Butterfly pee is a delicacy. It costs so much because butterflies have very small kidneys and for one cup of juice, we have to wait one butterfly's whole lifetime. That is diluted with water and little sugar (as per choice). Make a better story...
I used to be a frequent flyer with Thai, gold status. Gave up flying with them over ten years ago due to declining standards and truly dreadful customer support. I had food poisoning on a flight (almost unheard of in the past) and a broken seat with no inflight entertainment. Was bounced back and forth between the Bangkok and London office. Lied to by both offices, no recompense, records lost, that staff member no longer works here etc. On another flight got downgraded from business to coach for a pregnant lady and her son (fair enough). Seems she wasn't pregnant, she was crew, the other seat was for a member of the cabin crew to sit with her and chat. Promised compensation for the downgrade, HA! Heard a lot of bad news about them and gave up. Real shame.
As a Thai, I used to be proud of our flag carrier being one of the top airlines in the world. The truth is, Thai Airways rarely makes profits (largely due to internal management and the fact that they do not compromise which is the reason why it is such a great airline in the past). And as the airline is largely owned by the government, taxpayer money is being used to save this constantly failing airlines which in my opinion, is a ridiculous way of spending taxpayer money. Most part of Thailand is still lacks enough fundings (healthcare, education, etc.) why spend money on luxury that would only serve a few privileged people whose already have enough?
Hi Dan! my dad used to be the regional manager for Thai airways' Melbourne office and I have flown this route on the A350 many times, all of which were fond memories. Seeing you review this flight was a real treat and a nostalgia trip, despite all the negatives.
Flew with Thai Airways business from London to Singapore in Aug this year, and wasnt expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed my Thai Airways biz class flight much more than my SIA biz class flight. They had incredible service, air stewards were very attentive, they were able to accommodate to our special requests, and my dinner consisted of 2 appetisers, a main, cheese platter and a local thai dessert. The butterfly pea lemonade was really great and to the Asian drinks fans, there’s also Thai Milk Tea w grass jelly on some of their flights (an air steward kindly offered it to me when he noticed I was awake in the middle of the night and my lips were dry). Am not too sure why my experience was starkly different from what was presented in this video. My advice would be to give them a chance before judging purely based on just one video. 😊 The price of their biz class flight is about 40% of what Singapore Airline charges during the time I flew.
My wife and I just flew Thai A350-900 Seoul to Bangkok. Was one of the best Business Class experiences we have had to date. The seating was very comfortable, the food was excellent, the staff were Thai gratious, and the overall flight was smooth as silk. Upon arrival our 4 bags came out first. All in all an A+ performance. Just our opinion, though.
Totally agree Deb. I was even considering moving overseas. I had enough. Had it not been for my hubby i would have left for good. Had my trip all planned when we werent allowed out. As soon as we got the go, my 2 month trip to Europe.was booked in 15 mins lol It seriously was sending me stir crazy.
Me, who always flies budget airlines for 40 euros: "Ah, yes, that seat is clearly in a terrible condition. Hmm, so true, that main course could have been presented better indeed."
I flew this exact flight in september of this year. I was almost dead because of how tired i was flying all the way from london so I slept a good chunk of the flight but the food was incredible and i loved the service!
Thank you Dan, I'm a fellow die-hard avgeek, former f/a (as you might remember) and wanderluster, and I am hooked on your videos, this channel and the other one. I am in awe of the professionalism of your business, and as a matter of fact, it inspires me beyond the subjects covered, especially as you're so young. Wow. Now, about this video and TG... I lived and worked in Thailand for a while a couple of decades ago. TG has long had a reputation of excellence that was vaguely prevalent for at least 3 decades prior to covid. Imho, it was deserved for the most part, especially in its premium cabins, but not exactly overall. In fact, they were always overrated in terms of product in economy, something they shared with SQ. They simply benefitted from the hype due to the glamour of their upper classes. For instance 20 years ago when footrests became commonplace for economy seats in the region, TG didn't bother to adapt, and were the only major/coveted airline in the region without footrests in economy, as I remember. I always felt that they looked carefully where to put their money, and skipped the extra effort each and every time they could get away with less expenses. I still have a soft spot for them, but I suppose the unique quality of their exotic refinement makes up for a lot of this attitude towards their customers (or at least is believed to, by their management!). Like you said, this is not to say that they are a bad airline at all, but rather that I am not surprised in the least by what you showed us and why. Can't wait for country number 100. I wonder whether it will be Timor Leste.
Yes, Australia was closed for far too long. Which was very tough for travel content creators like me. LOL... The TONS of domestic flight videos I churned out was hilarious. But it forced a lot of us to look inwards to appreciate how beautiful our country is, and to travel domestically. Not sure if you realise how EXPENSIVE domestic travel is in Australia, it is always far FAAAAAR cheaper for us to fly overseas internationally. Which is a shame. I was a very frequent user of TG back in the day and I've always looked forward to their meals. Their kitchen in BKK is PHENOMENAL. They make some of the best tasting Thai curries even for economy class. Sadly, this isn't the case anymore as the airline fights to survive. I recently flew into MEL on a little known carrier - Philippine Airlines. My God, they were excellent (surprisingly). Love your videos, always have. And you've produced another great one of course. Keep on flying! Cheers Ryan
I was planning a return trip to my country of birth, Australia, before the wretched pandemic struck. Since then the cost of flights has gone through the roof. No way will I fly “economy” long haul anymore and P.E. is more than I pay for my regular long haul in Business Class, South America to Europe. So the Australian trip has been put on hold.
We have been flying Thai for 30 years now, they ALWAYS DELIGHT us! We LOVE Thai, LOVE Singapore Airlines, LOVE Cathay and - it might surprise you - LOVE QANTAS! All are GREAT, we fly at least 10 times every year and NO COMPLAINTS. Thank you.
