Thai Airways is notorious for equipment swaps, which is why I was really worried about this flight. They currently have four types of first class seats:
Continue reading: Chasing the Sun: Thai Airways First Class Frankfurt to Bangkok
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Interesting to read about the sloppy service. The one thing that has always been good when I fly TG is their service. I do always pre-book my meal though as I tend to agree that their normal offering can be below par (their massaman curry is outstanding however from the normal menu). Regarding the new F cabin, any idea how many planes they will convert? any ideas on timelines? Air Berlin flies the A330 from Frankfurt to Palma de Mallorca and Abu Dhabi if I am not mistaking. Looking forward to the rest of the trip report!
Ben, you forgot to mention about the other type of First class seat on TG: the one on A380. It's different from all 4 of them you listed at the beginning of this section of the report.
As I Thai person, I can say one thing about the food on TG. It's good (or really good) if you opt for Thai food on flights departing Thai airport (BKK,HKT,CNX), otherwise it's like what you said. The service in F is hit and miss, better in J and Y.
Why did you not say anything about being served recycles canapes? How atrocious that they did that.
Thanks for the report! Another great read. Did they serve any chocolate thingies (pralines, etc) at the end your meal?
Looking forward to your CX J and F experience.
@ concorde02 -- You're absolutely right, whoops! Guess I have to give that a try as well.
@ Claire -- Frankly wasn't especially hungry and there was a bit of a communication barrier, so didn't bother.
@ wctl -- Nope, no chocolatey things!
Which frequent flyer number did she give you?
I hope it was extra lucky. 77777777, perhaps? 😀
Lucky, I've seen the pics of the seats on other trip reports, it's like SQ's first class seat, but no wood finishing.
One thing I've always wondered after reading this trip reports about Thai's food...are the appetizers served via trolly, and you pick what you want, or is all pre-plated and served that way?
You might want to find some alternatives for the phrase, "that being said," which you used twice in the last paragraph. Nevertheless, that being said, it was a great report with much useful information.
Thanks for the report I flew the new first on NRT-BKK and drew the same conclusion as you, the food was also bad, service so-so and seat was good but not the best.
@JetAway: Great comment really helpful...we all read this blog to better our english.
@db, I agree with Jetaway. What is wrong with prefering high standards of English to sloppy language?
@db-I was trying to be helpful-Lucky is a professional writer and I'm sure he strives to use the best English in his widely-read reports.
Thanks Lucky, a very informative and useful trip report leg.
It seems like the best aspect of Thai is on the ground. I got a short haul award from Chiang Rai to Penang for only 17.5k United miles in First Class, only 5k more than coach (it is about a $350 ticket in coach). I get a half hour massage in the lounge during my layover for the 5k difference!
The wine list is a little better than Lufthansa's leg. White's are more my style, in the $25-$30 range, with the red's also my style in the $35-$40 range (although I can't quite tell the maker of the burgundy, maybe it's a cooperative).
"The configuration they have on their wet leased 777-300ERs"
I'm pretty sure the arrangement with Jet Airways is for a dry lease, no?
The term wet lease originally meant 'including fuel' even (fuel = wet) but has come to mean that it includes some crew, maintenance etc.
As opposed to a dry lease ('aircraft only') where the airline operates the plane under its own operating certificate, with its own crews, etc.
Destination of AB 330:
I'd say AB flies FRA-PMI (Mallorca, Spain) with an A330. Your picture shows D-ALPF.
And you can see previous flights of D-ALPF here:
http://de.flightaware.com/live/flight/DALPF
@ wwk5d -- With the exception of the caviar, everything is plated in the galley.
@ JetAway -- Good point, thanks. Fixed.
@ Tao -- I should have clarified that they have yet another first class product on their Airbus 380, which is slightly different than the configuration I flew on.
@ BR -- That's what I get for writing the report late on a Saturday night. Grrr.
@ Gary -- Fixed, thanks.
@ Ryan -- Good to know! Didn't realize that Air Berlin operated A330s out of FRA, let alone to longhaul destinations. Thought everything was out of DUS/TXL.
Can't believe how stressful this trip must have been. You booked first class and wasted the time to record each and every detail? Poor soul...... Next time, lean back,relax and enjoy... 🙂
TBB has a major rant about the obvious omission in this trip report. Get it together man, get the blog back up to pre Seattle levels:-)
Didn't realize they only had 1 747 converted...we just got da*n lucky then as we had it on both HKT-BKK and BKK-FRA. The one annoyance i had was that the touchscreen seat control would randomly turn on, and i couldnt figure out how to put it into the seat (it appears that it goes down, but no button that i found would make it do so). As detailed above, it's quite good and a vast improvement over the old F on TG. Makes the LH F flight on the old 747 that we are about to get on seem almost disappointing (but not quite).
I recently took the new A380 F from HKG to BKK and took some pictures (are on Flickr - trying to link it to the post, if this does not work just search for my name on Flickr).
