatic]

Sad news, I'd always assumed that the reason for two daily 747-400 flights to LHR, was that eventually there would be just one daily A380, with cheaper-fares & competitive-quality again, and the same would be true for other core-routes to Europe/Aussie/USA.

But this is probably a sensible financial step, for a failing 2nd-rate airline, which seems to have lost its way strategically. One supposes that the government has made it clear, the cheque-book is not unlimited, at least until Thai Airways can demonstrate that they can organise a drinks-party in a brewing-establishment.

Also this may help Airbus catch-up on previously-delayed deliveries to the likes of Singapore, Qantas & Emirates or Qatar, who can put these beautiful aircraft to good use, like carrying people to Bangkok at-a-profit !

This sums it all up pretty well.

And adding this in the wake of the French airbus plane going down in a severe storm,

for me at least, brings into question the robustness of Airbus's 'fly by wire technology'...

Which of course would be quite similar in the A380 too.

[animatic]

? Do we see

any cooperation between the immigration office, the tourism dept, and the central govermnent?

Is this too much to ask? Why is this country so fabulously dysfunctional?

They should line up either the immigration bods or TAT & shoot them - save at least one expense - they are totally at cross purposes.

Well how about these new visa rules.

Take aplane get 30 day visa, GO BY LAND 15 DAYS...

Sounds like inter-departmental cooperation to force more tourists onto Thai airplanes.

[Tango7]

I have never flown Thai but wifey has, most recently last month back to BKK from LHR.

Her opinion was that the plane was very old and dirty with no seatback IFE. Cabin crew were 'very old' and disinterested.

It was very poor compared with the outgoing flight with Etihad for which she had nothing but praise.

If Thai are no unable to ungrade their deteriorating long haul fleet I can only see them losing even more of what should be their core customers.

The seats do look old and look like something out of the 60's. Food sucks too and the stewards can be balshy. I'll not fly with Thai anymore. Too expensive as well.

I think the profits go into pockets and not on improving the fleet or service. Mind you, it's like other Thai companies that have got big and provide a shoddy service.

True Internet - sucks

UBC - sucks

Some Thais told me they believe that the TG stands for "tomorrow go" because they are always late or have delays.

Personally I fly EVA and apart from the food, think they offer a great service and value for money

[john b good]

I guess they are starting to realise that farangs no longer see thailand as a holiday destination.

AND that Thai has also become a very third rate airline whose usual customers are deserting Thai in their droves.

Edited June 9, 2009 by john b good

[fyaman001]

Good grief...what a bunch of miserable s.o.b.'s the vast majority of you people on here are! Such colonialist, superior and arrogant attitudes and points of view. While maybe not as great as Quantas or some others, THAI is vastly superior to many (if not most) international airlines. And the belief that all things Thai must come with a back story, hidden agenda or potential scam is ridiculous. Why do so many of you live in Thailand and continue to travel there if you are so jaded and dissatisfied? Do all of us (and the Thai people as well) a favor and pack your bags or zip your lips!

[wackysleet]

And adding this in the wake of the French airbus plane going down in a severe storm,

for me at least, brings into question the robustness of Airbus's 'fly by wire technology'...

Which of course would be quite similar in the A380 too.

Most aircraft use similar probes on their planes and a lot of aircraft especialy military planes can only operate by using computers as it would be impossible to fly them manually.

Please don't worry about the.... fly by wire technology, they use very strong wire, .

[bino]

Wonder if the bribes the got from Airbus also have to be paid back. (im sure they have had bribes)

Definitely! Airbus isn't above paying. Most Canadians can tell you a story about how one of our former PMs was investigated by the RCMP for "allegedly" taking money under the table from Airbus during his term, in what became known as the Airbus Affair.

[wackysleet]

Good grief...what a bunch of miserable s.o.b.'s the vast majority of you people on here are! Such colonialist, superior and arrogant attitudes and points of view. While maybe not as great as Quantas or some others, THAI is vastly superior to many (if not most) international airlines. And the belief that all things Thai must come with a back story, hidden agenda or potential scam is ridiculous. Why do so many of you live in Thailand and continue to travel there if you are so jaded and dissatisfied? Do all of us (and the Thai people as well) a favor and pack your bags or zip your lips!

aren't you being a little hypocritical, you have an opinion that YOU believe is right whilst denying others theirs, posters opinions here are usually based on experience and if you believe Thai Airways ARE VASTLY SUPERIOR THAN MANY { IF NOT MOST} you are certainly in the minority here, and as for that other load of cobblers ....if you don't like it pack your bags, try something a little more original and go back to whatever planet you came from.