Acutally Thai Airways has changed a lot for the better in the past 2 months - I just released a report about their current business-class product, after having flown them since childhood. And the rise from how is was only half a year ago to now is significant. So there's hope 🙂
My Dad is an Airport Duty Manager for Thai in HKG/VHHH. I flew the HKG-BKK (Stanby Ticket) on the A350-900 (HS-THO) with a new inflight system (very different) it was very nice even in economy. Crew was also nice giving drinks to everyone every few hours. Good food catered from BKK, and yea my experience is good! Will definitely fly again. Recommend Flying Thai!
I flew this year only two times with Thai in Business and i was very happy with everything, from the priority checking, fast security lane, lounge, priority boarding and all on the flight.
Recently flew Osaka - Bangkok with Thai on Business class. Food was... ok, IFE was sub par. Choices were very very limited but I was prepared and was planning to sleep anyway. Onboard Wifi wasn't working and the FA lady told me that its not available right now and that they're haven't signed a new contract yet. And I was like... oh ok... Growing up flying Thai to visit friends and family was great but, nowadays there are just so many other much much better options. Having said that, flying Thai for the first time in many many years did give me those nostalgic feels. The staff were great they try to make do with what tools are available to them IMO. Side note: Good thing about flying Thai out of BKK is that they have a dedicated desk for First and Business class regardless of your flight.
I’ve taken TG Royal Silk every month the last 7 months and I have seen it improve on one flight to the next. Yes, it could be cleaner, we would appreciate pyjamas on overnight flights, bedding irresponsibly the hours and the 7:57 hardware doesn’t compare well to Qatar, Emirates or SQ, but… Unlike SQ, the food is always good to great and the staff are mostly genuine and very attentive without being obvious and continually offer water, drinks and snacks. The flight attendants are genuinely eager to help keep us safe, balancing comfort while rationally stopping service during turbulence. The Bangkok-Japan flights were better at cleaning the toilets between each passenger more than other sectors. I was especially impressed when I forgot my charger on the plane and the kind flight attendant rushed after and waited around Customs exit to find me. In the same last 7 months, I also took an array of other airlines, but my gratitude on the improved snacks, food, service and entertainment. Agree with Dan, more Thai foods, desserts and snacks would be a marked positive distinguishing feature. Happy to report that TG now serves mixed nuts and dried fruit in bowls again rather than in plastic bags.
EVA Air and Thai both fly nonstop London-Bangkok but EVA seem to get much better reviews and are often about £100 cheaper. The flights depart London within 10 minutes of each other at approx. 21:30 every evening.
Thanks for the review regarding Thai Airways, it is very sad to see the state of such airlines. I feel like Garuda, Malaysia, and Thai have so much potential.
I feel especially that SEA airlines have been on a bit of a decline and their Middle Eastern, East Asian, and European competitors are dominating over them.
I just flew Bangkok -Fukuoka -Bangkok last week with a Boeing 777 200. From my own experience both in Economy and Business Class I think the cabin crew service is as good as before. I am Thai but I've never had a bad experience like other Thai people who said that the crew did not provide good service to Thai people. But what is obvious is that the quality of the food is not as good as before and the plane is in a quite unsatisfactory condition such as cleanliness (dust and stain) and problem of the seat function.
Hey Dan great trip report as always. Just a person message I wanted to let you know back in 2016 I flew Malaysian airlines a330 from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne i was only 8 then as soon as I got home I loved the a330 first thing I did was search it up and the very first video that came up was your a330 Brussels Airline takeoff your video is what got me soo pasiotnate in aviation all those years for that thank you. It’s also nice you’ve flown on the same route and airline as me not many aviators have came to Melbourne, it’s refreshing my aviation idol has flown my same route. Take it easy Dan safe flying :)
I flew the Thai airways business class from Sydney to Bangkok and Bangkok to Sydney earlier this month, totally agree when you said the state of the seats are rougher than Balenciaga's public perception lol . And the dust hidden in the corner of the remote socket truly disgusted me. I think I am gonna pass on Thai airways next time.
Flew Thai business once 4 years ago. Food was nice but service standard was not as good. Asked the crew for panadol twice due to my headaches and she never returned to me. Fares are also not cheap and business class seats are often unavailable for point redemption.
i flew TG Business Class a couple weeks ago (mel-bkk bkk-syd) and the food was below par in a big way. We all got the same starter - 2 small prawns marinated in a thai sauce, it was ok (but no choice), for main i ordered the beef - It was a basic "circular" cut, something you would see in a cafeteria lets say, accompanied by asparagus which was cooked to death and was brown! (i'm serious) it had some nice gravy thou. There was 2 bread choices, a nice side salad, then we all got a cheese plate with grapes and dried fruit and crackers (this was nice), and lastly the ONLY desert option available was a small apple crumble (again a basic cafeteria offering, no custard cream on top, or a swirl of chocolate for decoration...) Im a long time fan of TG, and their food upto 4 years ago , pre-pandemic lets say, was FAR SUPERIOR in quality, quantity and variety, and visual appeal, It used to be very fine-dining actually - SADLY - not now. The service is OK yet robotic (they have always been this way actually - they don't ever talk to you, but just smile).... The "In flight entertainment" offering is behind the times also. There is only one way for them to go, and that's up, or they will evaporate and won't be in the race. Trying to reach them by phone, or email was a real struggle too. Their whole operation is really clunky and out dated. Im sad to have to report all this as i really LOVE Thai. In fairness...they are still OKAY but you can really notice the cost cutting ... and they are a lower-tier airline than they used to be 😔
Flew Thai Airways from London to Bangkok in August, flight left at around 11am, meal just after take off, then breakfast just before landing at 6am. Nothing in between on a 111/2 hour flight which I thought strange, luckily as a diabetic I did take some sandwiches as I have to eat regularly otherwise I am in trouble. Flying with them again next month so definitely going to stock up.
They lost me in a BKK-FRA in Bus, where they served spicy curry without yoghurt or rice (couldn’t eat) and the French toast in the morning was burned. Also the drinks service was pretty disappointing. That mixed with this tiny and random old seat…
I recently discovered your channel and it is a delight. I may not make it to all of the places you’ve been and seen but you are so detailed and give such great insight I can place myself on Thai Airways( even if its not perfect) or discover the Singapore Airlines first class .😀. Happy holidays and a blessed new year to you and family!
