Thai Airways Reservations Mean Nothing

[piet pompies]

On 12 April TG 602 three passengers had doubly confirmed seats. ( Business Class) All Gold Card holders. This means reservations confirmed either by phone or at TG office in Hong Kong. On arrival at Don Muang we were told no seats!! One of the passengers had the same experience two months ago, posted here on Thai Visa website. Thai agent at checkin agreed this was unacceptable. Only by extreme intervention of Elite Card agent were we transferred to Cathay, Economy. Now all business will go to Cathay.

[george]

All airlines overbook 10-15%. If you get no seat, just complain loudly!

Were there no seats in first class??

[Axel]

Yes, it happens, but I never heard that it happened to Gold card members and one obviously, being an Thailand Elite member?

If so, complain to Thaksin directly Elite is his baby.

[Axel]

One more thing comes to my mind:

Write a letter to "Business Traveller Asia-Pacific" givin all the facts.

They usually will double check with the carrier and than publish your letter and the carrier's reply.

[email protected]

[Lambastard]

Oh poor baby!

What is this the fricking Thai Airlines Customer Service Center?

Obviously, your people skills put you to the back of the bus.

Next time: smile, be polite, and be smart about it.

They even kick off government officials off, so who cares about you...

Love!

Lambastard

[piet pompies]

George, No, no seats in 1st class, no 1st class on this flight.

Lambastard, I have been in and out of Thailand 20 years. Can speak, read and WRITE Thai, so people skills are not missing as suggested by Lambastard.

This is really a Thai ayrways problem. The reason for but to get Thai to improve their business practices.

[piet pompies]

Previous post TYPO.: Thai Airways PLC

[george]

George, No, no seats in 1st class, no 1st class on this flight.

Did you check in late for that particular flight?

[Lambastard]

What were you trying to do, fly to Chiang Mai during Songkran?

[piet pompies]

No, not to Chiang Mai, to Hong Kong. We all independently confirmed our seats at TG office with sticker or by phone. All separate travellers, but working in the same office. We really played by the rules, Checkin 1 3/4 hours before. Find a way to get to TG to improve. What to do?

[Lambastard]

66 2 545 3300

[Axel]

Oh poor baby!

What is this the fricking Thai Airlines Customer Service Center?

Obviously, your people skills put you to the back of the bus.

Next time:  smile, be polite, and be smart about it.

They even kick off government officials off, so who cares about you...

Love!

Lambastard

Not sure if smiling and being polite etc. is the solution if they bump you.

If you buy a Baht 5000 R/T in economy, maybe, but not if you pay to TG

Baht 25,000 for a confirmed business-class ticket.

I would raise he11 for lost business etc.

piet pompies, if your facts all are correct, write to TG directly, copy to Elite if you are a member of the 1 million Baht thing. Request compensation and attach an invoice for he amount you want. Tell them, if no answer and compensation you will cancel your TG-Gold cards. Until you have a satifactory settlement you will suspend using TG. (To have the Gold card you need considerable mileage on TG, means you are good customers.)

And, as said, write to "Business Traveller Asia-Pacific". Do it if no reply within 10 days or so.

For genuine complains even TG should have a solution. I was never bumped off a flight, but complained for delayed luggage (did this only after the customers relation gave me nonsense replies) attached my invoice for Baht 8 or 10,000, did not hear from them but got paid in cash while next time checking in for a flight at BKK. Albeit, this was CX not TG.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

On 12 April TG 602 three passengers had doubly confirmed seats. ( Business Class) All Gold Card holders. This means reservations confirmed either by phone or at TG office in Hong Kong. On arrival at Don Muang we were told no seats!! One of the passengers had the same experience two months ago, posted here on Thai Visa website. Thai agent at checkin agreed this was unacceptable. Only by extreme intervention of Elite Card agent were we transferred to Cathay, Economy. Now all business will go to Cathay.

Aren't Thai Inter Gold Card holders guaranteed travel even if it is up the back ?

[Goat Roper]

On 12 April TG 602 three passengers had doubly confirmed seats. ( Business Class) All Gold Card holders. This means reservations confirmed either by phone or at TG office in Hong Kong. On arrival at Don Muang we were told no seats!! One of the passengers had the same experience two months ago, posted here on Thai Visa website. Thai agent at checkin agreed this was unacceptable. Only by extreme intervention of Elite Card agent were we transferred to Cathay, Economy.  Now all business will go to Cathay.

Aren't Thai Inter Gold Card holders guaranteed travel even if it is up the back ?

I was required to fly TG for the twelve years by the Thai company I was contracted to, we always flew business class and for the life of me I never understood why the owner (my boss) of the company insisted on TG, I will say TG did have a good couple years around 1992-93(my opinion). I/we flew over a million miles with TG and as far as I know I never saw any thing that would remotelysuggest that we were good customers of TG. Just generally poor service both on the ground and in the air.

[Goat Roper]

On 12 April TG 602 three passengers had doubly confirmed seats. ( Business Class) All Gold Card holders. This means reservations confirmed either by phone or at TG office in Hong Kong. On arrival at Don Muang we were told no seats!! One of the passengers had the same experience two months ago, posted here on Thai Visa website. Thai agent at checkin agreed this was unacceptable. Only by extreme intervention of Elite Card agent were we transferred to Cathay, Economy.  Now all business will go to Cathay.

Aren't Thai Inter Gold Card holders guaranteed travel even if it is up the back ?

