Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - Which flight would you take?

Hey all,

Finally cashing in a slice of my UA pts and doing a trip with the wife from DC to Samui and Phuket. Have hotels set on pts but trying to decide on flights. 2 options:

1. IAD-LHR on UA in F then LHR-BKK on Thai in B on an A340. Final flt gets into Samui at 8:30am.

2. IAD-CDG On UA in F the CDG-BKK on Thai in F on a 777-300ER. Final flt gets into Samui at 4:30pm.

Is it worth losing 8 hours on the island to get 1st on Thai? We'd have a 12 hour layover in Paris and can go into the city and walk around for the day (assuming we can leave luggage in the 1st lounge). Just not sure if it's worth it. Flew biz a few years ago from USA-BKK and it was good, not great.

Would love to hear anyone's thoughts/ideas/suggestions.

Another option may be MUC-BKK on a 747 still arriving late into Samui. Not sure if the 747 will be the refitted model though.

2. IAD-CDG On UA in F the CDG-BKK on Thai in F on a 777-300ER. Final flt gets into Samui at 4:30pm.

Is it worth losing 8 hours on the island to get 1st on Thai? .

I would lose 8 hours to experience TG in F Suites on B77W. The only thing is that you will then never want to experience UA F again:D

Would help to know your date of travel. I think that TG is discontinuing its evening flight from CDG.
Otherwise, the program of having a visit of Paris in-between two longhauls would be a good idea. The 77W F suite is so much better than the old angled lie-flat on the A340.

I just flew the CDG 77W in F and it was Fantastic. Go for it.

Would help to know your date of travel. I think that TG is discontinuing its evening flight from CDG.


Good point... but the OP said the CDG-BKK flight is operated with B77W. Anyway... it is a great idea to double check the aircraft type operating the flight...

2. IAD-CDG On UA in F the CDG-BKK on Thai in F on a 777-300ER. Final flt gets into Samui at 4:30pm.


Stick with the above option. Enjoy TG first class.

Just checked the flights on Thai's website. The CDG-BKK flight is TG933 21:20-14:20. Aircraft listed at 777-300 (777-300ER on UA, not sure if there's a diff). How can you tell if it an updated TG plane?

Other option is flying MUN-BKK on TG925 747-200. I read that TG was upgrading their 747's too.

Knowing that the flt is 7 mo away and the planes may change, which would be a better call, the 777 or 747?

Thanks all.

Also, the flight is scheduled for November 29 '12.

Just checked the flights on Thai's website. The CDG-BKK flight is TG933 21:20-14:20. Aircraft listed at 777-300 (777-300ER on UA, not sure if there's a diff). How can you tell if it an updated TG plane?

Other option is flying MUN-BKK on TG925 747-200. I read that TG was upgrading their 747's too.

Knowing that the flt is 7 mo away and the planes may change, which would be a better call, the 777 or 747?

Thanks all.

You shouldn't trust aircraft descriptions on UA as they are typically wrong - TG does not operate 747-200s for example. They have accidentally got the CDG aircraft correct as they add ER to all 777s regardless of whether they are or not. CDG is a 777-300ER...that is the only TG 777 with an F cabin.

CDG is a safer bet than MUC on a 747 if you are looking for suite style F - MUC may be scheduled on new new F but could conceivably be swapped for current 747 F.

Think I get it now. So the 777-300s are all suites ( the Thai website only says 777-300. It does not say ER) while some 747s are upgraded and some are not? Found this link on a post that seems to I imply that the MUN-BKK flt is now the upgraded 747.

http://translate.google.com/translate?langpair=auto|en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thaiair.de%2Findex.php%3Fp%3D91

I am flying in December--think its just too risky to take the MUN flt (which would get me in a day earlier;))

Also---thanks much for everyone's help and advice. Much appreciated.

Think I get it now. So the 777-300s are all suites ( the Thai website only says 777-300. It does not say ER) while some 747s are upgraded and some are not? Found this link on a post that seems to I imply that the MUN-BKK flt is now the upgraded 747.

http://translate.google.com/translate?langpair=auto|en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thaiair.de%2Findex.php%3Fp%3D91

I am flying in December--think its just too risky to take the MUN flt (which would get me in a day earlier;))

Also---thanks much for everyone's help and advice. Much appreciated.