Woo! You're in Melbourne now? Welcome!! I hope you guys get to chill a little here and enjoy the friendliest city in the world! :D :D Travelling and booking on THAI recently, I have to say their on-ground customer service is pretty nonexistent now. It was impossible to reach their offices by phone, and emails would be responded to after three or four weeks, if I was lucky enough to get a response!
Thai Airways is one of the worst airlines I have ever experienced. It took me more than 42 hours to go back home from Thiland to Sweden. The service was awful and when I reached Arlanda I had already the connecting flight and no one was there to help or provide another flight and I was wondering for 14 more hours with absolutely NO service at all at the airport to go back home. I wrote to them more than ten times and the only thing they did was just ignoring and saying we have nothing to give you but apology 😤🤯How an airline can be so irresponsible 🤬they have to stop working 👎what they do is obvious robbery
Well butterfly pea is a type of flower in Thai it's very popular uses as a herbal drink, the reason I reckon that they call it butterfly pea cause the flowers of this plant (which is a type of pea) looks like butterflies. There're also news in Bangkok where I live that the airways is not as smooth as silk as it once been. For the desert part, as a Thai myself, Thai deserts are sometime notorious for spoiling quickly like the sticky rice and mango which contains coconut milk, plus the taste ain't going to be like it's on the ground cause on planes we lose some of our taste sensitivity, which complicate things farer.
Heyo Dan! I've been flying that BKK-MEL route for a few years now due to studies and I have to agree that Thai airways have had to scale things down due to covid where the flying experience had been affected, menus etc. That route i've found has a very wide range of flyers from all over, connecting and direct so the plane faces quite a but of abuse. Especialy from holiday goers. I'm not sure about now but the A350s that fly that route were usually in very good shape as not too long ago they were new. You could still fly during covid but it was a fairly laborious process, the flights during covid were generally empty but still had people. Thanks for the video!
I used to think Thai was up there with Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA and more, but this is extremely disappointing coming from a Singaporean like me who only flies Economy on SIA. Regardless, hopefully their standards improve soon. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for anyone who reads this. -Steve
The standards have been in decline since three decades …. The current restructuring is the third in 12 years . I avoid them like the place long haul and use alternatives all the time for short haul.
Love your reviews Dan, I’ll be flying to USA For the first time (my dream) I’ll be taking my mum along and want her to be comfortable, and I’ve been going though your videos to find the perfect airline ❤️
took the same flight yesterday and the hard product was the same like in your review. Food got better in my opinion: for breakfast they had an authentic Michelin star created rice soup with smoked fish (I liked it but guess not to everyone’s taste) and a western as well as a second Thai option. Between services you could get some truffle crisps or nuts upon request. Dinner was also very pleasant. Choices were either Thai panaeng shrimp curry or two western options like sea bass or steak. And finally they offered a delicious Thai coconut panna cotta with water chestnuts. Very colourful and soooo Thai!! Wine menu was rather large but not spectacular. Two brut champagnes were on offer (Piper and Laurent Perrier (which I found superior) Really enjoyed the flight.
Thank you for loving Thailand. I agree with you that Thai cut some cost on its services. However, I feel that it's in a middle stage, not improved nor terrible. But I hope that Thai will be more improve after it passing this financial crisis and reflect the culture of Thailand again. In addition, I also found as you that some hard products are not in their condition or damage. I think since Thai use its 350 and 77W in mixed with South Asia and Cargo flights (which is quite rare to found this fleet on South Asia and regional routes before the pandemic) it makes the hard product worn-out faster.
If you have your flag carrier Scandinavian Airlines Milage Programme, then it can be used on Thai Airways due to both being Star Alliance Members. The reverse also works is using Thai Airways on Scandinavian Airlines System while in North America you are using it on Air Canada and United
I would love to find a vlogger that travels economy class. I like watching the first class and club class to see how the other side travel but I’d love to see reviews like this on economy class
Part of the business experience is that you don't want to sit in tatty falling apart seats. The service does look pretty good though, especially the food.
thank you for this video! I am really grateful to have a creator who makes videos that I love! I have been a active supporter of you for a year or so, so I just want to thank you for this amazing video!
Appreciate Dan’s honesty in all his videos, which got me thinking - can an airline put you on their no-fly list arbitrarily just because they fear negative reviews?
Most of the drinks served on Thai Airways are local fruit juices.I'm Thai and I'm glad to see you enjoying your trip with Thai Airways.🙏👍hope to see you come back to enjoy in thailand again soon.
3:07 dang an almost brand new plane and the paint is peeling off. Airbus needs to fix this, I understand that it will not affect performance, but it would look much better.
Today is my birthday & I love your videos ! I hope I’ll be able to travel more in the future you made me interested into flying in planes I had a fear for so long . Keep it up !
Great video, and welcome to Australia!! Sad to see that Thai has declined so much in the last decade. Will you be flying Qantas while here down under? Would love to see your thoughts and opinions on the refurbished A380 or B787 business suites. The A330 domestic business product probably isn't worth your time, and the A380 first product (while great) is tired compared to Middle Eastern airline standards.
The WiFi was working on some flights over a month ago. Pre-pandemic, Thai used to give out free WiFi cards to business class passengers. One of the FAs I was talking to said he had heard rumours that that might be returning in the next month or two.