I was required to fly TG for the twelve years by the Thai company I was contracted to, we always flew business class and for the life of me I never understood why the owner (my boss) of the company insisted on TG, I will say TG did have a good couple years around 1992-93(my opinion). I/we flew over a million miles with TG and as far as I know I never saw any thing that would remotelysuggest that we were good customers of TG. Just generally poor service both on the ground and in the air.

To be fair to TG et al I have not flown with TG since 2001, just wanted to qualify my gripe.

[piet pompies]

Dr. Pat, I was also under the impression that the Gold card guarantees a seat, but obviously not. I have written to the President of Thai and all the others except business Traveller, which was a good idea from Axel. If anything interesting happens I will post it. Thanks for all the advice and ideas.

[Digger]

Something very strange here. If your reservations were made correctly and you checked in as you say you did, I do not believe TG would have bumped you. I have had a TG gold card for 3 years and NEVER been denied a seat, let alone being bumped. I suspect there is more to this than your letting on. If you turned up without a confirmed seat, then I could imagine them saying no, but with a confirmed seat no way and certainly not at Don Muang.

Seat is guaranteed in economy on waitlisted flights where reservation is made 24 hours beforehand. They will and do bump other economy passengers to honour that guarantee, particularly if checking in 1 3/4 hours beforehand.

Having said that SQ is the best loyalty programme for premium passengers. SQ PPS will never release your seat, forgotten how many times I used to turn up at Don Muang about 20-30minutes before the flight, and been given a handwritten boarding pass (flight had closed for check in), but it was always the one I had booked through the agent.

[SoiSniffer]

The problem is flying around Songkran. They added a flight from HKT to BKK Fri night to help. I have found Thai really good. As a Star Alliance partner the hold their own. I'm a 1k Premied Exec w/ United and free upgrades to business on Thai most of the time! Love TG.

[piet pompies]

SoiSniffer, I take your point, but as we have infrequently flown Y we and know about TG Y mostly class when we were downgraded due to overbooking or neede to fly urgently on a C class tkt. One of the three in the original is also United 1K Premier Exec,( flies more than 100,000 miles a year) and he has NEVER been upgraded in TG. The other two mentioned in our original gripe both hold TG and Lufthansa Gold cards also never been upgraded.( to First even when the plane in fron was absolutely empty and the C-class seats to Paris had no legrests. How much more loyal can you get?Tell us your secret. In any case the last two trips were on Cathay and so far so good, and still waiting for a reply from Thai.

[Crash999]

Dr. Pat, I was also under the impression that the Gold card guarantees a seat, but obviously not. .

I also have a gold card and have had difficulties getting a seat in the past- not often, but it does happen from time to time. Last time I was flying to the UK when I checked in the clerk at the desk informed me that the flight was very full and asked if I could move to a different airline. When she told me that I couldn't accrue miles on that airline (it wasn't Star Alliance) I asked her to see what she could do- she got me into an available seat.

This was 2 hours before the flight was due to depart so I imagine they were anticipating difficulty with a very full flight and were trying to divert any willing passengers to other flights before all ###### broke loose.

Gold doesn't guarantee a seat- if only that in some cases the flight might be completely full so there's nothing that can be done. It does guarantee first priority on standby and waitlists (above silver, and in turn above the teeming masses) and a higher level of groveling.

That said, having three business class gold members overbooked on the same flight when checking in 90 min early speaks of a serious snafu and they should throw some compensation you way.

Good luck!

[piet pompies]

One month later, still no response from TG to all the letters sent re.the aforementioned fiasco. Jai yen yen...

[rwt_thai]

I am a UA premier exec 1K also. NEVER got upgraded on Thai in my life. Got bumped off confirmed seats. Once I was told at the airport I was off the flight becaused I had not confirmed my reservation. Only trouble was I just bought the ticket and was just beginning my journey. Figure that one out... Had friends bumped off flight from Vietnam. Their names were actually on the manifest when I went to check to see if they came on the flight or not. NO COMPENSATION! Travel agent paid their additional night in hotel in Hanoi.

TG only if there is absolutely no other choice..!

[piet pompies]

I thought post by rwt was by one of my partners. He/she is not and has no relationship with author of the original post. I will print a copy of this page and mail it certified to Thai Airways president!

[Dutchy]

One month later, still no response from TG to all the letters sent re.the aforementioned fiasco. Jai yen yen...

What is the exact address that you sent your complaints to?

Dutchy

[piet pompies]

The President

Thai Airways Public Company Limited.

89 Vibhavadi Rangsit Rd.

Bangkok 10900

Thailand.

This is where the previous reply from the first "bumping" cam from.

[piet pompies]

26 May, still no response from TG.

[JimGant]

Contact ThaiAirways again, this time sending a copy of the Website you plan to start up: WWW. TGSUCKS. COM

Any well run airline would give out complementary tickets for inconveniencing its best customers. Suspect last minute reservations by TRT heavies and their ladies.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

26 May, still no response from TG.

Persist. Send your mails again. ' I have not as yet been favoured with a reply' type of mail. Wasn't Elite very interested in following up on the problem ? A note to the Elite office and to the Governor of TAT might help.

[piet pompies]

One of us got an answer! similar form letter than the previous bumping.... all arlines overbook etc... Only difference we were offered USD 100 each, the previous time it was $150. I will keep on pushing.

[sonthaya]

20 years with TG and I have never had a problem with my bookings or the service, I'll always fly Thai.