think_too_mut Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 My first time with TG. If there was an BA/QF/CX/AA direct flight NRT-BKK I would not have looked at Thai. That was what I thought before trying them. Now I know why. NRT-BKK: The plane was 747-400 but probably the oldest one (HS-TGO). No personal screens, loud aircon. Staff were friendly while they were present - after the meal (about 90mins inflight) they put the curtains on and nobody could see a single one of them. No even water was served. A stewart walked through 4 times in 4 hours and randomly dispersed several cans of coke (no choice) he had in his bare hands and disappeared. BKK-NRT: B777, no personal screens (HS-TJF). I have never seen such a cramped plane. Even reading the inflight magazine was like playing cards while holding them 5 cm from your chest. To put on socks (that I had from a BA flight, TG did not provide anything), I could not see my feet - had to do that bended over but with my chin up. The best part: short plastic glasses with (made of cordial) orange juice and water were served, no trolley, no alcohol and the lights went off 30 mins after take off! No dinner! No food! Nothing! Cabin crew baricaded themselves somewhere and nobody made an appearance until 1hr before landing. (OK, the flight departed at 11:40pm but I would rather let passengers say they were not hungry, not an airline assuming that. Thanks to KFC at the airport that had lured me in before the flight). Well, they took me there and back but I'd rather see BA/QF mature ladies who know their job and an airline that knows what consistency of customer service means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyinEwa/Perv Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 I know I will be flamed for this and that is fine. But.......the public has gotten it into their heads that they keep wanting more and more and more. I am not naive and know that customer service is they key to keeping customers but in an airplane, you buy your ticket to safely get from point A to point B. The flight attendants are first and foremost there for the safety of the passengers. People either forget that or just plain don't know that. Anything beyond a hello in the beginning or a goodbye at the end is customer service. The public way of thinking is leaning towards getting more for less and I realize this, I just don't think it is realistic. Okay.....am done ranting and I feel better. Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitney Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 The airlines currently have deficient personal space levels in cattle class seats, and I can see why anyone would bitch and moan, and justifiably so. Small inconveniences become magnified and lowers a persons tolerance level. I check in early, to assure myself an aisle seat, so that I can get in and out of my seat at my convenience. I can get water,go bathroom,walk around etc... I find the U.S. carriers to be the worst of the worst, with the Asian Airlines being the best in service, because for what they lack in seating space, at least the flight attendants are usually a pleasant group It will be interesting to see if the Airbus A380 will change the airline industry to come back up to an acceptable and reasonable standard service level for passengers. True, nobody forces me to fly to Southeast Asia, but I am thankful that there are enough Asian Airlines flying from LAX,SFO etc... to offset the misery index and having service provided by asian flight attendants :hubba: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 All-- I think that Troy is closer to the truth than not. While I agree that the main focus of having in-flight personnel is to satisfy safety regulations, I do think that overall levels of service have declined. That said, when you look at COACH class ticket prices (note, this does not apply to C or F prices) I still think that you get a real good deal for your $$.. I would suspect that coach class ticket prices have not risen at a rate equal to that of inflation nor near that of Business and/or First class.. Coach class travel is simply about buying transportation from point A to point B. period. no more or no less...Business Class and First Class invovolves buying the experience of the transportation from point A to point B. All those frills and perks cost money and there is a segement of the travelling pubic willing and/or able to pay for those frills and perks... Should airlines focus more on "customer service"? Of course. Why? Any one carrier that can provide a superior SERVICE will, invariably, win more customers. While for the airlines the revenue factor is expressed as "revenue per available seat mile" that revenue is very skewed toward favoring the C and F class product, having solid load factors in Y class can add substantial incremental revenue to that picture. --UPSer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think_too_mut Posted November 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 >I still think that you get a real good deal for your $$.. My ticket was 1100US$ and I thought it would include some diner on my way back. Just 100ml of water came with it. Or I was asking too much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torrenova Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 The overriding factor when people choose cattle class is price. To look at those in the UK who will suffer trips via anywhere and with any mickey mouse airline, just to save a few pounds rather than going direct staggers me. Of course, if there were no cattle class and they wished to introduce one these days, they would not be allowed to have the seat pitch as tight as they currently operate. Then again, cigarettes would not be legalised if they invented them now. As long as the public wants to travel for as little as possible then the additional frills associated with a better class of travel will remain just that; they will remain in the higher classes of travel. Many years ago now, Virgin made a big play of incorporating seat back video screens into their fleet. BA has fully reclining beds in Club class etc. I don't suppose they build 747-400s without personal seatback videos any more but I tend to sleep most of the way anyhow. As for food, I find that in the back of the plane, the food has become poorer and poorer over the years. Then again, I once knew someone who managed the food service at Manchester airport in the UK and he said that the cost per meal was worked out in the thousandths of one penny !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitney Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 I can for the most part live without frills and perks, which by the way come to me left and right after landing at Don Muang :: Coach class does not leave reasonable personal physical space for even a 'normal' size person :: Paying extra money for roomier coach seats would be ok with me, like EVA, but I still believe Biz class prices are a rip-off, if the company is not paying for it :: Having the CEOs and top management :clown:s of airlines fly in coach on a longhaul LAX-HKG for example, would be perfect for them. I doubt those douchebags fly commercial much :: I guess most people are tolerant, just as I have adapted to getting an aisle seat and making the best of it, if flying coach. I was hoping that there would be more lawsuits concerning Deep Vein Thrombosis syndrome. I know nothing will get any company moving faster to improve other than lawsuits costing millions or billions for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitney Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 I think that flight is 6 or 7 hours? They should have provided something as far as dinner goes. I am not exactly impressed with airline service nowadays. Just for the hell of it, write a letter to customer relations, and tell them where they are coming up short as far as dinner service goes. Who gives a crap what they think. You paid a lot for that ticket, I would think Thai would have better service than that. Try and get something out of it. No airline deserves any excuses or breaks, they all treat customers with indifference for the most part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 1100 usd for NRT-BKK-NRT only or include flight from/to usa? i pay less then half for BKK-NRT-BKK on a ticket without restrictions. yes the 747 they use for their BKK-LAX routes through NRT or osaka are from the oldest they have. to most destinations in europe they use older ones. i am surprised that they did not serve anything on their flights starting around midnight in BKK; they used to serve some sandwiches. i use to book a isle seat in the front when i fly coach (row 31-33) so i can easily call them if i require anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think_too_mut Posted November 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 >1100 usd for NRT-BKK-NRT only or include flight from/to usa? NRT-BKK-NRT only. Yes, the plane came from LAX. On my way back I think it was BKK-NRT-BKK only. The price 116K Yen was 20% less than what Thai Airways were selling through their web site as "lowest fare". >i am surprised that they did not serve anything on their flights starting around midnight in BKK; they used to serve some sandwiches. Actually, they did give me some muesli bar or something as small as that (did not open it, just tucked it into the pocket of the seat). I thought it was a nibble instead of peanuts to be had with the opening drinks (that never came) as they handed them out in the same way they hand out headsets - from a large plastic bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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