I love Bangkok, always get goosebumps as soon as I see videos of the city and its skyline...🙈❤️ We flew back to Munich in business class on Thai's A359 in November and somehow I wasn't impressed. The space is ok, but the seat strangely feels more narrow than other business class seats. Even compared to the "old" business class in the A359 and B788 of Qatar Airways, not to mention the QSuite. Also when fully 180° reclined to a bed it wasn't as comfortable as those on Qatar Airways. Luckily I'll fly Qatars "facelifted" business class on their B789 in two weeks and I'm excited to compare it with their last regular business class, the QSuite and Thai's product.😁
Great video as usual. I think you are being very nice to them in this review. Based on the food options (or lack of) and the state of the seat, I do not consider this a very good package. Thanks for upload 🙂
I just flew a round-trip TG’s business class (Bkk-Mel). It’s obvious that the airline has been trying, and it’s now on the way back to its good old days. The bankruptcy hit them hard during the pandemic. Anyway, compared to the state it was in October 2022, my latest flight with them early November this year was way better.
Flew with Thai 4 times this year. Food: Taste is Great FA on board: good Cons: Dirty, IFE garbage, NO WIFI, not enough food for selection...... it's like hardware wise going towards a budget airline
I flew Thai Air biz from Bangkok to Dhaka a week or so ago, on a 777-200. I thought they were great - terrific service, good food and excellent wines. Better than my experiences a week earlier with Singapore and a week later with Qatar.
I fly Oslo-BKK every month on Thai pre-covid since thats the only airline that has direct flight.. its on an old and outdated 777 but it was convenient... recently they have removed and the trip requires a stopover at Frankfurt.. looking for alternatives since..
Guys Dan is the best at this! love the HD footage of everything..More capacity coming on down under.. A380's back in New Zealand finally.. maybe do a long haul Dubai to Auckland Dan? welcome here!
OMG ... i am really shocked. We will fly in January MEL-BKK-MCT-FRA in Business... hopefully better... luckily only one segment (MEL-BKK) the next 2 segment with Oman Air.
I recently flew LHR to BKK and return with Thai in economy. Hadn't flown with them for many years because of surley and entitled crew and just general falling standards. Though I would give them another go. Big mistake. Falling apart seats, general scruffy and untidy. Minimal IFE with unresponsive touch screen. Food really bad on the out journey but slightly better on the return. You can just tell they are trying so hard to cut corners and save money. Sad to see how far what was once a such a fantastic airline sinking 📉
I totally get the hot towel obsession. While I don’t fly as much as I’d like and enjoy them that way, I try to at least get a couple of barbershop shaves a year so I can enjoy the hot towels that way
Hey Dan, You mentioned that the Royal Orchid lounge is not your favourite at BKK. Which would you recommend for someone with Amex Platinum/Priority Pass?
I completely agree with your assessment. It is very strange when you consider that Thai people are some of the nicest people in the world. Yet Thai airways crew is hardly worth mentioning. I try to avoid Thai airways as much as possible, even though I live in Singapore and travel to Bangkok frequently. It’s just not worthwhile.
Flew HKG-BKK-LHR recently on Thai air and there were sandwich’s , nuts, drinks etc available In between meals. Maybe just that particular route you flew had no snacks?
"Seat is in such a bad state it makes look Air Koryo fresh"... OH GOD DAN I giggled. You should've mentioned a notice of no consent for that statement to be used by the NK government. XD In all seriousness considering THAI is a Star Alliance airline based in Asia, really sad their BC seat condition looks awful.
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eoomprar is viYou are cthat
Can u try vietnam airlines please:)
Butterfly pee is a delicacy. It costs so much because butterflies have very small kidneys and for one cup of juice, we have to wait one butterfly's whole lifetime. That is diluted with water and little sugar (as per choice).
Make a better story...
@@minhanhnguyen1872 ❤
I used to be a frequent flyer with Thai, gold status. Gave up flying with them over ten years ago due to declining standards and truly dreadful customer support. I had food poisoning on a flight (almost unheard of in the past) and a broken seat with no inflight entertainment. Was bounced back and forth between the Bangkok and London office. Lied to by both offices, no recompense, records lost, that staff member no longer works here etc. On another flight got downgraded from business to coach for a pregnant lady and her son (fair enough). Seems she wasn't pregnant, she was crew, the other seat was for a member of the cabin crew to sit with her and chat. Promised compensation for the downgrade, HA! Heard a lot of bad news about them and gave up. Real shame.
Feel bad for your experience
That's shocking
Horrifying.
I flew with them once. The plane was grounded in LHR because the paperwork was incorrect. Amateur airline.
@@matthewdyer4752 It really breaks my heart, I flew so manmy times with them, always a pleasure. Then they nosedived with a vengance.
As a Thai, I used to be proud of our flag carrier being one of the top airlines in the world. The truth is, Thai Airways rarely makes profits (largely due to internal management and the fact that they do not compromise which is the reason why it is such a great airline in the past). And as the airline is largely owned by the government, taxpayer money is being used to save this constantly failing airlines which in my opinion, is a ridiculous way of spending taxpayer money. Most part of Thailand is still lacks enough fundings (healthcare, education, etc.) why spend money on luxury that would only serve a few privileged people whose already have enough?
Hi Dan! my dad used to be the regional manager for Thai airways' Melbourne office and I have flown this route on the A350 many times, all of which were fond memories. Seeing you review this flight was a real treat and a nostalgia trip, despite all the negatives.
Flew with Thai Airways business from London to Singapore in Aug this year, and wasnt expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed my Thai Airways biz class flight much more than my SIA biz class flight. They had incredible service, air stewards were very attentive, they were able to accommodate to our special requests, and my dinner consisted of 2 appetisers, a main, cheese platter and a local thai dessert. The butterfly pea lemonade was really great and to the Asian drinks fans, there’s also Thai Milk Tea w grass jelly on some of their flights (an air steward kindly offered it to me when he noticed I was awake in the middle of the night and my lips were dry). Am not too sure why my experience was starkly different from what was presented in this video. My advice would be to give them a chance before judging purely based on just one video. 😊 The price of their biz class flight is about 40% of what Singapore Airline charges during the time I flew.
I'm glad you had a good experience.
Did not Khow that Thai Airways Can Travel to Singapore to London
@@Sakpen_787prob a stopover in Bkk
My wife and I just flew Thai A350-900 Seoul to Bangkok. Was one of the best Business Class experiences we have had to date. The seating was very comfortable, the food was excellent, the staff were Thai gratious, and the overall flight was smooth as silk. Upon arrival our 4 bags came out first. All in all an A+ performance. Just our opinion, though.
