Foreigners To Pay More On Thai Airways

[patsfangr]

What's the experience and general opinion of EVA here?

GR

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've flown EVA only twice, both times to Los Angeles, and found it to be great. I was in their premium economy section (Evergreen Deluxe, I think) and it was for all intent and purposes every bit as good as many other airlines' business class. The fare when I flew it last year, with legs to and from Texas included, was only about 42,000 baht -- only 5,000 baht more than ordinary economy.

It's worth mentioning that sometime between when I flew with them (1997 and 2004) the Chiang Kai Shek Airport in Taipei was VASTLY improved in terms of services and facilities for transit passengers. In 1997 our flight landed at something like 8:00 P.M. I bumped into an American acquaintance from here in the transit area who wanted to get something to eat. I remembered where a cafe is that accepts U.S. dollars, so I took him there -- and it was closed, the sign saying it was open something like 10:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. only. And there wasn't a single place open -- no other food outlets existed, no bars, no book shops, nothing. Of course, as economy passengers, we had no lounge privileges, either. But last year all that had changed (except I still had no lounge priviliges, of course, but that's fair enough), and it made the wait far more pleasant -- and my flight back landed there at about 5:00 A.M.

Unless something has gone drastically wrong with the airline just in the last few weeks (the last time a friend flew on it and reported it to be great as ever), I always recommend people look into whether EVA serves their destination -- anywhere.

Cheers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, Kurt. The opinions appear to be consistent. Same feedback that the travel agent told me she had received from passengers she had booked onto EVA's premium economy class.

GR

[grahamb]

I don't know if any of you have flown Thai air recently, I have and ...

As I remember (my last Thai Air flight was 5 years ago)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Call me picky but I don't consider 5 yrs ago to be recent!

it is just a step above China Air...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is no China Air. Do you mean Air China (mainland China) or China Airlines (Taiwan)?

I'm not trying to defend Thai here but if you're going to slag off the airlines, at least call them by the right name or have some recent experience to back up your claims!

[Rinrada]

not quite % STAR but are the simply the best......

4 STAR AIRLINES

To obtain more information on airline rankings, click airline name and link to rating page.

Air Dolomiti

Air France

Air New Zealand

Air Tahiti Nui

Alitalia

All Nippon Airways

Asiana Airlines

Austrian Airlines

Bangkok Airways

Braathens

British Airways

bmi British Midland

China Airlines

Dragonair

Emirates

EVA Airways

Finnair

Frontier Airlines

Gulf Air

Japan Airlines

JetBlue Airways

K L M

Korean Air

Lauda Air

Lufthansa

Luxair

Middle East Airlines

Midwest Airlines

Polynesian Airlines

Portugalia Airlines

Qantas Airways

Royal Brunei Airlines

SN Brussels Airlines

SAS Scandinavian

Saudi Arabian

Silk Air

South African Airways

SriLankan Airlines

Swiss Int'l Air Lines

TAM Brazilian Airlines

Thai Airways

Virgin Atlantic

Star Ranking represents the Quality rating of Standards applied to an airline's front-line Product & Service.

Airline standards are Graded between 1 Star and 5 Star.

2005 from Skytrax.....

[MekhongKurt]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, Kurt. The opinions appear to be consistent. Same feedback that the travel agent told me she had received from passengers she had booked onto EVA's premium economy class.

GR

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not that this is particularly on-thread, but there's an amusing sidebar to my experience in 1997 in my quest for food for my acquaintance.

It so happens I speak a spot of Mandarin, the national language of Taiwan. In said quest I approached an airport police officer and asked him if there was somewhere I could get food. He pointed towards a door clearly marked in Chinese, English, and Japanese "No exit without a visa for Taiwan."

Doubtful, I asked him to . . . "Um, say again?" He repeated himself and directed me to the far side of whatever room was beyond the door, adding to hand a left and I would find a restaurant then could come back to retrieve my friend.

Well, hey, he had the uniform, badge, and gun, so I figured I would venture out. Found myself in the *check0in* area for departing passengers! But, heck, a COP had told me, and I'm an ex-cop (long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away), so I pushed on.

And met a couple of beret-wearing, combat-booted, submachinegun-toting airport police who were eyeing me up and down. Kbowing evasiveness not to be the best approach in the situation, I approached and asked in they could speak English.

One spoke in reply in Her Majesty's finest stiff-upper-lip, Oxfordian English that he indeed could, and could he see my passport, please. Not with a question mark. "See your passport, please."

I extracted requested document, going into improv mode. "I don't have a visa for Taiwan, but an airport police sergeant told me there is a restaurant over there [me indicating the hallway runiing off to the left of the far side of the check-in hall. He looked at my passport and grimaced -- naturally -- then asked "WHAT restaurant? Besides, Sgt. Schmuck doesn't speak English, so how could he tell you?"

