Thai Airways Aims To Place Large Plane Order Soon: President

[chantorn]

The Baht is strong now. Why not pay up front with cash now. TG have planes to fly a plane load of dollar bill to Seattle / Toulouse.

[tombkk]

The Baht is strong now. Why not pay up front with cash now. TG have planes to fly a plane load of dollar bill to Seattle / Toulouse.

[bubba]

I'm not why so many people get so excited about flying on an aircraft which TG intends to configure with 501 seats. Sure, the airlines love it and promote the A380 hype since they derive more revenue per seat. Personally, I would prefer not queuing with 500 people for check-in, boarding, deplaning, or arriving at immigration and baggage claim with my 500 fellow passengers. And what happens if a fully booked flight is cancelled and all 500 of us need alternate bookings to our destination? Also, did Airbus really expect that any of us would believe the initial hype of all that extra space allowing onboard lounges, work-out space, shops and even lavatories for first class with bathtubs?

I'm really hoping that TG will go with a large 787 order. I'm looking forward to the lower cabin altitude and higher humidity so that I arrive not feeling like a dried prune. And with the 787's 230 passengers compared to the A380's 500, the choice is obvious.

[bubba]

I hope TG makes a decision soon, because the delays are costing it PAX. No one wants to sit on a broken, dirty chair that usually doesn't recline or have a private screen as is the case on the HKT-BKK-NRT route. TG has been lucky to date because of the reliability and dependability of is aged Boeing fleet. Unfortunately, sooner or later metal fatigue will show its ugly face.

Last time I flew Thai internationally was may 2000 business class.

Since only fly business class with flat beds, thus not Thai Airways.

Old planes, not for me

Should we make a list of airlines with flat beds? I'd be interested.

From experience:

BA Yes (This experience already dates back to 2006!)

TG No (2010)

NH No (2010)

LH No (A few years ago...)

OS No (2008)

CA No (2008)

Try this list:

http://www.flatseats.com/Reviews/A-Z-Business.htm

TG do have nearly flat seats now in business class at 170° recline. The old 777s and 747s had some of the worst business class seats flying, but they have retrofitted all the 777s now, and I think the 747s may be complete now as well.

Also, TG made Skytrax top ten airlines list at #9:

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/main/2010Awards.htm

I've seen a huge improvement in TG over the the five years or so. That said, their business class food service rates fairly poorly from my recent experience.

[nong38]

Airbus with Airbrush 380 please, Mr. President. Forget them expensive American planes.

From wikipedia:

A330-300: $195.9 to $205.7m (2008)

A380-800: US$ 317.2â€"337.5 million (2008)

A350-900: $240.6 million (2008) - (introduction 2013)

777-200LR: US$237.5â€"263.5 million (2009)

787-8: US$161.0â€"171.5 million (2009) - (introduction 2011)

747-8I: US$293-308 million (2009) - (introduction after 2011)

Keep in mind these are list prices which all and sunder get a discount on.

[nong38]

Looking at these figures the Airbus 350-900 looks the best value and the plane that Thai be buying but that may be a simplistic view. If someone offered me an incentive!!!!!!!!! I see thinks under the table differently. But, being an honest straightforward person- Airbus 350-900 with Rolls Royce latest engine has to be the logical choice especcialy as Thai have said they want ot standarsise engines and keep costs down and just ordered jets with RR and 2 spares and all associated gear for maintenance for the next 10 years including engine stands

[tombkk]

I hope TG makes a decision soon, because the delays are costing it PAX. No one wants to sit on a broken, dirty chair that usually doesn't recline or have a private screen as is the case on the HKT-BKK-NRT route. TG has been lucky to date because of the reliability and dependability of is aged Boeing fleet. Unfortunately, sooner or later metal fatigue will show its ugly face.

Last time I flew Thai internationally was may 2000 business class.

Since only fly business class with flat beds, thus not Thai Airways.

Old planes, not for me

Should we make a list of airlines with flat beds? I'd be interested.

From experience:

BA Yes (This experience already dates back to 2006!)

