Thai to serve BRU as from Nov 2011 !

[sn26567]

I emailed TG and asked very friendly if an upgrade was possible because this was our honeymoon...

I hope you didn't forget to send them a copy of your certificate of marriage!

[Stij]

I hope you didn't forget to send them a copy of your certificate of marriage!

Actually, no, I didn't... I was planning to bring it to the airport. I'll scan and email it on Thursday when I'm back in the office...

Thanks for the tip!

Stij

[Stij]

Just did!

Let's hope it works!!!

Cheers,

Stij

[Desert Rat]

New baby (95.000FH?)

[capetown]

I am currently in Bangkok for a couple of meetings. During one of these, a Belgian official I met told me that TG is doing so well on the BRU route that they are planning to increase their flights to 5 weekly as from Winter 2012 (October). Anyone more info on this ? Sawadee khrap !

[Stij]

That would be good news, anyhow, when I flew them back in February, both flight were pretty full, don;t know about the yield though...

Cheers,

Stij

[airbuske]

Maybe in codeshare with SN?
There were plans to codeshare on BRU - BKK and vv.

[Bralo20]

TG935 is still loaded as 3 weekly...

[Boeing767copilot]

Brussels Airlines & Thai Airways International conclude codeshare agreement on Brussels-Bangkok route.

[luchtzak]

Brussels Airlines & Thai Airways International conclude codeshare agreement on Brussels-Bangkok route.

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=47801

[regi]

I will see what it is worth tomorrow

small panic attack: I have a trolly that I use already for years as hand luggage and that fits in the measuring devices at the airports if I push it a bit hard.
With the studs, it measures 59 cm long, while the website states maximum 56 cm.
Airport staff has been showing long faces each time when I succeeded to squeeze the Samsonite in the measuring box. And I always respected the weight. ( after Qantas check inn staff nagged about 2 kg overweight hand luggage, which I distributed immediately in the suitcases )
Worst were Airasia staff who were monitoring me as in Colditz, followed closely by Qantas.

I would like to offer you all an exquisite travel report. But knowing myself over the years, I think that I will neglect it again.
Anyway, I keep the camera ready and I have a mini note pad on hand to make the necessary remarks about food, seat pitch, service, etcetera.
Just checked the seating arrangment and it seems that the flight is not yet full tomorrow. ( I assume +- 90% in economy )
Wonder what their response will be when I ask what it requires to be upgraded in business.
4 possebilities:

• no problem Sir, with pleasure.
  full
  that is 700 € one way
  we don't do upgrades

( guess that the result will be 10 hours in economy )

[Stij]

Know the feeling!!! Have a nice triP!

EDIT!!!!!!! Serious TYPO! I'm so sorry!!!!!!

[Desert Rat]

Hey Khun Regi, TG935?

[regi]

Hey Khun Regi, TG935?

Yep, TG935 it was and it was a pleasure over the entire line.
Where to start? At check inn of course. The zigzag took about 20 minutes, a bit long. ( but a very busy day at the airport ! )
Check inn went fluently untill I posed my anounced question about the upgrade. I was shown a plackard at the desk which says it costs 640 € - as far as I remember. One way of course. So I was not wrong with my option nr.2.
Security ( zigzag again) was busy, but it went fluently. Sadly enough, I lost my mobile while helping a lone mother with 3 todlers, bending over, all fell out of my pocket in the folded trolley . Extra plus for BRU: despite they have not found my mobile yet, they made the effort to send me already 2 times a email reminder about the progress.

The B-777 was the Pra Nakorn.
To my surprise boarding went fluently , and we could get easely our seats at row 60. Still enough space in the overhead bins to plunge 3 full grown up trolleys in. (no remarks about my rather big trolley btw).
Than the moment of truth: leg room
Great! No touching knees and no video box underneath the seat in front of me.
Small but nice details:
The IFE was available before departure. Movies can be paused, rewind and fast forward. Sounds normal in these days of digital TV but many airlines still have less interactive systems. Screen was ok.
The FA brought hot towels ( from a box, guess they put this in a micro wave?)
Seating was a bit hard but bearable. Recarro for the record.
Food: tillapia fish in a cream sauce or pork in red curry. Both tasted nice.
Nice thing: to wake the passengers, the sound of singing birds was broadcasted, and the light show with changing colours brought us in the mood.
Breakfast surprise: you could chose between a nice traditional egg+ bacon BF or a waffle with chocolate with fresh fruit.
Toilets were roomy and kept clean during the entire flight.
Seating was 3x3.
Despite the high cruising altitude we had several times turbulence. Once so bad that everybody had to buckle up. But no turbulence above the Bengal Sea

Comparison with the A340: the Airbus is quieter. But I must admit that the B777 gives a roomier impression. Friends who took the TG A340 from LHR complained about legroom.
Disembarkment, immigration (also zigzag) and luggage collection was all done in a blink.