I admitted to having picked up to picking up a smattering of The Celestial Language once forbidden to us barbaric foreign devils after having spent some years in The Motherland and Macau, and having been married to a native of Beijing. He told me to come with them, and promptly escorted me back through the door (which on this side also said, essentially, no admittance). Inside, Sgt. Schmuck was still standing there, oblivious of what was to come.

The Captain -- and he was a Captain, his assistant a Lt. -- asked me if that was the Sgt. Schmuck to whom I had referred. Once I confirmed he indeed was, the Captain approached him and asked, "Did you tell this foreign devil there's a restaurant on the other side of the departure hall?" Sgt. Schmuck -- perhaps I should rename him "Sgt. Witless" at this point -- readily, even enthusiastically, he had. The Captain patiently asked him if he, Sgt. Witless, had directed me to go there over my concerns about going into The Forbidden Zone, another question the unfortunate sergeant agreed (strill with enthusiams, mind you) he had.

The Captain and the Lt. [the latter breifed by the Captain as we had returned to the transit area] both sighed. The Captain turned to me and told me not to worry, just to go ahead and catch my departing flight, but NEXT time not to listen to a witless policeman when I knew better.

Which I did, post-haste.

I was sweating little bullets of blood during the encounter, I'm quite happy to admit. But in retrospect, years later, it's easy to smile about the memory.

I just hope the unfortunate Sgt. Witless wasn't assigned to a team of "volunteers" to de-mine Cambodia or some such! ;-)

Anyway -- give EVA a try, and have a splendid trip.

Cheers!

Mekhong Kurt

Edited August 5, 2005 by MekhongKurt

[Flysiam]

What's the experience and general opinion of EVA here?

GR

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I fly EVA regularly and up until now exclusively between BKK and the US. Even though I am Gold Member I have found it VERY difficult to get seats (which, admitedly, does say something for them) closer to the departure date. Their class structures and coding often prohibits selling seats connecting through TPE over a certain number. I can book a seat from BKK to TPE and I can book another seat from TPE to the US (resulting in HUGE and obscene fares) but if I request to fly for BKK to the US - I am told - "sorry, no seats."

In a pinch I had to buy a ticket on another carrier - and it ended up being Cathay Pacific. I was most pleasantly surprised. They are my new airlineof choice. Seem to be more inexpensive than EVA - Overall service was SUPERIOR - Staff was MUCH more congenial - and they operated more on schedule.

I will still fly EVA as they are a good airline, but they are my back up - not my first choice now.

As for Thai Airways? NEVER

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

Double priceing like this amounts to little more than cold blooded racsism. Simple cure, don't patronise any establishment that dose it, no matter how seemingly small. Keep your investments out of Thailand and let their economy crumble like it did in 97' and take atvantage. They will never stop attempting to take atvantage of us so why not exploit them right back.

Besides, Emirates blows Thai Airways away any day.

[toni157]

Emirates is a great airline, after falling behind in business class they have woken up and now, once again provide a super product. However, they are the no.1 choice for people flying to Europe, such as myself. Our American cousins will probably get better deals flying on Asian airlines. I am not a pilot but it sems to be something to do with the way the wind blows.

As for Thai racisim, don't worry about it - they may realise ther mistake years down the road, but I doubt it. If you read my earlier post, my girlfriend didn't even consider the race issue - t came down to baht, which every conversation with a Thai always comes down to at some point. Don't fool yourselves we are unloved guests in the Land of Smiles. Perhaps your partner likes you, but try and imagine the same response if you hadn't brought something to the table.

[millwall_fan]

THAI have been desperate to divest themselves of this route for years. It doesnt suit their corporate profile. If they raise the fares, it encourages a competitor to come in. Then THAI can pull out- still leaving Mae Hong Son with the air service it and the government demands. If at some stage in the future that competitor goes bust, well thats not THAIs fault. Putting air fares up for Thais has been politically unacceptable for years, putting them up for Farangs- well frankly who cares? Except a few disgruntled Expats- and no-one is interested in their opinions.

......if you think about it, the logic is relentless. Form THAIs point of view it is the perfect solution.

[planetvoyager]

You guys here grumble about everything!

[samran]

You guys here grumble about everything!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The "Oh Woe is me" thread is a regular feature of Thai Visa. Always an entertaining diversion. No coincidence that most members are English as well......

[Fabian]

MekongKurt, that's a great story.

[Johpa]

Not that this is particularly on-thread, but there's an amusing sidebar to my experience in 1997 in my quest for food for my acquaintance.

It so happens I speak a spot of Mandarin, the national language of Taiwan.  In said quest I approached an airport police officer and asked him if there was somewhere I could get food.  He pointed towards a door clearly marked in Chinese, English, and Japanese "No exit without a visa for Taiwan."

