Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - Children not allowed in business (and maybe first) on 773?

Over an AFF there is a thread in which someone with booked business class seats on TG932 (BKK-CDG) in May for a party including two children aged under 12 was rung up by Thai and told that children were not allowed in that cabin because the seats were not safe for children.

It's not clear from his description whether:

- it applies to both the business and first cabins, or just the business cabin

- it applies only to that particular 773 or to all 773's in the fleet

The only reference anyone could find to any rule like this is a couple of posts here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thai-airways-royal-orchid-plus/1059768-thai-77w-when-where-19.html

Thai's online booking engine accepts bookings for children on TG932 in J and F so the whole thing is very mysterious.

Has anyone encountered this or know exactly what the rule is? My concern is that I have a party of two adults and two children (ages 2 and 4) booked in F on TG922 (BKK-FRA) in June. I have spoken to Thai several times in Australia and they are well aware we have children flying and have said nothing.

PS: I may have my nomenclature mixed up here by saying 773 instead of 77W - as I understand it the flights BKK-CDG and BKK-FRA are both serviced by 77W's being the leased version with the F cabin and herringbone seats in J.

I found this:

http://www.thaiairways.com/plan-your-trip/before-you-fly/en/travel-terms-and-conditions.htm

Due to safety reasons, Business Class traveler on TG676/677 BKKNRT VV, TG930/931/932/933 BKKCDG VV and other certain flights operate with 777-300ER , THAI is temporarily unable to accommodate infant(s) and children under 8 years olds who travel alone.

Now while the whole sentence is a little confusing as it sounds like its talking about unaccompanied minors...there's clearly no such thing as unaccompanied infants. No mention of FRA and no mention of F class either. As I've mentioned on the other thread my friend travelling with an infant in J on the 77W were op-uped to F without explanation. @:-)

Thanks for that info.

No mention of FRA and no mention of F class either.

When I booked 922 the service was a 744. Then a couple of months ago the aircraft type was changed to what is listed as 777-300 in our itinerary but which I know must be one of the long range leased 77W's because we are still in first and when I rang up to change the seat allocations we were allocated the second row as per 77W F seating, with the Thai agent being well aware that two of the party were young children.

So if there is a ban on children in 77W's, at least in business, then that would probably extend to the 77W that is now doing TG922 as well? It would be one of the "other certain flights" that are operated with 77W I think.

The lack of mention of F is comforting. I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and ring them and ask directly. It would be a terminal disruption to our travel plans if we can't get on that aircraft though.

If you look at flightradar the same aircraft reg are operating FRA, CDG & TYO so I can't see why FRA isn't mentioned.

I'd assume this is a business class only problem and that TG was either unable or unwilling to upgrade Shanye's party.

In the AFF thread people were guessing it might have something to do with either the airbag in the herringbone J seats or the oxygen supply not being suitable for children. If this is the case hopefully the same doesn't apply to the F suites.

PS: or that the rule may simply mean no infants and no unaccompanied children under 8 in J. The rationale for the latter might be that an adult has to be present to supervise the child in the herringbone seats?

If you look at flightradar the same aircraft reg are operating FRA, CDG & TYO so I can't see why FRA isn't mentioned.


The terms and conditions are dated 14 September 2011 at which time BKK-FRA was a 744 so it may simply be that they haven't updated them since.

I'm the OP in the other thread and my travel plans have been greatly downgraded from a F experience on TG 77W to a J MS flight thru CAI .

I did not receive a phone call I simply rang about seat selection and pre-order meals and buggy/lounge advice and got hit in the face with this. If it wasn't for some quick thinking of a fellow member I would be without a intinerary or a holiday I have spend 8 months planning.

I find this very unacceptable and it seems like legally there is nothing I can do.

My guess is that those seats are quite spread apart and if a child can't reach or can't wear the oxygen mask, there is no "seat mate" that can help. Just a guess.

About 4 weeks ago a gentleman from France spent the night on a 777 FRA-BKK next to myself in cage No. 1? opposite 1A which was me . His age according to his mother was 3 months .

Over to you

Flew this plane with TK with mini Soy in F when he was 9mths and there was no issue. Flew again at 16 mths in C and Mrs Soy + mini Soy had to go to Y for take-off due to safety issue. On landing they sent her to F (prob because she got grief from Y pax who thought she was taking their space at take-off).

so I think there really is an issue with infants in J on the 9w 77W

My son (23 months old at the time) had his own seat in F on TG933 last November.

at 16 mths in C and Mrs Soy + mini Soy had to go to Y for take-off due to safety issue. On landing they sent her to F (prob because she got grief from Y pax who thought she was taking their space at take-off).

so I think there really is an issue with infants in J on the 9w 77W

.... and F too.

Yes there is, and posters will ask why the airlines are differing and that is not the case, it is, there are some people who are very health and safety conscious and others who couldn't care less about it.

