Thai Airways Treats Australia With Contempt

[cambriamarsh]

This is an excellent analysis of the fundamental problems of TG. There are reasonably simple solutions but I can't see the board of TG approving full privitisation as they would quickly lose their jobs. There are too many snouts in the trough.

Do government owned airlines need to be profitable though? Governments can incur unlimited debt because they never have to pay it off.

Sorry smit, but that logic is what got Greece into so much trouble. Even govts that borrow in their own currency can only borrow so much before either their credit rating sinks or inflation takes off.

 

[PLC]

I've had a 773 (1-2-1 seating) BNE-BKK, which I thought had a great J product (including fully flat bed). On the flip side the return was F in a 747 to SYD, which had plenty of space but is pretty dated.

If you ever see the 773 available I would go for it...but of course there is no guarantee it will be the plane you have on the day

 

[anat0l]

Sorry smit, but that logic is what got Greece into so much trouble. Even govts that borrow in their own currency can only borrow so much before either their credit rating sinks or inflation takes off.

Unlike Greece, however, Thailand getting into any sort of trouble will not bring down an entire region or economic bloc with it, nor do their citizens have the right of absolute free passage. This means they can extort their citizens if need be without serious repercussions. It wouldn't be right, and I'd wager that the Thai people could raise a militia better than the Greeks could. On top of that, if the operation of Thai Airways starts to teeter on the difference between making or breaking the country, then they would have gone way, way too far off the edge.


Overall, I'm not sure what "contempt" really means in terms of TG's offerings on Australian services. I guess that's coloured by most people here only flying them in J or F, which is at least satisfactory in nearly all cases. Hardly anyone here flies Y, let alone flies on a ticket which they bought in cash (buying points and burning them doesn't count).

TG wants to send their old aircraft here? I'm not surprised. Outside of the key markets centred in SYD and, mysteriously, PER, they really don't have serious competition, so unless you're prepared to go indirect, then you're stuck. Whether or not TG are actually making a dime on any of these services seems oddly irrelevant: if you are happy with the product, you certainly aren't concerned about their profitability or lack thereof; if you are unhappy, you might comment that is why they are unprofitable without actually having the evidence on hand to establish that causal link.

 

[Austman]

Hardly anyone here flies Y, let alone flies on a ticket which they bought in cash (buying points and burning them doesn't count).

Are you sure? I've been on TG dozens of times and long before AFF even started or TG even had a FF program. The problems with TG then look almost exactly the same as they are now. I doubt they'll be changing anytime soon. It's really the way TG has been for a very long time.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Are you sure? I've been on TG dozens of times and long before AFF even started or TG even had a FF program.

If you're flying economy, I thought TG has a good product. As for premium classes... pre- US airways and Lifemiles I guess people did pay for tickets (I paid AUD4600 return First class to London). But TG was usually in the cheaper category and was a perfectly good product for the price.

But with the ability to buy miles, the going rate for TG is whatever the current miles promotion is... availability is so easy there's little need to buy a revenue ticket.

 

[Austman]

But with the ability to buy miles, the going rate for TG is whatever the current miles promotion is... availability is so easy there's little need to buy a revenue ticket.

No doubt. But the OP's whinge is about the product. Thai Y has always been pretty good compared to other Y classes. Thai J and F less so. And the inconsistency in Thai J and F products has at least been consistent. Way before there were even miles to buy. I've been on paid Thai Y and J dozens of times.

 

[bobe]

Flying Perth- Bangkok in August , is that the same type aircraft QF use from Perth -Singapore?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Flying Perth- Bangkok in August , is that the same type aircraft QF use from Perth -Singapore?

Looks like Thai is operating their 787 to BKK in August. This should be reflected in your booking. This is a wide-body next generation aircraft.

QF is flying 737s - a single-aisle aircraft on their PER-SIN route.

 

[mannej]

Flying Perth- Bangkok in August , is that the same type aircraft QF use from Perth -Singapore?

TG does not have the 738-800, so no.

 

[bryanjones]

TG F or J via United miles purchase represents excellent value for money. Especially if you like Dom 2004 and caviar in F.

 

[Deleted member]

It has been my policy for quite some time now (I am not quite as old fart as Ikara) to never do anything with anybody if their product or service is inferior to or overpriced than the alternative.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

@airlineroute: THAI tentatively schedules Airbus A350-900XWB service on Bangkok - Melbourne route, starting 01JUL16. Further changes possible.

 

[Austman]

Further changes possible.

Extremely likely is probably closer to the fact considering it's Thai.

As always with Thai - wait and see!

 

[smit0847]

Extremely likely is probably closer to the fact considering it's Thai.

As always with Thai - wait and see!

http://www.luchtzak.be/airlines/tha...ed-airbus-to-delay-the-delivery-of-the-a350s/

 

[bobe]

Do Thai fly the "Dreamliner" from Perth?

 

[mannej]

Do Thai fly the "Dreamliner" from Perth?

Yes - that was answered in post #28

 

[N860CR]

I'm flying Thai F this week from SYD-BKK. Scheduled as "new F" but as always, who knows.

They're not the best airline in the world, but the availability of cheap fares reflects that. Ultimately, my F flight is costing far less than QF J which is highly likely to be no better than the old slope-bed.

 

[boomy]

I'm flying Thai F this week from SYD-BKK. Scheduled as "new F" but as always, who knows.

They're not the best airline in the world, but the availability of cheap fares reflects that. Ultimately, my F flight is costing far less than QF J which is highly likely to be no better than the old slope-bed.

F is always better than J, even if you end up getting the old TG F, which is highly unlikely.