TG No (2010)

NH No (2010)

LH No (A few years ago...)

OS No (2008)

CA No (2008)

Try this list:

http://www.flatseats...-Z-Business.htm

TG do have nearly flat seats now in business class at 170° recline. The old 777s and 747s had some of the worst business class seats flying, but they have retrofitted all the 777s now, and I think the 747s may be complete now as well.

Also, TG made Skytrax top ten airlines list at #9:

http://www.worldairl.../2010Awards.htm

I've seen a huge improvement in TG over the the five years or so. That said, their business class food service rates fairly poorly from my recent experience.

Thanks for the links. It looks like I will fly SQ next time I go to Europe!

TG used to be at #1 or #2, well changing places back and forth with SQ. I see SQ ist still at #2, but TG way down at #9. It's good that they are updating their fleet.

As for the food, this is something where TG has always been good IMHO. Even better than my recent trip on NH (comparing business class food). Rank #1 is OS, where the food in business is like in a good restaurant, and even in eco I commended the on-board chef once. Yes indeed. TG food in eco is not bad either.

[bubba]

I'm not enamoured with TG business class meals, as the main course is always served in one of those dishes with everything cooked together with lots of sauce. Other airlines serve the main as separate portions on a plate. Even United do that, and their dinners are far better. And although the starters and dessert might be different, the main course on TG business is the same as what is served in economy. Really, those all-in-one dishes with heaps of sauce are hardly like anything I would expect in a good restaurant. And will someone please tell TG that when they serve fruit and cheese after dinner, please leave out the 'fruit cheese'? [it's sort of like white Velveeta with raisons. OK, maybe better than Cheez Whiz on saltines, but just.]

But one question: where did you encounter an "on-board chef" on a TG flight? Or do you mean the flight attendants shoveling out the aluminium foil-covered dishes from the serving cart?

And where did you ever see TG at #1 or #2? Not in the Skytrax surveys.

Just one last annoying thing about TG food service: they serve instant coffee. Even in business class. So refreshing to wake up to following a recent 17 hour flight from LAX.

[tombkk]

I'm not enamoured with TG business class meals, as the main course is always served in one of those dishes with everything cooked together with lots of sauce. Other airlines serve the main as separate portions on a plate. Even United do that, and their dinners are far better. And although the starters and dessert might be different, the main course on TG business is the same as what is served in economy. Really, those all-in-one dishes with heaps of sauce are hardly like anything I would expect in a good restaurant. And will someone please tell TG that when they serve fruit and cheese after dinner, please leave out the 'fruit cheese'? [it's sort of like white Velveeta with raisons. OK, maybe better than Cheez Whiz on saltines, but just.]

But one question: where did you encounter an "on-board chef" on a TG flight? Or do you mean the flight attendants shoveling out the aluminium foil-covered dishes from the serving cart?

And where did you ever see TG at #1 or #2? Not in the Skytrax surveys.

Just one last annoying thing about TG food service: they serve instant coffee. Even in business class. So refreshing to wake up to following a recent 17 hour flight from LAX.

The on-board chef was on an OS flight (Austrian Airlines). If you are into culinary delights, try them. they also serve excellent coffee, BTW.

I'll have to dig out when TG was #1/#2 for years in a row. It certainly was more than ten years ago, maybe twenty. They also advertised at the time that they has the youngest fleet... OK, so it's a long time ago.

[rheinwiese]

The Baht is strong now. Why not pay up front with cash now. TG have planes to fly a plane load of dollar bill to Seattle / Toulouse.

Dear....What cash? A couple of Billion $$$?

Thai Airways does not have that cashflow flying around to actually pay for an aircraft.

They must lease. (GECAS, ILFC)

FYI: standard practice in commercial aviation

[brahmburgers]

Can we expect continuation of the too-loud announcements on the P.A., and the watered-down, with loads of sugar added orange colored drink they call orange juice?

[think_too_mut]

Who is going from terrible losses into purchase of 30+ new aircrafts?