Doubtful, I asked him to . . . "Um, say again?"  He repeated himself and directed me to the far side of whatever room was beyond the door, adding to hand a left and I would find a restaurant then could come back to retrieve my friend.

Your story is all too familiar at the ol' CKS Airport. I too once, in search of food, ended up on the wrong side of a wall. Fortunately a fellow traveler, and a native Chinese speaker, was in the same predicament, and was able to talk the two of us out of any serious trouble and arranged for an escort to return us to what was the tiny transit room where transit passengers on EVA use to have to stay for the duration of their transit. Since the remodel of CKS Airport things have improved dramatically andtransit passengers are able to avail themselves of a transit lounge with food services.

[thaigene2]

What type of business raises its rates to try to coax competition? TIT and the usual Thai-Chinese BS.

I pretty much avoid Thai now except for domestic/nearby destinations. Singapore and Cathay are my preferences...Thai needs to win me back but this sort of nonesense just pushes them further away from my credit card.

As for EVA (Evergreen Deluxe class), I've flown them to N America too. My view and that of several friends is this:

Bigger seat, extra leg room with a better choice of food. But the food isn't really very good (but okay). Entertainment not so great either. Glad to hear the Taipei airport has improved. It really couldn't have been worse when I was last there. You're paying for more room on a really boring, long, flight. And at a price that is not that much more than economy class with the competition.

But I agree with an earlier post that Cathay economy class is by far the best of the bunch. Excellent staff, service, flight times (which they sell themselves on), food, etc..Silver Club members get lounge access regardless of fare/class of travel.

Nuff said..

[The Dude]

Who cares? nobody flies there anyway and besides it's a measly 400 baht if you must go. No Big Deal

[cclub75]

If anyone has any feedback on the Royal Orchid Plus Frequent Flyer Program or a comparison to other Frequent Flyer Programs I'd be most appreciative. I'm generally flying to HK, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

Many thanks

Charles

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I fly with Thai since one year and a half, with a round trip Paris/BKK/Paris each month. So i'm gold Royal Orchid.

First comment : i'am in the process of changing to Emirates....

(I'm fed up with the lack of confort of their old B747, the lack of entertainement etc. Prices are going up...)

Regarding the Miles program.... Well it's not good as those of Emirates, Qatar Airways.

I need to have 5,96 round trip paid to get one free round trip.

With emirates (with gold status) ? 3,96....

You can also put your family on your card (and get a part of the milage). With Thai ? No way.

Let's add that the price "up front" of the ticket with Emirates is cheaper. They have beautifull Airbus with individual screens.

The only "problem" (but after some reflexion, is it really one ?) : you wait 2 or 3 hours in Dubai.

[wimpy]

If anyone has any feedback on the Royal Orchid Plus Frequent Flyer Program or a comparison to other Frequent Flyer Programs I'd be most appreciative. I'm generally flying to HK, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

Many thanks

Charles

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I fly with Thai since one year and a half, with a round trip Paris/BKK/Paris each month. So i'm gold Royal Orchid.

First comment : i'am in the process of changing to Emirates....

(I'm fed up with the lack of confort of their old B747, the lack of entertainement etc. Prices are going up...)

Regarding the Miles program.... Well it's not good as those of Emirates, Qatar Airways.

I need to have 5,96 round trip paid to get one free round trip.

With emirates (with gold status) ? 3,96....

You can also put your family on your card (and get a part of the milage). With Thai ? No way.

Let's add that the price "up front" of the ticket with Emirates is cheaper. They have beautifull Airbus with individual screens.

The only "problem" (but after some reflexion, is it really one ?) : you wait 2 or 3 hours in Dubai.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What does 5,96 mean?

[cclub75]

What does 5,96 mean?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well sorry, I thought it was obvious.

It's :

Miles you need to get 1 free ticket DIVIDED BY miles you earn on each trip.

I know it's stupid, but it's the only way to compare mileage programs

;-)

By the way i've just checked my figures : it's 3,9 tickets with Emirate, 3,4 with Qatar Airways, and yes 5,96 with Thai (gold status for each, and for Paris/BKK/Paris route).

[Ricardo]

If I pay a higher fare, than my Thai wife sitting next to me, will I get more Royal-Orchid airmiles than her ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On T international flights you only get 50 %of air miles on status W-V but 100% on Y...etc.

Domestic tends to all be the same (TG) so side my side probabally No unless you move up front behind the driver....125%...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No thanks mate, if the plane hits a mountain, then the front end gets dented first Or maybe I'm just tight - like all my friends keep saying

[ray23]

You guys here grumble about everything!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The "Oh Woe is me" thread is a regular feature of Thai Visa. Always an entertaining diversion. No coincidence that most members are English as well......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This from a Yank, some of us made the decesion on where to live based on a fixed income. for those of us who did, no we are not happy about charged more then the rest of the people who live in the same place we do.