Notwithstanding some other problems Thai may have, I absolutely love their branding and aesthetic. The shades of purple and yellow, the orchids, etc.
Trust me - As an Australian, I too, am overwhelmed with gratitude that this region is open again. Two years of no travel was almost fatal to me!
I so confusing about why Australia
guys fly to bkk before jumping on why not Indonesia?
@@cupid_force *shrug* wherever the cheapest flights go, usually. And that is often BKK or Singapore.
Totally agree Deb. I was even considering moving overseas. I had enough. Had it not been for my hubby i would have left for good. Had my trip all planned when we werent allowed out. As soon as we got the go, my 2 month trip to Europe.was booked in 15 mins lol It seriously was sending me stir crazy.
Me, who always flies budget airlines for 40 euros: "Ah, yes, that seat is clearly in a terrible condition. Hmm, so true, that main course could have been presented better indeed."
I flew this exact flight in september of this year. I was almost dead because of how tired i was flying all the way from london so I slept a good chunk of the flight but the food was incredible and i loved the service!
Thank you Dan, I'm a fellow die-hard avgeek, former f/a (as you might remember) and wanderluster, and I am hooked on your videos, this channel and the other one. I am in awe of the professionalism of your business, and as a matter of fact, it inspires me beyond the subjects covered, especially as you're so young. Wow. Now, about this video and TG... I lived and worked in Thailand for a while a couple of decades ago. TG has long had a reputation of excellence that was vaguely prevalent for at least 3 decades prior to covid. Imho, it was deserved for the most part, especially in its premium cabins, but not exactly overall. In fact, they were always overrated in terms of product in economy, something they shared with SQ. They simply benefitted from the hype due to the glamour of their upper classes. For instance 20 years ago when footrests became commonplace for economy seats in the region, TG didn't bother to adapt, and were the only major/coveted airline in the region without footrests in economy, as I remember. I always felt that they looked carefully where to put their money, and skipped the extra effort each and every time they could get away with less expenses. I still have a soft spot for them, but I suppose the unique quality of their exotic refinement makes up for a lot of this attitude towards their customers (or at least is believed to, by their management!). Like you said, this is not to say that they are a bad airline at all, but rather that I am not surprised in the least by what you showed us and why. Can't wait for country number 100. I wonder whether it will be Timor Leste.
TG was also liked because of their non-strict luggage allowance, also in economy. But than came Airasia and TG thought to do the same
Thanks for this insight and your kind words! That's much appreciated😊
@@NonstopDan what is your other channel?? I'd love to subscribe to it too!
It's "Oskar and Dan"!
@@NonstopDan thank you!
Yes, Australia was closed for far too long. Which was very tough for travel content creators like me. LOL... The TONS of domestic flight videos I churned out was hilarious. But it forced a lot of us to look inwards to appreciate how beautiful our country is, and to travel domestically. Not sure if you realise how EXPENSIVE domestic travel is in Australia, it is always far FAAAAAR cheaper for us to fly overseas internationally. Which is a shame.
I was a very frequent user of TG back in the day and I've always looked forward to their meals. Their kitchen in BKK is PHENOMENAL. They make some of the best tasting Thai curries even for economy class. Sadly, this isn't the case anymore as the airline fights to survive. I recently flew into MEL on a little known carrier - Philippine Airlines. My God, they were excellent (surprisingly).
Love your videos, always have. And you've produced another great one of course. Keep on flying!
Cheers
Ryan
Wow, I can imagine! Thanks for your support Ryan🙏
I was planning a return trip to my country of birth, Australia, before the wretched pandemic struck. Since then the cost of flights has gone through the roof. No way will I fly “economy” long haul anymore and P.E. is more than I pay for my regular long haul in Business Class, South America to Europe. So the Australian trip has been put on hold.
We have been flying Thai for 30 years now, they ALWAYS DELIGHT us!
We LOVE Thai, LOVE Singapore Airlines, LOVE Cathay and - it might surprise you - LOVE QANTAS!
All are GREAT, we fly at least 10 times every year and NO COMPLAINTS.
Thank you.
Acutally Thai Airways has changed a lot for the better in the past 2 months - I just released a report about their current business-class product, after having flown them since childhood. And the rise from how is was only half a year ago to now is significant. So there's hope 🙂
My Dad is an Airport Duty Manager for Thai in HKG/VHHH. I flew the HKG-BKK (Stanby Ticket) on the A350-900 (HS-THO) with a new inflight system (very different) it was very nice even in economy. Crew was also nice giving drinks to everyone every few hours. Good food catered from BKK, and yea my experience is good! Will definitely fly again. Recommend Flying Thai!
Idk how good Thai is, but your videos are fun to watch, and I love the purple upholstery, blankets, sheets and pillows.
I flew this year only two times with Thai in Business and i was very happy with everything, from the priority checking, fast security lane, lounge, priority boarding and all on the flight.
Recently flew Osaka - Bangkok with Thai on Business class. Food was... ok, IFE was sub par. Choices were very very limited but I was prepared and was planning to sleep anyway.
Onboard Wifi wasn't working and the FA lady told me that its not available right now and that they're haven't signed a new contract yet. And I was like... oh ok...
Growing up flying Thai to visit friends and family was great but, nowadays there are just so many other much much better options. Having said that, flying Thai for the first time in many many years did give me those nostalgic feels. The staff were great they try to make do with what tools are available to them IMO.
Side note: Good thing about flying Thai out of BKK is that they have a dedicated desk for First and Business class regardless of your flight.
I’ve taken TG Royal Silk every month the last 7 months and I have seen it improve on one flight to the next.
Yes, it could be cleaner, we would appreciate pyjamas on overnight flights, bedding irresponsibly the hours and the 7:57 hardware doesn’t compare well to Qatar, Emirates or SQ, but…
Unlike SQ, the food is always good to great and the staff are mostly genuine and very attentive without being obvious and continually offer water, drinks and snacks.
