Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - CPH (TG950/951) S13 op. by 777-300

According to Amadeus, it seems that the CPH-routes are changed from 747 to 777-300 (from April 2013). Quite surprising, since TG claims it is one of their best routes, and Y+ sales are quite good. But maybe they need more C class seats?

What about ARN-BKK.?
Maybe they just don't want to sell the new First Class Cabin as business and the new Business as Y+, as they did on the old configuration?

According to Amadeus, it seems that the CPH-routes are changed from 747 to 777-300 (from April 2013). Quite surprising, since TG claims it is one of their best routes, and Y+ sales are quite good. But maybe they need more C class seats?

To be exact, it's 777-300ER

What about ARN-BKK.?
ARN-BKK will continue with 747.

Good thing is that we now get AVOD on the CPH-route. And much more C-class availability!

More news here:
http://airlineroute.net/2012/06/26/tg-s13update12/

To be exact, it's 777-300ER

but don't expect it to be daily.
Last two months they cut off two weekly frequencies and this may happen again next summer.

but don't expect it to be daily.
Last two months they cut off two weekly frequencies and this may happen again next summer.

The frequency cut was mostly due to 747 configuration, which was delayed due to Flood in late-2011.

This is interesting. This will be the end of Premium Economy from CPH but hopefully also a chance for cheaper C class tickets and better award availability. It looks like the 747-400 will go to the LAX route instead.

Is this new 773ER a/c's coming to TG? The present 773ER birds are only available in a three class config.

This is interesting. This will be the end of Premium Economy from CPH but hopefully also a chance for cheaper C class tickets and better award availability. It looks like the 747-400 will go to the LAX route instead.

Is this new 773ER a/c's coming to TG? The present 773ER birds are only available in a three class config.

First brand new 773ER due to arrive July/August in 2-cls configuration

First brand new 773ER due to arrive July/August in 2-cls configuration

This is quite a nice reply to EK/QR/GF's aggressive strategy on the CPH to SE Asia market.
Question is if TG952/953 still would be operated with 747? Or what is the future for these flights?

Question is if TG952/953 still would be operated with 747? Or what is the future for these flights?

Would make sense to keep a 744 on the HKT route with less seats in C and more seats in Y. I guess TG960 will get the 773 as well when all a/c's have been delivered.

Bottom line is probably that operating the Scandinavian routes with a 7443 config and selling the seats as C-PE-Y did not make economic sense in the long term.

Will the new 773ER get the same fully flat C class product as the A380?

Will the new 773ER get the same fully flat C class product as the A380?

According to several presentations by THAI (downloadable from website's investor relations page), yes.

According to several presentations by THAI (downloadable from website's investor relations page), yes.

Jim YVR: is it a YES or is it a NO (to BHiL's question) ??? :confused:

According to danish travel media takeoff.dk, TG might operate double daily to CPH from W13.
TG960/961 will be operated twice weekly from W12.
ARN will still be operated with 747, and from 16AUG12, it will be the upgraded version with personal IFE. These upgraded jumbos will also operate on the CPH routes.

Read the article here (danish only): http://www.takeoff.dk/news/23271

Jim YVR: is it a YES or is it a NO (to BHiL's question) ??? :confused:

It is a yes. TG are fitting the 77W with the same fully flat seat that will be on the 380 ^

It is a yes. TG are fitting the 77W with the same fully flat seat that will be on the 380 ^

Thanks, Pogonation.
Its good to learn that the constant product upgrade covers the whole network and fleet (A330, B744 and now B777)! Very positive!
They might have received positive feed-back also from Scandinavian market on the routes to Oslo, where they don't offer Premium Economy Class constantly.

Jim YVR: is it a YES or is it a NO (to BHiL's question) ??? :confused:

I thought I said yes?

Meanwhile, the 77W will fly to OSL from 28OCT12 to 30MAR13 6 times a week, if anyone missed it.

I thought it was always the plan to operate 2-class 777-300ER on all Scandinavian destinations as soon they got enough of them delivered?

I guess with the rollout of new F on their 747s, and retirement of 6 of the 18 aircraft, it did not make sense to keep selling their F as C and C for Y money.

Does anyone know how many Y seats the new 777-300ER will have? Their 747 has 325 and their 777-300 non ER has 330.

does anyone know how many y seats the new 777-300er will have?