[Robbie Dye]

Thai airways is not the only company suffering from the global money problems, and the related travel cutbacks. All mayor airlines are hurting bad. Contracts are being cancelled, aircraft are being stored, you name it, and it is happening.

I agree to an extent but they cannot keep those 747's airborne too much longer and makes sense to have a few A380's so they can cut the number of flights to say london but just use bigger planes, end effect surely cost savings.

[wileycoyote]

Are they cutting the flights to London in the Winter ?

[Tango7]

Good grief...what a bunch of miserable s.o.b.'s the vast majority of you people on here are! Such colonialist, superior and arrogant attitudes and points of view. While maybe not as great as Quantas or some others, THAI is vastly superior to many (if not most) international airlines. And the belief that all things Thai must come with a back story, hidden agenda or potential scam is ridiculous. Why do so many of you live in Thailand and continue to travel there if you are so jaded and dissatisfied? Do all of us (and the Thai people as well) a favor and pack your bags or zip your lips!

aren't you being a little hypocritical, you have an opinion that YOU believe is right whilst denying others theirs, posters opinions here are usually based on experience and if you believe Thai Airways ARE VASTLY SUPERIOR THAN MANY { IF NOT MOST} you are certainly in the minority here, and as for that other load of cobblers ....if you don't like it pack your bags, try something a little more original and go back to whatever planet you came from.

Well said... the "if you don't like it bugger off" brigade sucks. Opinions are what matter here and most are saying the same thing. If you have a different opinion, state your case or...bugger off.

[catmac]

Good grief...what a bunch of miserable s.o.b.'s the vast majority of you people on here are! Such colonialist, superior and arrogant attitudes and points of view. While maybe not as great as Quantas or some others, THAI is vastly superior to many (if not most) international airlines. And the belief that all things Thai must come with a back story, hidden agenda or potential scam is ridiculous. Why do so many of you live in Thailand and continue to travel there if you are so jaded and dissatisfied? Do all of us (and the Thai people as well) a favor and pack your bags or zip your lips!

If you sincerely believe that "Thai is vastly superior to many (if not most) international airlines" then I feel sorry for you. I used to always fly Thai - based not a little on the belief that I should spend my money with the National Airline of the country that I reside in and love - but in the end, their ancient aircraft, their indifferent staff and their excessive prices drove me away. Every other airline I have used since (including Etihad, Emirates and Qatar) leave Thai standing. Nothing on Earth would ever get me back onto those ramshackle rust buckets!

Accepting the unpleasant truth about the level of corruption here is hardly ridiculous. However, I would say that seeing everything through your rose-tinted specs could be thought ridiculous, as could your silly close your eyes, zip your lips or p*ss off attitude.

[illy]

Good grief...what a bunch of miserable s.o.b.'s the vast majority of you people on here are! Such colonialist, superior and arrogant attitudes and points of view. While maybe not as great as Quantas or some others, THAI is vastly superior to many (if not most) international airlines.

Compared to qantas, these days, Thai IS a good airline. thats a bad comparison as qantas has slipped to the level of a second rate airline too.same problems as Thai..crappy old planes, indifferent and surly crew,profit at all costs obsessed management, indifference to their core customers, and a slipping safety record. they have become an embarrassment to australia.

[animatic]

And adding this in the wake of the French airbus plane going down in a severe storm,

for me at least, brings into question the robustness of Airbus's 'fly by wire technology'...

Which of course would be quite similar in the A380 too.

Most aircraft use similar probes on their planes and a lot of aircraft especialy military planes can only operate by using computers as it would be impossible to fly them manually.

Please don't worry about the.... fly by wire technology, they use very strong wire, .

Air forces craft crash even more....

more cutting edge experimental compared to most commercial aviation.

I lived in France 10 years and knew several Airbus employees from engineering to fabrication,

this was a common theme with them privately; Lightning strikes causing catastrophic loss of control.

And remember the NYC crash caused by faulty airspeed readings also if memory serves.

Something besides a micro burst caused this crash, and lack of ANY communications from the crew,

during a decent from 40,000 feet is mega troubling.... long time to not have ANY radio coms....

I can't imagine the amount of money Airbus will spend to find out the reasons. But they MUST find out.

regardless of pronouncement from lower end government weenies.