Thai Airways is on a roll with upgrades to many Australian routes, although it's a bit of a mixed bag for Sydney.
Here's a rundown for business travellers headed to Bangkok and beyond.
Sydney is already seeing Thai's revamped Boeing 747s with the swish new Royal First Class Suites designed by London-based design firm Priestmangoode.
The look was inspired by Thailand's spa retreats, with shades of gold and purple reflecting the Thai Airways brand colours complemented by muted grey tones and accents of wood.
This includes wooden angled privacy louvres enable passengers to see out but prevent others looking in to each suite.
The not so good news? You'll see these jazzed-up jumbos less often, with Thai trimming its Sydney-Bangkok service back to 10 flights as week from the current twelve as of April 29 through to October 25.
Brisbane has already enjoyed a bump-up to Thai's Boeing 777-300ER, although Thai Airways tells Australian Business Traveller that the plane will be pulled off the route from June 15.
It'll be back from October 1 to 25, Thai promises, although the schedule past October 26 is still to be decided.
Melbourne is getting Thai's new Boeing 777-300ER from March 30 on some of the TG465/466 flights, but you'll need luck on your side come departure day. A Thai Airways spokeswomen told Australian Business Traveller that it’s “not clear which days which aircraft will operate – it could be any day”.
Of course, Perth will move to centre stage on July 1 with the debut of Thai's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner service.
The Dreamliners will be fitted with 24 seats in Thai's Royal Silk business class and 240 in economy, and feature the new 'Thai Contemporary Concept' design now being rolled out on the airline's Boeing 777-300ERs.
Although this will be Perth's first Dreamliner service, it will be followed barely three months later by the mid-October launch of Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 on the Auckland-Perth route.
Read: Air New Zealand gears up for Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner’s debut
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
TG is notorious for aircraft swaps, so I would not hold my breath on the MEL and PER an nouncements.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 May 2012
Total posts 580
Actually, the equipment they put on their Australian flights is consistent.
Their short-haul/regional flights as well as select European destinations are the routes notorious for equipment swaps.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
That's perhaps a recent development, up until last year they flew new and old config aircraft (747) and occasionally an A340-6 to SYD. Sitting in F you could have three types of seats, where one was ghastly, the other acceptable and the latest semi suite superb.
I suspect the issues are solved now with Thai having refurbed almost all of their 747's that fly to SYD. Hence I mentioned specifically PER and MEL. I sure hope the 787 will be put on MEL but I can see them swap it out for the 330 which now plies the route and with regard to MEL it will be luck of the draw with no confirmed flights being the latest 773 with full flat seats.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 65
Can you explain what this means: "Brisbane has already enjoyed a bump-up to Thai's Boeing 777-300ER".
When I checked with Thai 2 weeks ago, they were still flying their old 777-300 that has 3 in the middle (a 2-3-2 - despite advertising on their main website that all Royal Silk is 2-abreast). The Thai phone centre said all they could see was the 2-3-2 on their system for the foreseeable future.
This is a very cramped and uncomfortable aircraft, with their old steep wedgie seats. Is there a new and better version of the 777-300 about?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
I think BNE was previously serviced by an A330 and now they "bumped" the flight up to a 773, however, it leaves the impression that this is the latest plane ( a 77W with A380 grade C class), judging from your comment it is not the 77W but a 773, hence with older style lie flat seats. If this is the case the article should state BNE is being served by a 777-300 and not add the ER at the end.
24 Apr 2013
Total posts 3
Brisbane is currently serviced by a 777-300ER (5 days per week). It has direct aisle access in a staggered config. It is very, very occasionally swapped out for the standard -300 series, but that seems to be a last minute swap as opposed to a scheduling issue. The -300 series aircraft are HS-TKA through TKF, and the -300ER series are HS-TKK through TKU. The -300 does indeed have the older style seats, while the -300ER has the A380 grade seating. To the best of my knowledge, the -300 config is unchanged. I hope this helps!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 65
hello-where are you getting your info from? both the Oz site and Thai world site are showing that BNE is still being served by a 777-300. It's the same aircraft they have used for a long time (not an A330 - SQ run a regional A330 to BNE) I am now re-routing a Europe trip thru HKG to avoid this plane - just called Thai now and they said it is definitely the old 300, with 2-3-2 seating. If Thai have changed to the ER version with staggered seating they haven't updated the websites or told their phone room...I gave up on Thai a while ago because of late subsitutions for old aircraft. They do it too many times for me.
17 Feb 2012
Total posts 121
I travelled on a Thai 747 earlier in the month from Syd-BK and the aircraft was definately not the First product. Actually it was quite disappointing. Service was good though.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Did you travel in First Class?
17 Feb 2012
Total posts 121
I travelled on a Thai 747 earlier in the month from Syd-BK and the aircraft was definately not the First product. Actually it was quite disappointing. Service was good though.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
Surprised they haven't looked to retire the fuel thirsty B747s and A340s unlike most other airlines. Should just retire them and invest in the in flight product upgrades on the new fleet and semi new fleet.
They ought to focus on which routes to have all new in flight products than swapping fleet and giving inconsistency
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
These planes can still make money if they are owned rather than leased. Look at UA and BA, they fly aound plenty of 747 and LH has loads of 343 and 346 birds still making money. Agree on the consistency of inflight product though. Obviously having older aircraft doesn't help as the appetite to invest in these is next to zero due to their retirement a few years down the road.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Apr 2013
Total posts 46
Hate how on BKK-MEL the never tell you if it's a 200 or 300 series
17 May 2012
Total posts 80
My biggest gripe on the Syd-Bkk run ( and return) on the 747 is the entertainment box under the aisle seat in economy, blocking the ability to stretch out.
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 352
It's obvious that AusBT is reporting from a briefing with Thai Airways so I don't think they can be held responsible if Thai swaps planes or even if the airline itself is not entirely 'on the money' with their information, although you'd think an airline would be!!
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