Another airline intends to eliminate first class. The writing was on the wall for this, though it’s still kind of sad.
In this post:
The history of Thai Airways first class
Back in the day, Thai Airways used to offer first class on a large number of its wide body aircraft. Earlier on in my flying days, I remember flying Thai Airways first class on the Airbus A340, Airbus A380, and Boeing 747 — ugh, fun times! It wasn’t clear if there was a commercial case for this, but if nothing else, the product was offered to shuttle the royals around.
Over the years, the airline has massively scaled back its first class network. At this point, the airline offers first class on just three aircraft, which are the Boeing 777s that the airline most recently took delivery of. The product is exclusively offered on select flights from Bangkok (BKK) to London (LHR) and Tokyo (NRT).
Personally, I think there’s a business case to be made for a well run airline to have first class. However, the current system makes no sense. With first class just available on three planes, it’s impossible to justify the product.
For one, there’s a lack of awareness around the product, given the small subfleet that offers the experience. Even more, there’s a lack of efficiency to operating a product with such a small footprint, in terms of investment in soft product, ground experience, etc.
Thai Airways will phase out first class in coming years
While Thai Airways was hemorrhaging money for years, the company is now being run with a lot more discipline than in the past. We’re also seeing the carrier undertake a massive fleet renewal project, which primarily consists of taking delivery of new Airbus A321neos (as of late 2025) and Boeing 787-9s (as of 2028).
Thai Airways has 45 Boeing 787-9s on order, and the plan is for this to become the backbone of the carrier’s long haul fleet for years to come. Thai Airways plans to introduce an all-new business class product on these planes. Exact details of what that product will look like haven’t yet been revealed.
The planes wouldn’t feature first class, though. Instead, they’ll feature a “business class plus” product in the first row, as that’s becoming an increasingly common feature.
As it turns out, this plan isn’t just exclusive to new planes, but existing Boeing 777-300ERs will also be reconfigured in this way. The company’s CEO has revealed that in the next two to three years, the long haul 777 fleet will be retrofitted with new business class suites, and when that happens, first class will also be eliminated. This way the airline can offer a more consistent experience across long haul flights.
Bottom line
Thai Airways’ first class product isn’t long for this world, as the airline intends to eliminate the cabin in the coming years. While Thai Airways had a huge first class footprint back in the day, that’s no longer the case, as it’s only available on three planes.
Going forward, Thai Airways’ plan is to offer a standardized business class product across the long haul fleet, including a front row “business class plus” product. However, this will come at the expense of first class. I can’t say that this decision is surprising, and frankly, it makes a lot of sense.
What do you make of Thai Airways eliminating first class?
I don't think there's much of a business case for an airline to have first class if they're operating in a low-yield, highly-competitive market. A first class product can make sense if your main hub is in an area with a large cohort of exceptionally wealthy residents (e.g. DOH, possibly SAO/MEX due to their sheer size), a key destination for affluent people and senior politicians from around the globe (e.g. PAR), or both (e.g. NYC,...
I don't think there's much of a business case for an airline to have first class if they're operating in a low-yield, highly-competitive market. A first class product can make sense if your main hub is in an area with a large cohort of exceptionally wealthy residents (e.g. DOH, possibly SAO/MEX due to their sheer size), a key destination for affluent people and senior politicians from around the globe (e.g. PAR), or both (e.g. NYC, Switzerland). Thai would never see a real return on anything invested in developing and offering a true F product.
Sad.
I flew TG first on many flights the MD-11s and 747-200s with FC to LAX and v.v. back in the late 80s and into the 90s, when they replaced those with 747-400s. That was back in the day when TG had exceptional service for FC in the air.
Hopefully they can figure out a way to bring it back someday, but in a way where the service they offer is actually competitive with SQ FC.
At least TG F did not make a laughing-stock of itself like GA F did, what with GA's endless schedule changes, the irregular 2/3x-weekly AMS service, the chopping and changing on the HND route and the disaster that was LHR. In contrast, TG has consistently flown its F product to LHR and HND, and with a consistent schedule.
This is a reflection of just how low GA has sunk, and continues to languish in despair...
At least TG F did not make a laughing-stock of itself like GA F did, what with GA's endless schedule changes, the irregular 2/3x-weekly AMS service, the chopping and changing on the HND route and the disaster that was LHR. In contrast, TG has consistently flown its F product to LHR and HND, and with a consistent schedule.
This is a reflection of just how low GA has sunk, and continues to languish in despair with an extremely bare-bones international network, all while TG (and MH) have turned a new leaf and are improving with new planes --- though they can't match SQ.
Glad to have experienced the First Lounge full massage then being driven to my plane, even if my particular F flight itself wasn't terribly memorable.
Given Thai's all-over-the-place approach in the past I'd bet that First could come back at some point in the future (maybe once the airline feels it's got a more solid operation going).
Do they still have dedicated first class check in and lounge at BKK? What will happen to those?
I'll miss it. True @chris, not world-beating F, but definitely a cut above J and availability not bad BKK-LHR, with pleasant ground experience in BKK. It's nice when they detach the velvet rope and greet one by name.
I will miss true first class. It was a great affordable luxury when available on miles. Times change, oh well. I’m sure my grandparents’ generation misses having roast beef carved at their seat by the “stewardess”
they just did first for the royal family somehow
did it onve lhr-bkk
was quite average all in all