It is all about locking the contract into todays 1US$ < 30B exchange rate. Then sit and wait. In addition to regular discounts that are given (who buys at list prices?) this would mean that 200mil US$ plane would cost ~140mil. Multiply that by 30 planes and you get 1.5+ BIL US$ saving, equal to 10 new planes. 10 new planes for free.

Custom made seats: those were "Recaro", produced by a local contractor, terrible seats that got replaced on most of the older B-777.

One of them, HS-TJK, when she had them fitted:

Edited October 18, 2010 by think_too_mut

[bubba]

Who is going from terrible losses into purchase of 30+ new aircrafts?

It is all about locking the contract into todays 1US$ < 30B exchange rate. Then sit and wait. In addition to regular discounts that are given (who buys at list prices?) this would mean that 200mil US$ plane would cost ~140mil. Multiply that by 30 planes and you get 1.5+ BIL US$ saving, equal to 10 new planes. 10 new planes for free.

Custom made seats: those were "Recaro", produced by a local contractor, terrible seats that got replaced on most of the older B-777.

One of them, HS-TJK, when she had them fitted:

But Recaro is a German company. Do you mean that Recaro manufactured them in Thailand? I really didn't know that those prior generation 777 seats were made by Recaro, and that surprises me as they are generally well regarded as a high quality seat company.

Also, I believe your photo is with the new design 777 seats. The old ones were all blue with fabric cover.

[think_too_mut]

Who is going from terrible losses into purchase of 30+ new aircrafts?

It is all about locking the contract into todays 1US$ < 30B exchange rate. Then sit and wait. In addition to regular discounts that are given (who buys at list prices?) this would mean that 200mil US$ plane would cost ~140mil. Multiply that by 30 planes and you get 1.5+ BIL US$ saving, equal to 10 new planes. 10 new planes for free.

Custom made seats: those were "Recaro", produced by a local contractor, terrible seats that got replaced on most of the older B-777.

One of them, HS-TJK, when she had them fitted:

But Recaro is a German company. Do you mean that Recaro manufactured them in Thailand? I really didn't know that those prior generation 777 seats were made by Recaro, and that surprises me as they are generally well regarded as a high quality seat company.

Also, I believe your photo is with the new design 777 seats. The old ones were all blue with fabric cover.

Recaro can be a German company but the seats were trusted to "a local contractor", meaning recaro made them in Thai. Nothing special, many manufacture their goods in Thai.

New design seats? That was in 2007. and the plane was (then) I think 17 years old. The design could not be older. On 2 more planes like this I have been but did not see blueish design of the seats. Theye were being sent to Manila, Nagoya, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, mainly. Out of 17 planes with Recaro seats 11 had been refitted with regular ones (after years of passenger complaints), 6 remained and I think they are being discared as A330s arrive.

Edited October 18, 2010 by think_too_mut

[bubba]

Who is going from terrible losses into purchase of 30+ new aircrafts?

It is all about locking the contract into todays 1US$ < 30B exchange rate. Then sit and wait. In addition to regular discounts that are given (who buys at list prices?) this would mean that 200mil US$ plane would cost ~140mil. Multiply that by 30 planes and you get 1.5+ BIL US$ saving, equal to 10 new planes. 10 new planes for free.

Custom made seats: those were "Recaro", produced by a local contractor, terrible seats that got replaced on most of the older B-777.

One of them, HS-TJK, when she had them fitted:

But Recaro is a German company. Do you mean that Recaro manufactured them in Thailand? I really didn't know that those prior generation 777 seats were made by Recaro, and that surprises me as they are generally well regarded as a high quality seat company.

Also, I believe your photo is with the new design 777 seats. The old ones were all blue with fabric cover.

Recaro can be a German company but the seats were trusted to "a local contractor", meaning recaro made them in Thai. Nothing special, many manufacture their goods in Thai.

New design seats? That was in 2007. and the plane was (then) I think 17 years old. The design could not be older. On 2 more planes like this I have been but did not see blueish design of the seats. Theye were being sent to Manila, Nagoya, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, mainly. Out of 17 planes with Recaro seats 11 had been refitted with regular ones (after years of passenger complaints), 6 remained and I think they are being discared as A330s arrive.