C42 / Y304

I thought I said yes?

Meanwhile, the 77W will fly to OSL from 28OCT12 to 30MAR13 6 times a week, if anyone missed it.

Need to correct that TG is no longer planning to fly 77W to OSL in W12 season. It'll continue to operate daily with 777-200ER.

Meanwhile, the 77W will fly to OSL from 28OCT12 to 30MAR13 6 times a week, if anyone missed it.

Yup, as mentioned...details here:

http://airlineroute.net/2012/06/28/tg-w12update3/

Bangkok – Oslo Planned 6 weekly Boeing 777-300ER (2-class) service cancelled. The airline will continue to operate daily 777-200ER for Winter season, same as W11

New update posted today:

http://airlineroute.net/2013/01/10/tg-s13update3/

ARN will be operated by 777-300ER completely from the summer and CPH will have both 747 and 777.

Checked on certain dates in July, the new seat maps are loaded, but sometimes the aircraft type is still showing 747 even though the seat map is 777.

Interestingly, TG do not seem confident in premium yields from ARN/CPH and have opted to sell half the business seats as premium economy. I always thought the TG premium economy was only a stop gap measure due to the old 747 All Series product.

Interestingly, TG do not seem confident in premium yields from ARN/CPH and have opted to sell half the business seats as premium economy. I always thought the TG premium economy was only a stop gap measure due to the old 747 All Series product.

^ This is great news and happy that the TG prem. eco remains available; seated in new C seats :D

Excellent news. Fully flat seat in Premium Economy, that must be first time in airline history and the lie-flat seat on the 7443 is also not a bad for a PE cabin. It just shows that TG really has a good yield in PE and that this is a strong product to Scandinavia. The 9xWeekly to CPH from June is for sure a response to SK removing their service in the summer season.

Now we just have to wait and see if TG adjusts their prices according to the new hard product.

New update posted today:

http://airlineroute.net/2013/01/10/tg-s13update3/

ARN will be operated by 777-300ER completely from the summer and CPH will have both 747 and 777.


There's a minor typo on TG952 schedule, BKK1300 - 1320CPH. This should read as BKK1300 - 1920CPH (arrives CPH 1920), and has been fixed in the post.

Interestingly, TG do not seem confident in premium yields from ARN/CPH and have opted to sell half the business seats as premium economy. I always thought the TG premium economy was only a stop gap measure due to the old 747 All Series product.

They will have to adjust their current pricing strategy if they expect people to pay for C. The only difference with C now is service, food and lounge access (assuming cabin size is the same) :confused:

They will have to adjust their current pricing strategy if they expect people to pay for C. The only difference with C now is service, food and lounge access (assuming cabin size is the same) :confused:

Agreed. TG will find it hard not to push yields further down by making this move.

U fares in high season (18k SEK) have typically been half the business D fare (36k SEK). That's a big fare difference for lounge, massage and better food. Swiss offer a similar business product with Z fares in high season in the 18k SEK range. Finnair offer business with staggered lie flat seats and discount business I fares in the 13k SEK range. TG will have to leverage the convenience of the non-stop flight heavily to increase yields, not certain this is achievable.

Towards the autumn, will be interesting to see whether the low season deals at the 10k SEK range reappear.

Further for travellers from Scandinavia, the U fares via Bangkok to further destinations in Asia or Australia typically book into J where U is not offered. Fantastic deals for travellers but not so sure this is such a positive for TG.

Further update today is that CPH goes all 777-300ER, replacing the 747 completely.

http://airlineroute.net/2013/01/11/tg-cph-s13update2/

I believe TG is fully aware of the challenges in this price structure. CPH/ARN to BKK are weak premium markets which makes it difficult to sell C but the PE cabin is an attractive product for strict company travel policies and upscale leasure travellers.

TG has been offering PE to Scandinavia since 2003 but the product has never really been highlighted by TG (only the A345 PE product was ever mentioned on the webpage). Still it has been selling well and apparently the product is so strong that TG is ready to reserve half of the C-cabin for PE from next summer.

True, other airlines offer strong C-fares from time to time but they don't offer the flexibility of the TG U-fare and for destionations like HAN, SGN, CGK, KUL, MNL etc. TG offer strong connections. Only time will tell if TG is able to keep the same fares with the 77W.