The flight attendants are genuinely eager to help keep us safe, balancing comfort while rationally stopping service during turbulence. The Bangkok-Japan flights were better at cleaning the toilets between each passenger more than other sectors.
I was especially impressed when I forgot my charger on the plane and the kind flight attendant rushed after and waited around Customs exit to find me.
In the same last 7 months, I also took an array of other airlines, but my gratitude on the improved snacks, food, service and entertainment.
Agree with Dan, more Thai foods, desserts and snacks would be a marked positive distinguishing feature.
Happy to report that TG now serves mixed nuts and dried fruit in bowls again rather than in plastic bags.
EVA Air and Thai both fly nonstop London-Bangkok but EVA seem to get much better reviews and are often about £100 cheaper. The flights depart London within 10 minutes of each other at approx. 21:30 every evening.
Thanks for the review regarding Thai Airways, it is very sad to see the state of such airlines. I feel like Garuda, Malaysia, and Thai have so much potential.
I feel especially that SEA airlines have been on a bit of a decline and their Middle Eastern, East Asian, and European competitors are dominating over them.
I just flew Bangkok -Fukuoka -Bangkok last week with a Boeing 777 200. From my own experience both in Economy and Business Class I think the cabin crew service is as good as before. I am Thai but I've never had a bad experience like other Thai people who said that the crew did not provide good service to Thai people. But what is obvious is that the quality of the food is not as good as before and the plane is in a quite unsatisfactory condition such as cleanliness (dust and stain) and problem of the seat function.
Hey Dan great trip report as always. Just a person message I wanted to let you know back in 2016 I flew Malaysian airlines a330 from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne i was only 8 then as soon as I got home I loved the a330 first thing I did was search it up and the very first video that came up was your a330 Brussels Airline takeoff your video is what got me soo pasiotnate in aviation all those years for that thank you. It’s also nice you’ve flown on the same route and airline as me not many aviators have came to Melbourne, it’s refreshing my aviation idol has flown my same route. Take it easy Dan safe flying :)
I heard from friends and others that Thai at one point hadn't updated their cabin for 5-10 years
I flew the Thai airways business class from Sydney to Bangkok and Bangkok to Sydney earlier this month, totally agree when you said the state of the seats are rougher than Balenciaga's public perception lol . And the dust hidden in the corner of the remote socket truly disgusted me. I think I am gonna pass on Thai airways next time.
Flew Thai business once 4 years ago. Food was nice but service standard was not as good. Asked the crew for panadol twice due to my headaches and she never returned to me. Fares are also not cheap and business class seats are often unavailable for point redemption.
i flew TG Business Class a couple weeks ago (mel-bkk bkk-syd) and the food was below par in a big way. We all got the same starter - 2 small prawns marinated in a thai sauce, it was ok (but no choice), for main i ordered the beef - It was a basic "circular" cut, something you would see in a cafeteria lets say, accompanied by asparagus which was cooked to death and was brown! (i'm serious) it had some nice gravy thou. There was 2 bread choices, a nice side salad, then we all got a cheese plate with grapes and dried fruit and crackers (this was nice), and lastly the ONLY desert option available was a small apple crumble (again a basic cafeteria offering, no custard cream on top, or a swirl of chocolate for decoration...) Im a long time fan of TG, and their food upto 4 years ago , pre-pandemic lets say, was FAR SUPERIOR in quality, quantity and variety, and visual appeal, It used to be very fine-dining actually - SADLY - not now. The service is OK yet robotic (they have always been this way actually - they don't ever talk to you, but just smile).... The "In flight entertainment" offering is behind the times also. There is only one way for them to go, and that's up, or they will evaporate and won't be in the race. Trying to reach them by phone, or email was a real struggle too. Their whole operation is really clunky and out dated. Im sad to have to report all this as i really LOVE Thai. In fairness...they are still OKAY but you can really notice the cost cutting ... and they are a lower-tier airline than they used to be 😔
I’ve been waiting for you to go to Melbourne for SO SO SO long!! Thank you for deciding to go here :)
Flew Thai Airways from London to Bangkok in August, flight left at around 11am, meal just after take off, then breakfast just before landing at 6am. Nothing in between on a 111/2 hour flight which I thought strange, luckily as a diabetic I did take some sandwiches as I have to eat regularly otherwise I am in trouble. Flying with them again next month so definitely going to stock up.
Wow that's crazy!!
They lost me in a BKK-FRA in Bus, where they served spicy curry without yoghurt or rice (couldn’t eat) and the French toast in the morning was burned. Also the drinks service was pretty disappointing. That mixed with this tiny and random old seat…
5:32 It looks like bro had to sound sad but was actually happy that he didn’t have to spend his time answering emails
I recently discovered your channel and it is a delight. I may not make it to all of the places you’ve been and seen but you are so detailed and give such great insight I can place myself on Thai Airways( even if its not perfect) or discover the Singapore Airlines first class .😀. Happy holidays and a blessed new year to you and family!
Can I talk to you 😊
Woo! You're in Melbourne now? Welcome!! I hope you guys get to chill a little here and enjoy the friendliest city in the world! :D :D
Travelling and booking on THAI recently, I have to say their on-ground customer service is pretty nonexistent now. It was impossible to reach their offices by phone, and emails would be responded to after three or four weeks, if I was lucky enough to get a response!
Sadly already left Melbourne and yikes, that's so sad to hear!
Thanks for the heads-up. Won’t be flying Thai.. for a modern aircraft, it already looks like it’s past its use by date..
Headed to Bangkok on Friday. I Just switched from Thai Airways to EVA. Very thankful after seeing this video.
@Иᴏɴsᴛᴏᴘ ᴅᴀɴ really?
Thai Airways' A380 is the BEST way to fly from NYC to Bangkok Thailand.
