JamesMoloney5 flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a B777-300ER (Config.2) (22/10/2012 13:57)

My Aer Lingus flight from Dublin arrived at 14:30 and TG933 was scheduled to leave at 21:40 so I had a lot of time to kill landside at CDG, which is a shame as CDG is a pretty awful airport when it comes to facilities, either landside or airside.

I used the free train shuttle service to transfer from T1 to T2, which is the location of the ONLY Left Luggage facility at CDG (amazing that they have only one such facility). You cannot take a trolley on to the shuttle train and I had to lug two suitcases and a carry on up to the train platform, which was not easy.

Having left my bags at the Left Luggage I enquired at Information about the Massage services mentioned on the airport’s website. There are none in the airport. The only one is in the Sheraton Hotel which, technically speaking is in the airport. I paid e120 for a one hour massage, in a strange facility on the fourth floor of the hotel. Although horribly expensive, the massage was very good.

Having made my way over to T1 again, with my luggage, I checked in at the empty First Class facility and was quickly on my way to the Star Alliance lounge. Immigration was, thankfully, not too busy.

The Star Alliance lounge is on the second floor accessible by elevator only. First Class is directly behind the reception desk and Business Class is downstairs. The very friendly staff showed me into the completely empty F lounge. I was the only passenger!!

The Lounge is very comfortable but small. Comfortable seating but not a lot of it. A reasonable, but limited selection of drinks and a buffet of meat cuts, smoked salmon, cheeses etc, as well as crisps and nuts was available. I had planned to eat on board so I did not indulge very much.

I had time to indulge in some duty free shopping and this just reinforced my opinion of how poor an airport CDG is for an international hub…shockingly poor selection in Duty Free and also bar/restaurant facilities.

I headed for the aircraft at 9pm and there was nobody at security so cleared that very quickly. On board I was shown to my Suite, 2A. There was only one other passenger in F, in 1K, so I knew the service would be good!

Hot towel and Champagne followed, along with PJs. Push back was actually bang on time at 21:40.

When the seat belt sign was switched off I changed into my PJs and when I got back to my seat my Bombay Sapphire Dry Martini was waiting for me.

Very nice warm nuts were served followed by canapés, and then the best part of the flight…..the Oscietra Caviar, with all the trimmings and ice cold Smirnoff….yummy.

I know from experience over the last 20 years that Thai allocates half a tin of caviar for every passenger. I also knew that the predicted loading for F on this flight was four pax, but two had not turned up. I asked the very nice FA if I could have the whole tin of caviar and she said “absolutely sir, of course you can”. This was a great start to a lovely flight. When I finished the tin, she asked if I would like more……”woo hoo….more”….of course. So, I had another half tin portion.

Delicious, served with egg yolk, egg white, sour cream, red onion, and a choice of toast melba or blinis, and accompanied by ice cold Vodka. I am always amazed at how cold they can get the bottle of Vodka. I know the caviar is served early on in the flight so they don’t have to keep it cold for a long time, but it was literally ice cold!

This was followed by a starter of Serrano Ham, Lobster tail and poached salmon. I then had the Beef Massaman Curry, which was excellent.

I chose the Grand Cru Saint Emilion from Chateau Berliquet which was great with the beef. I do wish Thai would introduce some New World wines to their F selection. French wine is good but I am a firm fan of a nice Australian Shiraz or a South African wine from Stellenbosch…almost any grape from this region will do!!

I decided to skip dessert and cheese and to sleep. I asked the FA to make my bed and went to the bathroom. When I returned, two FAs were finishing making up my bed

The seats are a fully flat bed in sleep mode (as one would expect) and I slept soundly until two hours before landing.

I declined the second meal and had some coffee and juice instead.

One of the best aspects of flying F into Bangkok with Thai is the superb service upon landing. This aircraft usually lands on a C pier, normally C7 and it is easily a fifteen minute walk to Immigration. First Class passengers get a buggy ride and an escort through Immigration and then each passenger has his/her own personal porter to take their hand baggage and then collect their checked luggage and escort the passenger to their car/limo etc. Excellent ground services!!

