Not a single praise for this airline so far, let me provide some balance.

"On routes between BKK and the UK for example Thai are at best double the price of qatar & Etihad"

Thai may be expensive BKK-LHR return but no way is it consistently double. All airlines tend to be able to charge more for flights originating from the home country. It certainly is not the case LHR-BKK return which is now close to £500 and then you get a domestic return for about £30 extra.

"the website is terminally dysfunctional"

I can't really defend this but I found Singapore Air's worse.

"Going to the UK next week. Usually fly Thai business class. Though I would look at Emirates to see if I could do better. Emirates first class (Own cabin, horizontal flat bad and shower facilities on A380 was cheaper than Thai business class by quite a big margin."

Emirates first does not compare well with Thai first although it is 3 years since I flew Emirates.

"Only down side is stop in Dubai" Exactly. A deal breaking downside for me. You've been asleep a couple of hours when you are woken up for landing so you can walk around like a zombie for 2 or more hours before you can get on another plane and sleep some more.

"Google needs to tweek the algorithm a bit so as not to place Thai ads on threads slamming Thai Airways"

Use an Ad-blocker. Not all of us slam.

"It's funny that they focus just on the revenue forecasts and not operating profits.

You know why? It hasn't made money in decades. Losses every year."

Not true, Thai made a profit when Amranand was CEO but Yingluk/Thaksin sacked him for political reasons and appointed a university academic who thought improving the quality of rice served on-board was the answer. Thai could do well to pay PTT and Amranand whatever it takes to get him back again.

"I read a few days ago, in The paper that must not be named, that THAI is about to appoint a foreign airline professional as vice-president of sales."

This is a good thing, you don't get much more international than an airline and senior staff should reflect this.

"Great, even smaller seats. I hate flying on TG for many reasons but small seats is the clincher"

I am 100% certain that Thai's planes are the same width as other airlines Boeings and Airbuses so the seats are not narrower, they also have a pitch equal to or in many cases 2" more than many others

Thai Airways is a great airline despite its senior management, I fly LHR-BKK-HKT return about 8-10 times a year in all classes depending on how extravagant I feel and how full the plane is and I have only once ever had one bad (lazy) crew in six years. The front line staff including are friendly and efficient, the London office provides exceptional service I have not experienced elsewhere. The food regularly wins awards, the planes are always clean and I am satisfied that the safety issues raised about Thailand do not involve Thai Airways. The loyalty scheme for regular flyers is unsurpassed elsewhere.

Yes, they need to stop employing useless ex-airforce people in senior positions and their equally inept children in the IT department. Plus put a stop to the free flights for TIPs and ex-exects which Amranand was in the process of doing. But they have great frontline staff, a modern fleet and a wonderful country as the base (politics and RTP excepted) so a return to profits just requires decent senior management.

Well that's one view...and a definitely minority one at that. At least Thai will always have at least one passenger on their London to Bangkok runs.

BKK-BRU TG BIZ 135k baht, BKK-BRU QR 62k baht, guess what I booked?

I can't sleep more than 4h on a plane, thus the DOH 2h stopover comes handy and the Al Mourjan lounge is excellent.

Guys you thinking too complicated !

They do it on a simple way !

they stopped all flights with less than 80% load !

so goal 1 is reached !

( if you can't reach well 80% - just give more free VIP tickets to politicans - high ranking officers, staff - and memebers )

reduce flights - less fuel expenses - less airport start landing taxes - saves a lot of money !!

sell airplanes -as of less flights you need also less airplanes - so you get a profit out !!

free staff - which not fly - you dont need to buy them expensive hotel stays on long hall flights,

what to do with the free staff ??

BKK HQ is very BIG,

and still many free seats available there !!

only problem will be - not enough parking space for staff !!!!

I read a few days ago, in ‘The paper that must not be named’, that THAI is about to appoint a foreign airline professional as vice-president of sales.

An Australian, Bryan Banston has 30 years of airline experience, he will receive a basic salary of 650,000 baht a month, a monthly travel allowance of 70,000 baht and a housing allowance of 100,000 baht.

and all what he will be allowed to do, is:

sell more tickets with same or higher price !

Not to lead off any of this fatt incompetant mangers of the high floors !!

Translation: Airfares up...food quality down.

Nothing wrong with the food just the way it is served worries me

BKK-BRU TG BIZ 135k baht, BKK-BRU QR 62k baht, guess what I booked?

I can't sleep more than 4h on a plane, thus the DOH 2h stopover comes handy and the Al Mourjan lounge is excellent.

They have got QR, AY, UL, VN, CZ beating them on a one stop Europe in Business, everyone beating them in Economy, including BA, AF, LH, EK...and similar problems back to Australia.

They seem to just go on as usual as if ' it will be alright on the night'

Fare management is interesting ... I actually purchased a flight with Thai-Smile for this May, first time I've flown TG in five years, because they were B1,000 cheaper than Bangkok Airways, who are my normal default-carrier (with by-far the best product) on connecting-flights to long-haul trips.

Which suggests a lost-opportunity for TG to increase profit, by several hundred Baht, because they weren't aware of what the competition were charging ?

And I fail-to-see how the Gulf-based airlines can be hitting their Asian or Australian or Pacific routes at all ! Just another convenient excuse !

Not sure about the others but EK flies to HKG from BKK and also to SYD and then AUK. Qatar may fly BKK-Ho Chi Minh but I am not sure.

5 years in the gulf & thai airways has never once been an option vs the competition on 4 direct routes into BKK.

Will be nice to have an option if they do pull their socks up.