Got My Thai Airways Gold Card Today

[ExpatJ]

The gold card is no longer their top card, since they introduced the platinum card for people flying over 150,000 miles a year. So can we can probably expect the benefits of the gold card to diminish.

Compared to other Star Alliance lounges the biz class one in Swampy is a disgrace. No wine or spirits. Limited food, including THAI own dreadful Pie & Puff soggy offerings. No computers. Crowded. I think they don't even allow gold card holders travelling economy in there any more and have set up some even worse lounges for them. They have not been able to use the biz class check in desks since before Swampy. There are some gold check in desks that are hard to find and with long queues.

Platinum is by invitation only. There aren't any published fixed criteria except that you've been a gold for a while and fly premium classes. Also, only TG flights count towards it. So flights on LH or UA will count towards gold but not platinum.

Economy passenges can still use the lounges in C and E but not the big one in D.

Unless they moved them, the *gold check in was next to the Royal Silk check in.

I have a gold card and when i fly economy i can still use the big lounge D no problem- i thought everyone just ignored that rule ??!!

The best thing about gold card is being able to get a seat in bulk heard or emergency exit rows with the extra leg room.

But overall thai airways has some major problems- old air hostesses (in business class most literally look like my mother , and im 39_ One of the reasons air asia and singapore air are so successful is that they have young, hot asian babes as hostesses (and both companies base their advertising on this fact; "Singapore girl you're a good way to shag.,..sorry, fly..." Also the thai planes are so old- no inflight entertainment in many flights- even in business class.

Edited September 8, 2011 by ExpatJ

[tw25rw]

But overall thai airways has some major problems- old air hostesses (in business class most literally look like my mother , and im 39_ One of the reasons air asia and singapore air are so successful is that they have young, hot asian babes as hostesses (and both companies base their advertising on this fact; "Singapore girl you're a good way to shag.,..sorry, fly..." Also the thai planes are so old- no inflight entertainment in many flights- even in business class.

I never cared about that. I just want them to feed and water me then leave me alone.

[ExpatJ]

But overall thai airways has some major problems- old air hostesses (in business class most literally look like my mother , and im 39_ One of the reasons air asia and singapore air are so successful is that they have young, hot asian babes as hostesses (and both companies base their advertising on this fact; "Singapore girl you're a good way to shag.,..sorry, fly..." Also the thai planes are so old- no inflight entertainment in many flights- even in business class.

I never cared about that. I just want them to feed and water me then leave me alone.

Are you a woman or gay?

[tw25rw]

But overall thai airways has some major problems- old air hostesses (in business class most literally look like my mother , and im 39_ One of the reasons air asia and singapore air are so successful is that they have young, hot asian babes as hostesses (and both companies base their advertising on this fact; "Singapore girl you're a good way to shag.,..sorry, fly..." Also the thai planes are so old- no inflight entertainment in many flights- even in business class.

I never cared about that. I just want them to feed and water me then leave me alone.

Are you a woman or gay?

Neither, but until they start offering special services, I'll wait until I get there.

[BarryM]

I've had a TG G for 10+ years and never had an upgrade. All of my London - BKK trips are in first but I usually book economy for Asian hops, even to Delhi. All I want is a bed for the night on long flights. As for dressing "smartly", on overnight F flights I wear shorts, T shirt and my second best pair of flip flops.

They gave me a platinum card which has no major benefits and none at all on inbound flights. Extra luggage? Who needs 80 kg on a flight (except the Thai VVIPs travelling with other people's money)? I get the F lounge at BKK instead of the usual ROP lounge on economy asian flights plus faster immigration at Swampy. Inbound to BKK no difference.

[bangkokrick]

I agree. When it comes to redeeming points, for almost everything from credit cards to airlines flight awards, it doesn't make you feel like the privileged members at all. You're more like a second class citizen. They are so many conditions and everything is very difficult to understand. And once you feel like you have to ask for your rights, they try to make you feel embarrassed once you misunderstood these restrictions.

I have to disagree because I just used my Thai air miles to book 2 return flights to Bali. I called the ROP number and spoke in English to a very pleasant lady and the whole thing was done in less than 10 minutes. The flight dates on the tickets are also changeable at a cost of 1000 THB. Easy!

[ExpatJ]

I've had a TG G for 10+ years and never had an upgrade. All of my London - BKK trips are in first but I usually book economy for Asian hops, even to Delhi. All I want is a bed for the night on long flights. As for dressing "smartly", on overnight F flights I wear shorts, T shirt and my second best pair of flip flops.