.... and F too.

Yes there is, and posters will ask why the airlines are differing and that is not the case, it is, there are some people who are very health and safety conscious and others who couldn't care less about it.

Can someone translate this? Google doesn't have BKKROP to English.

Shayne it's likely too late for this now, but did you enquire about the adults sitting in C and the kids in F the switching later. Considering the reports above of children in F I'm wondering if this could have been a work around.

It could be that I express myself better in other languages, I think it takes a little tolerance and less commentary on your behalf

The mystery is solved. I spoke to a nice gentleman at Thai in Sydney who explained that the issue is the airbags on the seatbelts in J class on the rented Jet Airways aircraft. Apparently when these inflate there is a risk of choking a small child. The issue is only for the J seatbelts as the Y and F seatbelts are a different design.

I asked him to confirm this in writing in case I encountered a Thai agent in BKK who read the rules differently and he was kind enough to email me a copy of the note that Thai have on their booking system concerning this issue:


Hello

The following notes ONLY apply to Business Class on aircraft 777-300ER (rented from Jet Airways)

DUE TO SAFETY REASON INFANT IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE ACCEPTED IN BUSINESS CLASS ON 777-300ER (ACFT CODE 77J).
THEREFORE ALL SELLING OFFICES PLEASE DO NOT BOOK BUSINESS CLASS PASSENGER WHO WISHES TO TRAVEL WITH INFANT.
HOWEVER INFANT IS STILL ACCEPTED INFIRST OR ECONOMY CLASS ( NO BSCT FACILITY IN FIRST CLASS SVC ).

DUE TO PREVIOUSLY A/C SAFETY AND CABIN ENGINEER HAD PLACETHE MAXIMUM MEASURE ON CHD TRVL IN C/CL WHICH EQUPT WITH
AIRBAG INFLATABLE SEAT BELT – RESULT IS CHILDREN CAN BE ACPTED IN BUSINESS CLASS WHEN TRVEL WITH PARENT
FOR UMNR TRVL, CHILD MUST BE OVER 8YRS OLD TO BE ACPTED

I have no infants and my children 4 and 2 are travelling with myself in F and wife next to kids in J

That's the problem Shanye. From the ticketing notes shown by Stephen65 no child under the age of 8 is allowed in Business Class without a parent. So the issue in your case is that one child (under 8) is in business class apparently by themselves.

This is how I understand it.

hello, im still confused. Does this mean I can have my infant in my lap in business class?

I flew BKK - CDG on the 77W about 2 weeks ago. I was told I was the only passenger in first class however when I boarded there was also a mother and a 2 year old in the cabin with me. The flight attendant told me that the mother and child were moved from Business class for safety reasons. They were not provided with First class service - only a seat.

I would assume from this that a child under 8 is not allowed in Business class on the 77W even if accompanied by an adult.

I think this passenger was lucky as if First Class was full they would have been down graded to economy.

I flew BKK - CDG on the 77W about 2 weeks ago. I was told I was the only passenger in first class however when I boarded there was also a mother and a 2 year old in the cabin with me. The flight attendant told me that the mother and child were moved from Business class for safety reasons. They were not provided with First class service - only a seat.

I would assume from this that a child under 8 is not allowed in Business class on the 77W even if accompanied by an adult.

I think this passenger was lucky as if First Class was full they would have been down graded to economy.

This is exactly what happened to my friends - ticketed in J award with a 6 month year old but upgraded to F without explanation at the airport.

This is exactly what happened to my friends - ticketed in J award with a 6 month year old but upgraded to F without explanation at the airport.

sorry, im still not clear on this issue. so did the 6 month old have a confirmed seat? or just in the lap? thanks

sorry, im still not clear on this issue. so did the 6 month old have a confirmed seat? or just in the lap? thanks

I think it has to do with the seat belt in C class on the leased 773 which incorporates some kind of an air bag, which could be lethal to a baby seating on his mum's laps, if deployed.

sorry, im still not clear on this issue. so did the 6 month old have a confirmed seat? or just in the lap? thanks

On the lap.

And although they enjoyed being in F according to the parents it wasn't the most practical environment for an infant - no bassinets etc.

I should note that we did take that BKK-FRA flight on the 77W in F and as foreshadowed by the note on Thai's booking system there was no issue with a 6 and 4yo sitting in their own F seats on that aircraft.

On the lap.

And although they enjoyed being in F according to the parents it wasn't the most practical environment for an infant - no bassinets etc.

hello, i have just booked award tickets in J BKK-FRA. however, i need to add my infant daughter. She will be sitting in my lap, does anyone know how much Thai Airways charges? I have heard it is 10%, but 10% of what? Lowest Business class fare or highest? an exact amount would be greatly appreciated if someone has had experience in this, thanks