Currently TG only has one of these birds but they expect more soon. They put marketing for BKK-SIN BKK-NRT and BKK-FRA on billboards in BBK.
Hi Lucky
Fantastic report and very good for me, as I have just booked TG F class SYD-BKK_FCO & CDG-BKK-SYD with UA miles. We have the CDG-BKK on the A380. Currently I am holding 1A and 2A (myself and my daughter). Was wondering if you think its better for us to both have row 1 and if it will still be private?
Thanks for your help.
Cheers
DG 🙂
@ Downunder girl -- Sounds like fun! There's no right or wrong answer though I'd probably sit together in the center section so you can talk the whole flight if you'd like, as it should still be extremely private.
Hi Flying Team , Just preorder the lobster and enjoy the Dom Perignon and feel really lucky. If service is a little slow just give big smile and ask for better 🙂
Thanks Lucky! We usually park ourselves in 1A and 1K if we are lucky enough to be flying F on 747s etc. We generally dont talk that much when we fly as we dont like to disturb other passengers 😀 We read, watch movies, eat and SLEEP...a lot usually since we have to fly at least 12-14 hours to get anywhere and with Europe its like more than 24 hours. And yes I will be enjoying the Lobster and Dom too! Mini DG cant drink on the way over, but on the way home she will be legal drinking age and will no doubt try some Dom as well.
On the A380 TG, is there a small lounge near 1K? I had a feeling there might be so that was one of the reasons I went for 1A and 2A (on the quiet side), but if there are no noise issues from the lounge area, then I might move one of us over to 1K. Thoughts?
Thanks,
DG
@ Downunder girl -- There does seem to be a small lounge, though I can't imagine it generates much of a noise level, so I really wouldn't factor it in, especially as most people will probably be sleeping.
That being said I'd probably still do 1A and 2A over 1A and 1K. You'll have to go all the way around the other aisle to talk to one another in 1A and 1K, so I'd much rather have the proximity of being seated behind one another.
Just my two cents, and enjoy the trip!
Thanks, Lucky. Will take that advice and stick with what we have in 1A and 2A on the A380. We have 1A and 1K on the TG 747 which is quite adequate as there is space across the aisle to get up and walk over to each other (we have done this on UA 747 and it was great).
Yes, its going to be an amazing trip. We are also doing a 2 week cruise around Italy and the Adriatic sea area visiting Greece, Croatia, and Sicily too. Lots of great new experiences to look forward to.I have joined Cruise Critic so I can get up to speed on cruising 😀
Cant wait for November to roll around.
Take care,
DG.
Not incl… Cathay pacific, Emirate air or Lufthansa.
Thai Airlines is my number one choice. I flew JFK-FRA-BKK (unfortunately thai air only flies out of LAX now )
The private Suite cabin is enclosed and service is top notch.
Best First class lounge I've seen with showers and private rooms with hand and foot service.
Private check in desk with tea and cold towel waiting, private golf cart straight to first class lounge and plane.
Thank you Thai air….. Thank YOU!!!!!
@ E -- Generally I find CDG to have more award space than FRA, though at the same time FRA has more frequencies, so...
What is the best TG F cabin?
380, 747, 747-400 and 340-600
If there are multiple versions with in a kind of aircraft how to make sure we get thest best hard product?
@ Sam -- A380 hands down. Second choice would be 777-300ER, followed by the reconfigured 747-400, followed by the "old 747-400, followed by the A340-600.
Hey lucky was able to rebook my flights that were impacted by the strike and now flying tg f out of MUC. Given that both the front row and back row seats are taken , what would you suggest for a couple traveling together? 2a and 2e? Or 2a and 3a? Or maybe even 2a 2k? It seems like that middle seat isn't really next to 2a so that's why I'm a bit indecisive. Thanks!
@ Acs -- Happy to hear you were able to rebook. I would do two seats behind one another in your shoes, like 2A and 3A.
@lucky
question please.. im flying award LH business USA to FRA. then award TG business FRA-BKK.
-do i have access to any lounges in FRA? does TG have a biz class lounge in FRA?
-according to *A's website regarding business class lounge access: "Customers must be a revenue customer"..no award ticket customers?!
http://www.staralliance.com/en/benefits/lounge-access-policy/
-also, is there a ground side lounge in BKK?
thanks!
@ Mr. Cool -- You can use the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Frankfurt and will have access (revenue customers means no non-revs, like people on staff travel). There's not an arrivals lounge in Bangkok.
i see. thanks! i met an LH employee in biz class once. he said they always fly biz for free (obviously), but dont earn mileage
Hi Lucky, if my husband and I bring 1.5 year old baby, would you suggest 1A+1K?
Hi lucky, I am travelling with one child and I am not sure which seat to select, the two back seats are unavailable. The seats available are 2K, 2E, 1K, 3A, although if I push, I reckon I could get a few other seats available except the two back ones as apparently someone very important is travelling on them ( Thai politician ) - I'd really like to be able to see my son when travelling so would you mind recommending the best seats for us. Thanks so much. Cheers Mil