The TG website says 777-300 - the aircraft is 777-300ER. There are other 777-300s which do not have F and therefore no suites. If you book F on a 777 you are on a 777-300ER.

By the time you fly MUC may be operated by a 747 with a newer F product than the one in your link...it is scheduled to start appearing on MUC by Aug 16th...The seat map for TG925 Nov 29th shows this NEW F cabin...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thai-airways-royal-orchid-plus/1287569-tg-reveal-brand-new-747-f-class-suites.html

...the one if your link is the current several year old F. There is also currently an even older F.

Would help to know your date of travel. I think that TG is discontinuing its evening flight from CDG.
Otherwise, the program of having a visit of Paris in-between two longhauls would be a good idea. The 77W F suite is so much better than the old angled lie-flat on the A340.

Ouch. November 29-December 11. F is showing up as an available awards ticket on United. Other option is MUC on November 28.

Boy would it suck to book an F award tix on the PM CDG-BKK for Nov 29 and have the flt cancelled!!

Wheresbybagba---how can you tell from the Thai site that TG925 on 11/29 is the new suites F. When I search on the Thai site it only says 747 All Series Passenger. Where can u view the seat map?

I am leaning MUC over CDG. I like the Munich airport better (thought the non-LH 1st lounge is kinda lame) and get in a full day earlier. If both planes have a shot at suites... Avoid CDG?

Boy would it suck to book an F award tix on the PM CDG-BKK for Nov 29 and have the flt cancelled!!

Wheresbybagba---how can you tell from the Thai site that TG925 on 11/29 is the new suites F. When I search on the Thai site it only says 747 All Series Passenger. Where can u view the seat map?

I am leaning MUC over CDG. I like the Munich airport better (thought the non-LH 1st lounge is kinda lame) and get in a full day earlier. If both planes have a shot at suites... Avoid CDG?

You need to make a dummy booking including entering passenger details...at that point you are offered the option to do seat selection at the next step.

Ah. See now. Got it. Thx much.

Since you are using UA points, it is definitely worth the extra miles to go with the second option. Arriving USM at 4:30pm is still better than late at night and if you are staying there more than 3 nights, then the 8 hours loss with going the 1st option is no big deal.

And I agree with a previous post, after flying F on Thai, you wouldn't want to go back to F on UA!!! :)

Thanks for the help all. Here is the rebooking:

IAD-LHR UA924 F
LHR-MUC LH2475 B
MUC-BKK TG925 F shows up on the Thai site as a 9 seat upgraded 747
BKK-USM TG287 B

I'd love to hit the 10p LH flight from IAD-MUC direct and avoid LHR but there are no awards seats avail. On the LH site the whole F cabin is wide open for that flt--wonder if LH takes a long time to release their award seats.

On the LH site the whole F cabin is wide open for that flt--wonder if LH takes a long time to release their award seats.

A very long time. LH has for some time had a policy that it does not release F award seats until 14 days before departure. So you need to start looking and keep checking from around 14th Nov onwards.

Good plan. Thanks.

Think is it safe to think that the TG Rome-BKK and Milan-BKK flts, both on 747s will be upgraded aircraft by December?

Think is it safe to think that the TG Rome-BKK and Milan-BKK flts, both on 747s will be upgraded aircraft by December?

No, I wouldn't say that was a safe assumption.

Thanks for the help all. Here is the rebooking:

I'd love to hit the 10p LH flight from IAD-MUC direct and avoid LHR but there are no awards seats avail. On the LH site the whole F cabin is wide open for that flt--wonder if LH takes a long time to release their award seats.

Keep checking, who knows, one might show up at the right moment. Besides, it won't cost you anything to change. What are you going to do to kill 8hrs in BKK?

Think is it safe to think that the TG Rome-BKK and Milan-BKK flts, both on 747s will be upgraded aircraft by December?

Don't even think about it. It just won't happen. (Assuming you're thinking of Dec 2012, but even 2013 is unlikely as TG would use those birds (with 9 F) - only 6 of them to be retrofitted, on their premium routes)