Second stage: BKK-UTH .I took the effort to make pictures of both sides: one shows the name in Latin script, the other in Thai. So relaxing with TG: no weight check of hand luggage, no luggage payments . We were allowed to board first with our 9 year old little devil.
Clean and roomy B737-400.
We received a meal on board ( rather weird sandwich of sweet bread with cold chicken curry , but added with orange juice and coffee or tea. Remember that this additional flight BKK-UTH costed me 8 (eight) € go/return. Eat that, Airasia and the lot.
Luggage collection went smoothly. I went to the TG counter to reconfirm my return flights."Everything is OK Sir, all flights are confirmed. Have a nice day"

So for the first half I must say:
I love TG !

Other observations:
Both flights were almost completely full. Also in business. The business seats were taken by Asians or Europeans as well. ( both flights. I suppose NCB will like this to re open the subject for high quality business travel intra Europe )
When the FA came to distribute the Thai immigration forms, plenty of the Asian passengers didn't take them because they were transferring to Singapore ! Aha, so TG is stealing passengers through BRU from its regionnal rivals Malaysian and Singapore airline. Something we as westerners might have not been aware about.
Alcohol policy: a plackard at the trolley says clearly : 1 drink at a time. A UK passenger complained that he could not get whiskey and a beer together. Allow me to add here my thoughts: " Join the AA instead of complaining"

Final remarks: yes, I have pictures but don't know yet if I will post them.
No, I cannot confirm if the defibrillator is in working order. And I am not attempting to find out.

Hope you guys are happy with this amateuristic report.

[Wohowbagger]

Nice report, thanks regi. I'm also in Thailand for the moment. Flew on the 2nd of July to BKK with LX. And out again on the 25th. I was a bit dissapointed about the ZRH-BKK leg, but I'll try to post a TR later. One thing already: 1 IFE wasn't working, and, well no surprise for me there, it was mine. Got champagne as compensation though.
A340 was real quiet, but hard seats. I'll try TG in the future (they were too expensive when I booked).
Greets from sunny Samui

[Desert Rat]

Nice report khun Regi...little gift for you...

[regi]

I was a bit dissapointed about the ZRH-BKK leg, but I'll try to post a TR later. One thing already: 1 IFE wasn't working, and, well no surprise for me there, it was mine. Got champagne as compensation though.
A340 was real quiet, but hard seats.

So if I get it right, you took Thai from Zurich, on a A340 ?
Your remarks seem to confirm several other posts at several fora: the A340 is a nice product but there are some issues regarding the seats.
I had the same with Swiss to Shanghai.

A major advantage about the A340 against the B-777 is that they will never put an extra seat in the row. Especially for couples, I always advice friends to try to take an airline with an Airbus, so they can sit quietly at the side.
Major exception: the connection BRU-BKK with TG

[Wohowbagger]

next time sure it will be TG to BKK.
This time it was LX from BRU-ZRH and ZRH-BKK(we encountered light to moderate turbulence most of the time). Also did CNX-HKT with TG on an A306. On the 25th a PG ATR72 USM-BKK, and onwards LX again BKK-ZRH-BRU.
It definetly was nice on the A340, it was quite a quiet plane, similar to their A333 which I flew on 18th of Jan BRU-ZRH.
I'll try to write my 1st TR when I'm back; it's not handy doing that on a BlackBerry

[cnc]

remember that the 777's have new cabins while the A340's have not since they will be phased out.
btw regi if the seat is hard you can always ask for a pillow

[RoMax]

A major advantage about the A340 against the B-777 is that they will never put an extra seat in the row. Especially for couples, I always advice friends to try to take an airline with an Airbus, so they can sit quietly at the side.

Some time ago Boeing said they are planning to 'fix' this on the 777X-series. New, better materials may allow Boeing to reduce the space between the outside skin of the aircraft and the cabin sidewalls. This should add several inches to the cabin diameter allowing 10 seats abreast being (almost) as comfortable as 9-abreast on the current 777's.
I really hope they can make this reality But of course this is still years away as Boeing points at the end of this decade for the EIS of the 777X.