"Thai Airways sucks" - Thai Prime Minister
 

According to the Beeb anyway...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/1348843.stm

With friends like that, who needs enemas?

I've never so much as darkened the door of a Thai flight... anyone comment on whether they really suck?

Not able to comment on recent standards but did fly Bangkok-Phuket return a few years ago with them on an A300 (I think) very pleasant flight with extrenely helpful cabin crew who went out of their way to look after my veggie girlfriend(of the time).

I flew with them a few months back Bangkok-Kathmandu (777). It ran on time FAs seemed very good to the likes of SIA's. King hard landing in to Kathmandu but we all do those from time to time. Overall thought they were pretty good from a pax point of view.

Flew with them London Heathrow - Bangkok about a year ago. My colleague and I were the only passengers in First Class on a 747 so the service , needless to say , was excellent. Interior decor a bit too much - gold and purple everywhere, otherwise ok.

flew with thai recently several times and the service was o.k., the cabin personal was friendly and helpful. maybe the prime minister should look whats going on in the higher management and the irregularities there before blaming the service!!

Flown them many times as PAX, last time 5 years ago.

They weren't the best airline in SE Asia, but they weren't far off - only Cathay, Singapore and Dragonair really beat them for service.

Either they've gone seriously downhill or the PM is being a little too critical of Thai. For chrissakes they could be Garuda!

Once boarded a Thai plane at Dakha on a hot muggy night during a military enforced curfew.

Greeted at top of steps by vision with cool towel and icecold drink.

I think I was flying economy too. As a mere Pax I'd choose Thai over lots of others.

I fly Thai very frequently. As a matter of fact I'll be flying them next week as I'm heading to Bangkok. I've found the cabin staff to be extremely accommodating and in most cases going out of their way to be helpful. Flights are always on time and meals are served even on the short domestic legs. That's something you would never see here in the USA. Peanuts and a coke! Their furnishings are no less comfortable than any other airline. Although not the best airline in South East Asia, certainly far from the worst.

He prob loves 'em normally...

...but prob scared now 'cos the 737 blew up!!!!!!

They probably didn't treat one of his minor wives well.They have been criticised recently for treating passengers too well!
Also he is not going to be able to buy any shares when it is privatised.
My very favourite airline.

Flew BKK-HatYai last month on a visa run to .MY
Excellent service and good seat pitch in Y class. (A300)

I fly on Thai a couple times a year. I think they're a great airline, with the exception one time back in '91. The A/C wasn't on during boarding, it must have been at least 40 degrees in there !!

Pack failure? hehe..or whatever they call it on the 'Bus

Not sure about the airline, but I can confirm that the cabin crew definitely suck. ;)

Thai are, on the whole, not a bad airline. Their on-board service is usually top quality. Of late, they have been having product problems, particularly in premium cabins. About 45% of their long-haul fleet has been reconfigured, giving biz pax new seats and 50-inch pitch (10 inches more than original product), and Royal First Class changed from 62-inch pitch to a comfy 80-inch pitch with fully-flat seats. You just cannot guarantee which product you'll be on, and for business travellers, they need to know they'll have maximum comfort for their top fare tickets!

Problem: BA have just introduced their new 4-class product on select flights (BA019/020 at present), which runs circles around Thai's products. Other SE Asian airlines are very rapidly implementing new products (Cathay and Singapore for example) which will leave Thai as a second-rate carrier in terms of product at the front end. Cathay even rumoured to be looking at premium Y-cls product like BA's World Traveller Plus.

Friends who live in BKK believe that any airline which is 93% owned by the finance ministry is in deeeeeeeeep trouble... particularly with some of the graft that occurs in Thailand. Too many "ministers" and "friends" will be dipping their hands into the coffers, and leaving the airline to rot. It is already happening (anyone need cheap champagne in BKK? It has "somehow" been made available on the streets...at 50% of normal prices....ooops!) The new president of Thai has ZERO airline experience, except for being a passenger from time to time. Go figure.

Consensus from BKK expats: Okay as a domestic and regional carrier, good at long-haul economy class, but not worth it for front end business as other airline products are much better with similar (or better) service.

Maxalt,
whats your problem with the cabin crew?

Invariably,

Perhaps you should consider another meaning for the word "suck." If I am correct, another meaning was implied.... Get it?

I find humour sometimes does not translate well in other cultures...


Cheers

I have a little experience of Thai as my girlfriend has worked for them in a european city office and my opinion of the company is not high.
I think its rotten from the top. Their personnel policy is nothing short of abysmal!
One employee was three days into her holiday before it was officially confirmed.

Hah! Just like Aer Lingus then?

I've flown Thai on numerous occasions and they have been great. IMHO there's not much difference in service between the major Asian carriers (in cattle class anyway). You get fed, you get movies and you get smiles.

I'm waiting for the day when a carrier has Internet access from every seat as a part of their service. Carriers with this will definitely win over their competitors especially on long flights.

<"I'm waiting for the day when a carrier has Internet access from every seat as a part of their service. Carriers with this will definitely win over their competitors especially on long flights.">

And then people will be able to read PPRUNE see a horror story of the airline and demand to get off at the next opportunity :)

Regards

Wide