All told, a very nice flight, as usual from Thai!!

JamesMoloney5 flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a A380-800 (22/10/2012 06:21)

I flew in 3E (flight was full, couldn't get a window seat!) from HKG to BKK on Friday lunchtime flight. The sense of excitement was palpable.....from proud crew, to lots of passengers (having their photos taken....me included!!)

I like the seats, and especially like the "push 'n pull" table, very easy to get in and out of the seat even with a fully loaded dinner setting.

Wi-Fi/SMS was not working, and I was told they are awaiting Thai Aviation authority approval to use the on-board Wi-Fi and SMS functionality.

The little "control touch screen" that is the same as the one on the 777-300ER was not working and it took me quite a while to get used to the "manual" seat controls....couldn't figure out the massage function at all, and gave up as it wasn't that important on a 150 minute flight.

Also, a PA was made warning passengers not to try to use the USB ports for charging Apple products as it would cause the AVOD system to crash and they would have to re-boot it for that seat......strange...

The pale cream and gold colour scheme in F is very nice but I noticed some scuff marks already on leading edges of the seat surroundings. Thai maintenance crew will have to do a good job to keep the colours from looking old at an early stage.

Food was up to the usual high Thai standards and I had a very nice marinated chicken dish with a Som Tam (suitably Westernised, unfortunately) side salad and a nice glass of Chablis....no complaints in that department.

However, I was hoping that Thai had installed proper cappucino machines instead of using the awful powdered cappucino packet mix used on the 747s but I don't think they have. I actually couldn't tell if it was just a better brand of "packet mix" but I was definitely not convinced....it does not even come close to the SQ or Austrian Do & Co (eleven different types of coffee to choose from) cappucino.

The main F toilet was huge, but I can't help feeling a lot of the space is wasted. Sure, it's nice to have plenty of stretch room when changing into your pyjamas on long haul flights but I can't see myself settling down on the sofa for any length of time.

The second F class toilet was adequate in size.

The tail mounted camera is awesome....we had excellent flying conditions and the sun sparkling off the metalwork gave me some excellent photo opportunities. I haven't bothered to watch the camera on the few SQ/EK A380s I have been on previously so I don't know if this is a standard placement for the camera.

In summary, I look forward to flying long haul on this bird as long as Thai keep the competitive pricing structure they currently employ for F class, and don't lose the run of themselves and try to price up to Emirates and SQ F prices, because the hard product is still not as competitive.

gabribkk flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a B777-300ER (Config.2) (13/06/2012 06:11)

-Check-In-
The fast Narita Express train (NEX) brought me from Tokyo’s Shinjuku station directly to Narita airport to catch my 1100 departure on TG641 to Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi. Check-in at the dedicated first class counter was quick and so was security check and immigration.

-Lounge-
Soon after, I found myself at the ANA Suite Lounge which is situated at terminal 1, next to gate 45. NH’s signature lounge appears with typical Japanese understatement. Chairs are comfortable, the spacious room looks clean, the views on the tarmac are fascinating, and the service is top-notch. But something is missing. Is it the personal touch? I don’t know.

Food-wise I was a bit disappointed, I must say. There was not much more on offer than Udon (noodle soups) and a small assortment of – you got it – sushi. Maybe the food offerings were limited because it was only 9am?

For research reasons I also wanted to check out the other lounge option – the United Red Carpet Club, which meanwhile has been renamed as United Global First Lounge. The interior with its “old-schoolish” upholstered armchairs reminded me of the late 70’s.

Nevertheless, the lounge somehow has a very unique charm. My culinary needs were catered with some snacks, nuts, and – you got it again – sushi. Not that I don’t like Japanese cuisine, don’t get me wrong. It just gets a bit boring after a while. Sushi here, sushi there, sushi everywhere.

-Boarding-
The dedicated first and business class line and a separate jet bridge to door 1L allowed for a fast boarding without any waiting. Once aboard I was greeted by the purser and escorted to my seat.