Thai Airways is one of the worst airlines I have ever experienced. It took me more than 42 hours to go back home from Thiland to Sweden. The service was awful and when I reached Arlanda I had already the connecting flight and no one was there to help or provide another flight and I was wondering for 14 more hours with absolutely NO service at all at the airport to go back home. I wrote to them more than ten times and the only thing they did was just ignoring and saying we have nothing to give you but apology 😤🤯How an airline can be so irresponsible 🤬they have to stop working 👎what they do is obvious robbery
Well butterfly pea is a type of flower in Thai it's very popular uses as a herbal drink, the reason I reckon that they call it butterfly pea cause the flowers of this plant (which is a type of pea) looks like butterflies. There're also news in Bangkok where I live that the airways is not as smooth as silk as it once been. For the desert part, as a Thai myself, Thai deserts are sometime notorious for spoiling quickly like the sticky rice and mango which contains coconut milk, plus the taste ain't going to be like it's on the ground cause on planes we lose some of our taste sensitivity, which complicate things farer.
Thanks. No longer considering Thai Airways after watching your video and reading the comments.
Heyo Dan! I've been flying that BKK-MEL route for a few years now due to studies and I have to agree that Thai airways have had to scale things down due to covid where the flying experience had been affected, menus etc. That route i've found has a very wide range of flyers from all over, connecting and direct so the plane faces quite a but of abuse. Especialy from holiday goers. I'm not sure about now but the A350s that fly that route were usually in very good shape as not too long ago they were new. You could still fly during covid but it was a fairly laborious process, the flights during covid were generally empty but still had people. Thanks for the video!
I used to think Thai was up there with Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA and more, but this is extremely disappointing coming from a Singaporean like me who only flies Economy on SIA. Regardless, hopefully their standards improve soon. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for anyone who reads this.
-Steve
The standards have been in decline since three decades …. The current restructuring is the third in 12 years . I avoid them like the place long haul and use alternatives all the time for short haul.
@@wengelder9256 I agree. Thai airways needs to step up their game. Even newer airlines like Starlux are better than them.
Love your reviews Dan, I’ll be flying to USA For the first time (my dream) I’ll be taking my mum along and want her to be comfortable, and I’ve been going though your videos to find the perfect airline ❤️
That's awesome! Hope you have a great trip😍
took the same flight yesterday and the hard product was the same like in your review. Food got better in my opinion: for breakfast they had an authentic Michelin star created rice soup with smoked fish (I liked it but guess not to everyone’s taste) and a western as well as a second Thai option. Between services you could get some truffle crisps or nuts upon request. Dinner was also very pleasant. Choices were either Thai panaeng shrimp curry or two western options like sea bass or steak. And finally they offered a delicious Thai coconut panna cotta with water chestnuts. Very colourful and soooo Thai!! Wine menu was rather large but not spectacular. Two brut champagnes were on offer (Piper and Laurent Perrier (which I found superior)
Really enjoyed the flight.
Dan for the first time I'm going to fly first class a delta is it good? It's on the 747 400.
Thank you for loving Thailand. I agree with you that Thai cut some cost on its services. However, I feel that it's in a middle stage, not improved nor terrible. But I hope that Thai will be more improve after it passing this financial crisis and reflect the culture of Thailand again. In addition, I also found as you that some hard products are not in their condition or damage. I think since Thai use its 350 and 77W in mixed with South Asia and Cargo flights (which is quite rare to found this fleet on South Asia and regional routes before the pandemic) it makes the hard product worn-out faster.
As a Thai, the covid crisis has become the point that make us one of the worst.
flights from southern asia to australia just show how far it is from everything
I’m from Thailand but Thai Airways is like a 8 out of 10 but Lufthansa is 2 out of 10
😅🤣😅 Lufthansa is a much better carrier and has much better customer respect and legal compliance than shameful Thai air.
If you have your flag carrier Scandinavian Airlines Milage Programme, then it can be used on Thai Airways due to both being Star Alliance Members. The reverse also works is using Thai Airways on Scandinavian Airlines System while in North America you are using it on Air Canada and United
I would love to find a vlogger that travels economy class. I like watching the first class and club class to see how the other side travel but I’d love to see reviews like this on economy class
Simply aviation does it
Part of the business experience is that you don't want to sit in tatty falling apart seats. The service does look pretty good though, especially the food.
I am flying Thai airways business class on 24th Dec this really helps!!!!!
Great review, Dan! It is always pleasure to watch your flight and travel reports
Do I care about this Company? No… will I ever flight with them? Probably never ever.. Do I want to watch this video anyway? Absolutely Fu..ing YES.
I appreciate it😂🙏
thank you for this video! I am really grateful to have a creator who makes videos that I love! I have been a active supporter of you for a year or so, so I just want to thank you for this amazing video!
Appreciate Dan’s honesty in all his videos, which got me thinking - can an airline put you on their no-fly list arbitrarily just because they fear negative reviews?
Great job reviewing biz class. Thank you. I just bought a biz class ticket to Copenhagen in May. Wish I had seen your video before I commit.
I was literally wondering 2 days ago how the state of Thai Airlines is and if you're going to make a new vid. Glad to see it now!!
Most of the drinks served on Thai Airways are local fruit juices.I'm Thai and I'm glad to see you enjoying your trip with Thai Airways.🙏👍hope to see you come back to enjoy in thailand again soon.
Would love to see a video where you recreate your favourite airplane food 😻
3:07 dang an almost brand new plane and the paint is peeling off. Airbus needs to fix this, I understand that it will not affect performance, but it would look much better.
It’s not from Butterflies, they actually uses Flower I forgot what it called but it’s purple.
Awesome job dan. Worry Christmas
Today is my birthday & I love your videos ! I hope I’ll be able to travel more in the future you made me interested into flying in planes I had a fear for so long . Keep it up !
Happy birthday - I hope you can experience this soon!
Great video, and welcome to Australia!! Sad to see that Thai has declined so much in the last decade. Will you be flying Qantas while here down under? Would love to see your thoughts and opinions on the refurbished A380 or B787 business suites. The A330 domestic business product probably isn't worth your time, and the A380 first product (while great) is tired compared to Middle Eastern airline standards.