I recall that Thai had already done some seat conversions on 777s in 2007. I'm pretty sure you weren't on a 17 year old 777 in 2007 though, since the oldest 777 flying at that time would have been 12 years old (first commercial delivery was to United in 1995). TG got their first 777 in 1996. Also, (and not to get pedantic :-) ), there is no TG aircraft with tail number HS-TJK. There is an HS-TKJ, but that was originally delivered on 1/2/08, then Thai took delivery on 28/05/2010. And of course even 17 year old planes can have new seats installed, just as Thai have done with their 20+ year old A300s.

http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Thai%20Airways-active-b777.htm

And the seats in that photo you included are most definitely the refitted (colourful) seats with plastic backs that also included the new shell-design business class seats. Here is a link where you can see the old, blue, fabric-backed economy seats, pre-refitting.

[think_too_mut]

Who is going from terrible losses into purchase of 30+ new aircrafts?

It is all about locking the contract into todays 1US$ < 30B exchange rate. Then sit and wait. In addition to regular discounts that are given (who buys at list prices?) this would mean that 200mil US$ plane would cost ~140mil. Multiply that by 30 planes and you get 1.5+ BIL US$ saving, equal to 10 new planes. 10 new planes for free.

Custom made seats: those were "Recaro", produced by a local contractor, terrible seats that got replaced on most of the older B-777.

One of them, HS-TJK, when she had them fitted:

But Recaro is a German company. Do you mean that Recaro manufactured them in Thailand? I really didn't know that those prior generation 777 seats were made by Recaro, and that surprises me as they are generally well regarded as a high quality seat company.

Also, I believe your photo is with the new design 777 seats. The old ones were all blue with fabric cover.

Recaro can be a German company but the seats were trusted to "a local contractor", meaning recaro made them in Thai. Nothing special, many manufacture their goods in Thai.

New design seats? That was in 2007. and the plane was (then) I think 17 years old. The design could not be older. On 2 more planes like this I have been but did not see blueish design of the seats. Theye were being sent to Manila, Nagoya, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, mainly. Out of 17 planes with Recaro seats 11 had been refitted with regular ones (after years of passenger complaints), 6 remained and I think they are being discared as A330s arrive.

I recall that Thai had already done some seat conversions on 777s in 2007. I'm pretty sure you weren't on a 17 year old 777 in 2007 though, since the oldest 777 flying at that time would have been 12 years old (first commercial delivery was to United in 1995). TG got their first 777 in 1996. Also, (and not to get pedantic :-) ), there is no TG aircraft with tail number HS-TJK. There is an HS-TKJ, but that was originally delivered on 1/2/08, then Thai took delivery on 28/05/2010. And of course even 17 year old planes can have new seats installed, just as Thai have done with their 20+ year old A300s.

http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Thai%20Airways-active-b777.htm

And the seats in that photo you included are most definitely the refitted (colourful) seats with plastic backs that also included the new shell-design business class seats. Here is a link where you can see the old, blue, fabric-backed economy seats, pre-refitting.

Losing my marbles...here is my post from 3 years ago, while I was still fresh.

After that been on several brand new 777s and A330, perfect.

[tombkk]

Losing my marbles...here is my post from 3 years ago, while I was still fresh.

After that been on several brand new 777s and A330, perfect.

The thread from 2007 is about the seats. TG's eco seats shown did not have individual TV screens.

I tell you something: The entertaiment system and whether I have my own screen and can choose my video is an important factor for me when choosing an airline, especially on long-haul flights. On SQ and CX, this is standard even in eco. On TG, I flew two or three years ago in business class to Munich, and I was treated to a main screen in the cabin! Haven't flown TG to Europe since, even though I am a ROP Gold Member.

They *really* need to upgrade their fleet (including seats and entertainment system) if they want to survive in this competitive market, IMHO. I wonder whether anybody at TG is reading this thread.