-The Seat-
Thai’s Boeing 777-300ERs are dry-leased from Jet Airways and will operate until 2013. The configuration is F8 – C30 – Y274, which sums in a total of 312 seats.

The first class cabin comes with a total of 8 suites in two rows with a 1-2-1 configuration (A-DG-K). Obviously, all of those have direct access to the aisle. The seat is 22 inches (56cm) wide, 83 inches (211cm) long and reclines a full 180 degrees to make for a cozy bed. For full privacy you can close the sliding door – a nice feature.

The IFE is quite modern (TG doesn’t use its own IFE on the leased jets) and offers a wide range of movies, series and music. The screen is huge (23 inch/58cm) and the state-of-the-art headphones reduce any bothersome noise.

Another nice feature of the suite is the ottoman in front of the seat which allows a fellow passenger to dine or work vis-à-vis.

Business class is comes with a 1-2-1 fully-flat bed herringbone arrangement (A-DG-K), economy with a standard 3-3-3 (ABC-DEG-HJK).

-Which Seat to choose-
Since I was travelling alone I chose suite 1K for myself. Couples are better off with seats in the middle (D, G) as the divider between the seats is removable and allows togetherness.

When departing from Tokyo towards southern direction I would definitely want to be seated on the right hand side in order to see the summit of the majestic Mount Fuji. What a magnificent view! For best observation one would be well advised to sit in row 1, since the first row has 4 windows, whereas the second row only has 3.

In general, the first class cabin seems a bit worn down already. The wooden interior is covered with scratches and stains. Rubber seals from the sliding doors fall off. I assume TG doesn’t want to invest too much money in a leased aircraft. Fair enough.

-The Flight-
With no boarding delay and not too much traffic at Narita airport, the triple 7 rotated on-time shortly after 1100. After a smooth climb up above the clouds the catering began with yakitori (skewered chicken), a curry puff, and the mandatory campari orange. Note that TG doesn’t serve caviar on regional routes! Soon after, I was handed out the lunch and wine menu.

First course included a king crab salad, shrimps and grilled scallops with cocktail sauce followed by a chestnut soup with duck liver mouse (don’t be bedazzled by those fancy ingredients, bottom line is, the food was nothing special…).

In the meantime, the purser advised me of grabbing my camera since we were about to fly over Mount Fuji. The view of this unique mountain is simply spectacular…

Back to the culinary spectacles: main courses were steamed sea bass with yuzu citrus sauce and Japanese veggies, pork curry “pa-naeng” with fried white fungus and minced prawns, or stewed duck leg in braised sauce with truffle and dried tomato mashed potato. I chose the curry which was okay. Desserts included the compulsory selection of cheese (I passed) and rum savarin with orange sauce. If I recall correctly, the wine list offered both 3 selection of whites and reds.

I then decided to get a rest. To my surprise TG doesn’t offer a pajama on their flights to or from Tokyo. Even though they state on their homepage that every flight exceeding 6h a pj is offered in first class, they actually don’t. Fair enough.

At least I was given one of those really cool rimova amenity kits which look like a small suite case. It consists of a comb, tooth brush and tooth paste, mouth spray, lip balm, hand lotion, and a facial spray (la maxima).

I closed the sliding door to my suite, pushed the “do not disturb”-button and had a deep sleep for a couple of hours.
I woke up prior to landing in Bangkok and was given a juice and a warm towel to freshen up. After a smooth descent we arrived at the gate on time and the cabin crew bid farewell.

-Arrival-
A TG ground staff was waiting for me at the end of the jet bridge. She greeted me and invited me to hop on the cute TG golf cart which made my way through immigration to the baggage reclaim area fast, easy and hassle-free.

After picking up my bags (which were the first on the belt) the ground staff escorted me through customs to the car which was waiting for me outside the terminal building. The whole arrival procedure was very quick.

-Verdict-
Overall service of Thai Airways was good, especially the ground staff at Bangkok airport. I love the private suites which look elegant and are pretty comfortable.

Food-wise though, I expect more from TG. They just can’t keep up with the culinary highlights of let’s say Swiss International Air Lines or so. Even business class meals of Singapore Airlines or United surpass Thai’s first class meals in terms of taste and quality.