The WiFi was working on some flights over a month ago. Pre-pandemic, Thai used to give out free WiFi cards to business class passengers. One of the FAs I was talking to said he had heard rumours that that might be returning in the next month or two.
I love Bangkok, always get goosebumps as soon as I see videos of the city and its skyline...🙈❤️ We flew back to Munich in business class on Thai's A359 in November and somehow I wasn't impressed. The space is ok, but the seat strangely feels more narrow than other business class seats. Even compared to the "old" business class in the A359 and B788 of Qatar Airways, not to mention the QSuite. Also when fully 180° reclined to a bed it wasn't as comfortable as those on Qatar Airways. Luckily I'll fly Qatars "facelifted" business class on their B789 in two weeks and I'm excited to compare it with their last regular business class, the QSuite and Thai's product.😁
What's an a359
@@Yes_im.a-lordpeacock Short for Airbus A350-900, just like B788 for Boeing 787-8... 😊
Great video as usual. I think you are being very nice to them in this review. Based on the food options (or lack of) and the state of the seat, I do not consider this a very good package. Thanks for upload 🙂
Also obsessed with how Melburnians insist you pronounce their city name with an Australian accent.
THANK YOU FOR POSTING u are Fr my fav ytuber especially in aviation
Hey Dan! My girlfriend and I couldn’t get seats in the honeymoon suite so I picked the other “middle seats”. Is that worth it? Can we talk at all?
I just flew a round-trip TG’s business class (Bkk-Mel). It’s obvious that the airline has been trying, and it’s now on the way back to its good old days. The bankruptcy hit them hard during the pandemic. Anyway, compared to the state it was in October 2022, my latest flight with them early November this year was way better.
Flew with Thai 4 times this year.
Food: Taste is Great
FA on board: good
Cons: Dirty, IFE garbage, NO WIFI, not enough food for selection...... it's like hardware wise going towards a budget airline
I flew Thai Air biz from Bangkok to Dhaka a week or so ago, on a 777-200. I thought they were great - terrific service, good food and excellent wines. Better than my experiences a week earlier with Singapore and a week later with Qatar.
I fly Oslo-BKK every month on Thai pre-covid since thats the only airline that has direct flight.. its on an old and outdated 777 but it was convenient... recently they have removed and the trip requires a stopover at Frankfurt.. looking for alternatives since..
Same here in Brussels
I flew Thai airways a couple of times. I’ve always liked them. Best of luck
Don't talk to me about Thai Airways, they still owe me over £2000 for flights they cancelled in 2020.
Same as with friends of me. No reimbursment
Next time use a credit card gives you an extra bit of protection to get your money back!
I love your videos, Dan! Keep it up! 🎉
why does everyone advertise VPNs. So bizarre.
Guys Dan is the best at this! love the HD footage of everything..More capacity coming on down under.. A380's back in New Zealand finally.. maybe do a long haul Dubai to Auckland Dan? welcome here!
Have u ever flown with Philippine airlines whether A350, 777 or A330 or A321?
Good to see some improvement even though there's still a long way to go.
Fantastic video as always.
Keep it up.
OMG ... i am really shocked. We will fly in January MEL-BKK-MCT-FRA in Business... hopefully better... luckily only one segment (MEL-BKK) the next 2 segment with Oman Air.
Butterfly peas is a flower name not urine of butterfly 🦋
I know🤣
THANK YOU FOR PRONOUNCING "Melbourne" 'Melben'!
I recently flew LHR to BKK and return with Thai in economy. Hadn't flown with them for many years because of surley and entitled crew and just general falling standards. Though I would give them another go. Big mistake. Falling apart seats, general scruffy and untidy. Minimal IFE with unresponsive touch screen. Food really bad on the out journey but slightly better on the return. You can just tell they are trying so hard to cut corners and save money. Sad to see how far what was once a such a fantastic airline sinking 📉
YES , sadly all totally true. 'Surely Crew' is the best way to describe them.
Yes, and most of the front of the plane is full of Thai Govt employees getting cheap freebies!
I totally get the hot towel obsession. While I don’t fly as much as I’d like and enjoy them that way, I try to at least get a couple of barbershop shaves a year so I can enjoy the hot towels that way
Flew with them years ago and they were always very good. Not quite as good as Singapore or Cathay Pacific.
Great video as ever,thank you. Am guessing this will be your last before Christmas, so Very Happy Christmas to you both,wherever you are🎄🥂🎇👌💙💙👋⭐'s💯✌
Which would you pick for a SEA to BKK roundtrip business class? EVA $5700 or Asiana $4200
Dan The butterfly pea juice is not pee from butterflies but it is actually made from boiling a flower and adding sugar that’s it
Hey Dan,
You mentioned that the Royal Orchid lounge is not your favourite at BKK. Which would you recommend for someone with Amex Platinum/Priority Pass?
I completely agree with your assessment. It is very strange when you consider that Thai people are some of the nicest people in the world. Yet Thai airways crew is hardly worth mentioning. I try to avoid Thai airways as much as possible, even though I live in Singapore and travel to Bangkok frequently. It’s just not worthwhile.
“This seat is in the rougher state than balenciaga’s me public perception “😂😂😂
Flew HKG-BKK-LHR recently on Thai air and there were sandwich’s , nuts, drinks etc available In between meals. Maybe just that particular route you flew had no snacks?
"Seat is in such a bad state it makes look Air Koryo fresh"... OH GOD DAN I giggled. You should've mentioned a notice of no consent for that statement to be used by the NK government. XD
In all seriousness considering THAI is a Star Alliance airline based in Asia, really sad their BC seat condition looks awful.
Alright Dan. Maybe do a review of Qantas. I have heard mixed things. 😮
Do I have to transfer my aircanada points or can I book somewhere directly with them?
always love your informative and honest videos dan
How easy for you to redeem a business class on Thai? I have enough points on my Amex but not sure how far ahead I should look.