View Full Version : Thai Airlines new premium class configuration
tezzer
26th Jul 2006, 11:44
My wife and I used this LHR - BKK on Monday, and it is a HUGE improvement. I got to a point where I was avoiding TG because of the very unconfortable seating in business. In the new config the seats looked lik a massive step forward. Certainly, the first class seats we were occupying together with the outstanding food and beverage service are truly World class. The food never seemed to stop arriving, nor the wine flowing. It was almost a shame (but a blessed relief) to fold back the ed, and put on my Guy Laroche pyjamas and get a few hours sleep. I can't see tomorrow's Air Asia flight to Phuket matching up, but we always have the TG back to LHR in 10 days time to look forward to. Highly reccomended now !
Ooh, just thought of a downer, the SAS London lounge at LHR is the same one as used by C class, andto be honest, not up to scratch full of kids running up and down the Scandinavian style wooden floors instead of the provided palyroom. Being a Star Alliance gold card holder, I could have used the Virgin clubhouse, but they wouldn't let me take a guest (Mrs. Tezzer) in !
Bangkokeasy
27th Jul 2006, 04:37
Yes, I agree that the new product is very good and a vast improvement on what went before. It has taken TG an age to get the retrofitting done though! It all started when the (caretaker) prime minister, Taksin, famously complained about TG's business class ( think he was refering to their 777 -300 config, which is/was the pits, with C seats barely wider than Y). I believe also that the new configuration should be accross the fleet, where up to now, they have had a variety of different seat styles and cabin configurations, even within the same aircraft type.
They made a small error with the exterior paint with the new style though. They use their dark shade of purple on the tailplane leading edges, which peels off almost as soon as it has been applied!
Yes, I agree that the new product is very good and a vast improvement on what went before. It has taken TG an age to get the retrofitting done though! It all started when the (caretaker) prime minister, Taksin, famously complained about TG's business class ( think he was refering to their 777 -300 config, which is/was the pits, with C seats barely wider than Y). I believe also that the new configuration should be accross the fleet, where up to now, they have had a variety of different seat styles and cabin configurations, even within the same aircraft type.
Same config across the fleet is impractical. The long haul, regional and domestic all have different requirements.
I wouldn’t give the PM the credit for the change either. The 777 saga was an entirely different issue. Totally agree though that seats were/are awful, especially premium.
Currently 10 or so of the B744s are retrofitted with the new config. These a/c are now on LHR & FRA routes with other routes being a bit combination of old and new.
There is a downside – premium capacity on new config is a lot less and it is getting difficult to secure late reservations.
Bangkokeasy
27th Jul 2006, 09:08
Agree that some variation in config throughout the fleet is desireable. I was mostly refering to within the same aircraft type. For instance, the 744s had two basic configs, one with 12 seats in F and the other with 18. The seats themselves were different too, one folding completely flat, the other almost. As for the 777s, the 777-200s had/have 2-3-2 in the C cabin, while the 777-300s had/have 2-4-2. Some of the A300-600s have in-seat IFE in the C cabin, but most don't, etc...
I think the difficulty in getting reservations may be more to do with the general upturn in the Thai and regional economy. Other carriers are worse. That said, I got a short notice reservation in F this month using points, so it can't be that bad!
tezzer
5th Aug 2006, 08:26
And coming back was even better, as there was only Mrs. Tezzer and myself up front. 10 seats, and 2 toilets to choose from ! Did myself some dmage though as the steward left the Johhnie Walker Blue label out, so over indulged, I'm afraid. That was the reason I left my mobile phone in the little locker, when I poured myself off at LHR last night. Phht ! Phone hasn't been seen, or switched on since, so it's either still there, or the cleaners have had it away !