thai airways's 747 vs A-340 on LHR/BKK

[triffid]

On a date I am looking to travel the earlier flight is on the 747 and the evening one on the A340. I was wondering if someone who's travelled on both, in economy, would care to make any comments of comparison and/or preference. On a purely timetable basis the later A340 flight suits me a bit better but I'd rather base my choice on seats - space, comfort, etc. The entertainment systems are less important because I usually read or use my laptop or iPad.

Many thanks

[Chicog]

If it's a Boeing, I'm not ****ing going.

Seriously though, the seat pitch, space, etc. is not down to the aircraft, it's down to how the airline wants to configure it.

I'd ask the question on FlyerTalk.com

[Mario2008]

You can check on http://www.seatguru.com/ about the seating.

[roamer]

" The entertainment systems are less important because I usually read or use my laptop or iPad."

Can be important if you want an aisle seat on the retrofitted 747's and find a dirty great box taking up your legroom

[bushman1666]

IMHO The 747's Thai Air operate offer better leg room and wider seats. However, some of those Thai Air Jumbos are a little long in the tooth. I last time I flew w w with them on 747 about two months ago and it had no seat back screens. Good job I had bought a good book! But they are good with the booze!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[wooloomooloo]

The last time I flew Thai on A340 LHR-BKK my freaking knees seized up for three months and subsequently drew long term disability benefit.

Nice aircraft but never again on A340 unless it's business class.

[roamer]

IMHO The 747's Thai Air operate offer better leg room and wider seats. However, some of those Thai Air Jumbos are a little long in the tooth. I last time I flew w w with them on 747 about two months ago and it had no seat back screens. Good job I had bought a good book! But they are good with the booze!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Don't think that was on the LHR/BKK route then that the OP was talking about as they have all been retrofitted, problem being if you get the IFE box cramping your legroom if you choose an aisle seat.

[tdm]

I've flown on both aircraft on this route recently. Seatguru was a big help in selecting seats. On the retrofitted 747 all the entertainment boxes are in the aisle seats as far as I could tell, but there was still a little space to stretch a leg. On the A340 with the 2 4 2 configuration the entertainment box is at the window seat where there are two seats, and at the aisle seat in the middle four seats. On the A340 they are fitted horizontally so not even space to squeeze one leg past them. Avoid anything with an entertainment box on the A340. My daytime flight on the A340 was half empty so I was lucky to get two seats, at check in they told me the previous night flight out of bkk was the busiest they had seen in a while. Overall seat space on both planes seemed very similar and the 747 had a nice 'new' feeling about it. Entertainment seemed the same and the service on both flights was excellent. I'd happily fly either plane with thai again in economy but would do everything to avoid a seat with the entertainment box on the A340, I'm 5'11 and 14 stone.

[marcusd]

I have been on both planes with Thai. Thai 747's are old noisier and some have no TV in the seats... POOR quality same price.

Take the A340

[Greenhill]

Does the Op. have to travel on Thai? EVA much better option - usually cheaper, modern 777/ER, better service, better food - no contest, in my book!!

[triffid]

Does the Op. have to travel on Thai? EVA much better option - usually cheaper, modern 777/ER, better service, better food - no contest, in my book!!

My chief reason for choosing Thai is that my silver card gets me 30kg baggage allowance, which matters to me. (Eva allows just 20kg, and I don't know that their standard economy seats will be any better.)

[triffid]

Reading through the responses, for which many thanks, the information I get is

- avoid sitting behind the entertainment box, which can be done by consulting seatguru

- seating is similar, though the 747's may be a bit better

- the 747 may be noisier

- lhr/bkk planes are all retrofitted so entertainment systems are similar

- one post condemns the a340; and another by far prefers it

Adds up to a tie, I think . I'll look at seat guru.

(If anyone knows of an airline I may have missed which will give me the 30kgs and no worse seating I'd be grateful to know and will duly check it for price, etc.)

Edited December 7, 2013 by triffid