On another note I think it’s a pity that the cabin looks used and worn down. Thai should invest more in the maintenance of their aircrafts – leased or not. To me, the condition of the cabin represents somehow the attitude of an airline (two thumbs down in this regard for TG). Furthermore, allow me one thought on lounges. Please get more creative! I want something else than sushi again and again!

Listener flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a B747-400 (Config. 1) (06/10/2010 20:53)

BKK to FRA 747 First Class (daytime flight) connected from SIA and greatly appreciated meet and greet service as flight from SIA was at one of the farthest gates at BKK. Golf Cart to Thai's amazing First Class lounge, utilized all of the services including massages. Boarding: For those who haven't departed BKK in Thai First if you're in the lounge they wait to board Royal First Class passengers last once all other passengers are on board. There's no one at gate security check or on the bridge to aircraft. Staff escort you from lounge through security and right to gate of aircraft. Same 747-400 and pod seats as inbound flight the week before. Arrival: Was met by a very nice gentleman from ground crew who escorted me for my connecting Lufthansa flight to Sao Paulo though he wasn't aware of the Lufthansa First Class lounge in Main Terminal so we backtracked back to lounge. Great service and helpful at every turn!

Listener flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a B747-400 (Config. 1) (06/10/2010 20:46)

Always enjoy service on Thai Airways First. Unfortunately they no longer service JFK so routed through Frankfurt with Lufthansa and used their First Class lounge during 9 hour layover. Seat is comfortable for relaxing, eating, working and enjoying films. To sleep a fitted sheet covers the entire length of the seat though it might be nice if they had a mattress pad instead. Sat in 1A outbound 1K on return flight. Both are great seats at the nose of the 747 so quiet and private with no one passing by. Great food but no a la carte section on the menu like other airlines. Good assortment of films and entertainment. Had to have the system rest twice but by the second time it was working just fine. Relaxing cabin and very attentive service by cabin crew, they couldn't have ben nicer or more helpful. Best part at the end is being met by ground-staff and whisked away in purple golf cart to First Class lounge.

WOLFEEE flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a B747-400 (Config. 1) (30/04/2010 05:07)

roslynb flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a A340-600 (26/04/2010 01:54)

I was seated in 1A which is great for a day flight but i do prefer 2C for night flights just a little quieter. the food was dreadful. the champagne not cold and on asking for a glass before landing it was flat.

ThomsonHung flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a B747-400 (Config. 1) (27/02/2009 08:37)

very old seats

RemoVignati flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a A340-600 (08/12/2008 13:26)

I always get seat 2A that is not intrusive even is just in front of Business class The seat is easy to to adjust

firstclassboi flew Thai Airways Royal First Class, on a B747-400 (Config. 2) (02/10/2008 12:14)

Thai First Class promises a lot but sadly delivers little. The priority check-in is generally not as promised and you are often overlooked when the staff spot one of their own Royal Orchid Gold members. Great if you are one, less so if you are paying a First Class fare and pushed aside while they are checked-in in preference. I personally don't like the First Class lounge in BKK as I like to help myself to food and drink from a buffet/bar rather than take an educated guess as to what they may offer and order from the staff. Thai say that they will take you from the lounge to the gate but on each occasion I have asked I have just been directed with a very general arm pointing in one direction or another. The seats are the same as those on Malaysia Airlines and are comfortable for sitting and sleeping. The food is of good quality, similarly the champagne, whilst oddly the wines are very poor. On the whole there is no wine list presumably in a cost-cutting measure which necessitates each wine being brought to you to look. I now stick with champagne for the entire flight as I have never found a wine that I like. The crew seem to lack an understanding of wines and happily pour wines in which the cork has deteriorated, tainted the wine, and then cork debris floats in your glass. You can see why I stick to champagne! Good seats, but an inferior product and a crew that is anything but as smooth as silk. The Thai (nationality) friendliness is nowhere to be found on Thai Air. Don't start me on customer relations as they simply don't reply. Pathetic given the money I spend on their product.