They gave me a platinum card which has no major benefits and none at all on inbound flights. Extra luggage? Who needs 80 kg on a flight (except the Thai VVIPs travelling with other people's money)? I get the F lounge at BKK instead of the usual ROP lounge on economy asian flights plus faster immigration at Swampy. Inbound to BKK no difference.

I have been gold member for 2 years now and i get upgraded from economy to business quite often - normally 1 in 4-5 flights.

[tw25rw]

I've had a TG G for 10+ years and never had an upgrade. All of my London - BKK trips are in first but I usually book economy for Asian hops, even to Delhi. All I want is a bed for the night on long flights. As for dressing "smartly", on overnight F flights I wear shorts, T shirt and my second best pair of flip flops.

They gave me a platinum card which has no major benefits and none at all on inbound flights. Extra luggage? Who needs 80 kg on a flight (except the Thai VVIPs travelling with other people's money)? I get the F lounge at BKK instead of the usual ROP lounge on economy asian flights plus faster immigration at Swampy. Inbound to BKK no difference.

I have been gold member for 2 years now and i get upgraded from economy to business quite often - normally 1 in 4-5 flights.

Flying what kind of routes?

[bubba]

The gold card is no longer their top card, since they introduced the platinum card for people flying over 150,000 miles a year. So can we can probably expect the benefits of the gold card to diminish.

I just used mine to get two biz class tickets to Jo'burg return for price of one econ (upgraded) tax and air miles at 50% discount plus the tax for one seat. Last year I did the same to London. They usually send a special offer in Dec for the next year. The last two years have been a 50% discount on redeeming air miles.

Compared to other Star Alliance lounges the biz class one in Swampy is a disgrace. No wine or spirits. Limited food, including THAI own dreadful Pie & Puff soggy offerings. No computers. Crowded. I think they don't even allow gold card holders travelling economy in there any more and have set up some even worse lounges for them. They have not been able to use the biz class check in desks since before Swampy. There are some gold check in desks that are hard to find and with long queues.

Mainly I buy tickets on other Alliance airlines that have better cabins and lower fares and use THAI just for redeeming awards.

What??? There are three TG business class lounges at Suvarnabhumi. All serve wine and spirits. If you have a TG Royal Orchid Gold card, you can use the business class lounges.

[bubba]

I've had a TG G for 10+ years and never had an upgrade. All of my London - BKK trips are in first but I usually book economy for Asian hops, even to Delhi. All I want is a bed for the night on long flights. As for dressing "smartly", on overnight F flights I wear shorts, T shirt and my second best pair of flip flops.

They gave me a platinum card which has no major benefits and none at all on inbound flights. Extra luggage? Who needs 80 kg on a flight (except the Thai VVIPs travelling with other people's money)? I get the F lounge at BKK instead of the usual ROP lounge on economy asian flights plus faster immigration at Swampy. Inbound to BKK no difference.

I have been gold member for 2 years now and i get upgraded from economy to business quite often - normally 1 in 4-5 flights.

Looks like a lot of very lucky gold card holders. I've had a gold card contiuously for more than ten years. I fly business class on long hauls and economy within SE Asia and probably do around 10-12 SE Asia roundtrips each year. I think the last time I received an upgrade on one of those flights was around 18 months ago. TG only do upgrades when they are in an overbooked situation in economy and have space in business class, then they start upgrading to open up space in economy.

[bubba]

The gold card is no longer their top card, since they introduced the platinum card for people flying over 150,000 miles a year. So can we can probably expect the benefits of the gold card to diminish.

I just used mine to get two biz class tickets to Jo'burg return for price of one econ (upgraded) tax and air miles at 50% discount plus the tax for one seat. Last year I did the same to London. They usually send a special offer in Dec for the next year. The last two years have been a 50% discount on redeeming air miles.

Compared to other Star Alliance lounges the biz class one in Swampy is a disgrace. No wine or spirits. Limited food, including THAI own dreadful Pie & Puff soggy offerings. No computers. Crowded. I think they don't even allow gold card holders travelling economy in there any more and have set up some even worse lounges for them. They have not been able to use the biz class check in desks since before Swampy. There are some gold check in desks that are hard to find and with long queues.

Mainly I buy tickets on other Alliance airlines that have better cabins and lower fares and use THAI just for redeeming awards.

What??? There are three TG business class lounges at Suvarnabhumi. All serve wine and spirits. If you have a TG Royal Orchid Gold card, you can use the business class lounges.

Postscript: sitting in the main TG business class lounge at the moment, and thought I would follow up regarding one more of Arkady's complaints...this one regarding "no computers". I just walked in to the "internet room" and counted fourteen PCs.