Thai Airways will be the next carrier to take delivery of the Airbus 380, and it looks like their second longhaul route featuring Airbus 380 service has finally been loaded into the system.
As of February 16, Thai Airways will have daily Airbus 380 service between Bangkok and Paris. Previously this route had twice daily service (some days of the week) with 777-300ER aircraft, though the route is now once daily on the Airbus 380.
The reason I mention this is because they have excellent first class award availability, so I know it’ll interest a lot of you for the novelty factor of flying the Airbus 380 (though it goes beyond that, since the A380 really is a superior flying experience in my opinion). Furthermore, Thai has one of the best first class ground experiences in Bangkok, so this will be making an already amazing first class product even better. Thai is one of the most generous airlines when it comes to releasing award space, and from the looks of it I don’t think that will change with the Airbus 380.
Thai’s first longhaul route featuring the Airbus 380 will be Bangkok to Frankfurt, which begins on December 15.
Can’t wait to finally fly one of these planes in Thai’s livery!
Found a nice vid of a Thai presentation on the A380. While it is all computer mockups, it looks damn fine! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Us4r02JRk
So what is the best way to get from the NYC area to CDG on Star? UA really?
@ Ozaer -- The routing is allowed, though you're only permitted one stopover on a roundtrip in addition to the destination.
Ben..I know you can route via LHR with US miles...but is this possible with UA miles as well? PDX-IAH-CDG(stopover) then CDG-BKK....then coming back BKK-HKG(stopover) and then HKG back to PDX?
Brilliant! Thanks Lucky and others. Much appreciated
@ Alex -- Sorry for the delay. Correct, Qatar isn't partnering with US Airways for the time being, so no way to redeem US Airways miles on them.
Everything is legal except the double open jaw, so if you return to Brisbane you'd be good to go.
Hmmmm my bad. I really should learn to read! So if I take out QR and return back to BNE does that help? I didn't think the stop in BKK counted as a stopover cos its like 16hrs...?
I wonder where Thai will deploy the 77W when they take it off the Paris route? These are the leased 77W's from Jet Airways (fully flat J seats and F suites with door)?
@Alex, you can use QR on a US award?!?
I'm not Lucky, but I know enough to know the answer to this one...
You have a stopover AND TWO open-jaws, AND a redemption involving QR.
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/programdetails/memberguide.html
"Open jaw travel is not permitted when an en route stopover is included in the award itinerary."
Oh, and US only allows one open jaw. You have two (LHR-TXL and BNE-SYD).
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/usemiles/awardchart.html?re=1
(Clicking on partner award chart)
"B) Award redemption on Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian is temporarily...
I'm not Lucky, but I know enough to know the answer to this one...
You have a stopover AND TWO open-jaws, AND a redemption involving QR.
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/programdetails/memberguide.html
"Open jaw travel is not permitted when an en route stopover is included in the award itinerary."
Oh, and US only allows one open jaw. You have two (LHR-TXL and BNE-SYD).
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/usemiles/awardchart.html?re=1
(Clicking on partner award chart)
"B) Award redemption on Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian is temporarily not available"
(It's been "temporarily not available" for years and years.)
*A380
ALREADY booked TG a380 F via UA miles =)
The a389 J and F awards are WIDE open
Hi Ben, I have a question re US Airways awards. I would like to book business BNE-BKK-FRA-LHR then coming back is TXL-MUC-DOH-BKK-SYD. On the way back, there would be an over night involved (<24hr). Will there be a problem with the mix of airlines - TG/LH/QR and that routing would come to the 120,000miles wouldn't it? Kind of linked to the topic cos some of those TG flights are on the A380 :-) Thanks in advance!