Normal inflation is one thing, something we expect everywhere. But double pricing that is really aimed at tourist who go back to land of big earnings. We are not that group, we are the group who live here day after day and contribute to our local economies in a constant basis.

I don't spend my money on hotels, beer and ladies of the evening. But I do buy electricity, pay for the phone, UBC water, trash. Support the local vendors and repairmen. I and and lot of others do that everyday year after year.

What I spend here on a constant basis is over 1 million baht a year. I am not leaving. For that yes I would like to be treated differently then a tourist.

Living here sometime is like having two left shoes, you may have two but no matter what you do, it is not going top fit right.

There is a another group of people in this country who are not Thai's nor tourist.

So complaing is not always a matter of just griping to be griping. In this case I appreciate knowing this so I can utilize a carrier who treats me more like the other people who live in this country, which is my home.

[aletta]

utilize a carrier who treats me more like the other people who live in this country, which is my home.

Spot on Ray,The thing to do is vote with our feet.

[Artisi]

I emailed Thai and complained bitterlyabout the 2 teired

pricing and got back the following - good PR -top marks

"Thank you for your e-mail on 04th August 2005 regarding domestic ticket

fare.

We very much regret to learn of your dissatisfaction with domestic ticket

fare shown in the Bangkok Post Newspaper that THAI will increase the fare

only for foreigners.

We would like to take this opportunity to explain to you that , THAI no

currently have policy to increase the domestic ticket fare for both Thai or

foreigners. We truly regret for any misunderstanding caused to you in this

respect.

However, additional fuel surcharge will be implemented on all our domestic

flights at 355.- Baht for one-way ticket and 710.-Baht for round-trip

ticket accordingly with the ticket issue

as of 15 August 2005 onwards. We hope to receive your kind understanding

about the World Fuel Increment Crisis, thus affected our flight operation.

We assure that when fuel price situation returns to normal, THAI will

withdraw the fuel surcharge.

Thank you for taking the time to write. We assure you of our warm welcome

whenever you join us on board our Royal Orchid Service. Meanwhile, we send

you our best wishes.

Best Regards,

Thanida Saengsuwan

Customer Relations Service Officer"

[harry8292]

I have to agree with them on this one. They can do what they like and I don’t blame them, it’s probably because the foreigners are taking the seats at busy times stopping businessmen and locals getting a seat. when you see the amount of carbon monoxide that is produced flying from Europe (it’s the same as driving a car for a year) then you think these pampered tourists should be trying to offset their output so hopefully this will hit the lazy lot where it hurts by the way I was in Thailand for 3 months and I could afford a flight but I didn’t want to rush so I used the tour bus, it’s all part of the experience otherwise you might as well be shut in the hotel

[mrtoad]

I have to agree with them on this one. They can do what they like and I don’t blame them, it’s probably because the foreigners are taking the seats at busy times stopping businessmen and locals getting a seat. when you see the amount of carbon monoxide that is produced flying from Europe (it’s the same as driving a car for a year) then you think these pampered tourists should be trying to offset their output so hopefully this will hit the lazy lot where it hurts by the way I was in Thailand for 3 months and I could afford a flight but I didn’t want to rush so I used the tour bus, it’s all part of the experience otherwise you might as well be shut in the hotel

Well done, it's taken you four years to come up with a reply to this thread.

[LawnGnome]

I emailed Thai and complained bitterlyabout the 2 teired

pricing and got back the following - good PR -top marks

"Thank you for your e-mail on 04th August 2005 regarding domestic ticket

fare.

We very much regret to learn of your dissatisfaction with domestic ticket

fare shown in the Bangkok Post Newspaper that THAI will increase the fare

only for foreigners.

We would like to take this opportunity to explain to you that , THAI no

currently have policy to increase the domestic ticket fare for both Thai or

foreigners. We truly regret for any misunderstanding caused to you in this

respect.

However, additional fuel surcharge will be implemented on all our domestic

flights at 355.- Baht for one-way ticket and 710.-Baht for round-trip

ticket accordingly with the ticket issue

as of 15 August 2005 onwards. We hope to receive your kind understanding

about the World Fuel Increment Crisis, thus affected our flight operation.

We assure that when fuel price situation returns to normal, THAI will

withdraw the fuel surcharge.

Thank you for taking the time to write. We assure you of our warm welcome

whenever you join us on board our Royal Orchid Service. Meanwhile, we send

you our best wishes.

Best Regards,

Thanida Saengsuwan

Customer Relations Service Officer"

I imagine the fuel surcharge only applied to expats, who each weight as much as 3 Thais put together. Its actually is fair if you think about it.

That being said - its a 4 year old post. Who gives a crap about this anymore?

Edited December 3, 2009 by LawnGnome

[Mario2008]

As has been noted, this is an old thread and there is no sense discussing it.

CLOSED.