Trip Reports - OS25 VIE-BKK in C and Millenium Hilton Bangkok

Austrian Airlines 25
Vienna to Bangkok
Scheduled - 23:20pm – 14:20pm(+1), 10 hr 0 min flight
Delayed Departure – 23:55pm, slow boarding, medical problems with a passenger
Delayed Arrival – 14:50pm(+1)
Business Class, Seat 7D
Food – Dinner, Breakfast
Equipment – Boeing 770-200

Whole experience started at new Star Alliance Terminal at Vienna Airport, which is not most functional, a long walk to get there on the first place, and lounges are a bit away from the gates... all three lounges (Business, Senator and HON) in same hallway... As Star *G went to Senator lounge, which is quite nice, just without a toilet, for which you have to go out to the hallway and staff have to let you inside again... Quite good selection of snacks, hot foods and drinks... seats are nice, can stretch out and take a nap in quite area in bed-like seats...

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Boarding started on-time, just a bit confusing, gate was G31, with no separated boarding for business and economy passengers or at least to M&M elites... so boarding area was very crowded and it seems that it lasted forever to get everybody boarded, over 30 minutes, maybe because it was only one line open for boarding over 300 people...?

When we finally started to taxi, we had over 30 minutes of delay, but taxi was very short and we left with 35 minutes of delay..., which seems pretty standard for this flight.

My seat was 7D. Plane is a bit old and could need some make-up refurbishment, but seat has decent amount of legroom, duvet and pillow were soft and comfortable. It is not fully lie-flat seat, but more like recliner-style, some 165-170 degrees, so sleeping is not the easiest... but far better than economy... Each C passenger get amenity kit with some basic things for the flight, but nothing special, especially compared to some other airlines.

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Immediately after take-off service started... Austrian has chef on board for C passengers, so chef collected order even before departure, and we could fill out breakfast wishes paper-form :p

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Must admit that food was very tasty, freshly prepared and promptly delivered. Three choices for main dish for dinner. Service during dinner, that stared some 30 minutes after take-off, was fast, efficient and staff very friendly.

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Missed crew during the flight, no water or juices offered during the flight at all - had to catch some myself in the galley. Some 60 minutes before landing breakfast was offered, one of the best ever had on the plane, as egg omlette was freshly prepared and very tasty with some vegetables, fresh breads and crossaints.

After landing at BKK, taxing for some 15 minutes to the gate.

Some half of the flight was very bumpy, the most bumpy intercontinental flight I' ve ever made for sure, with some special "fun" parts in last 4 hours, but no announcement or other info from the crew (a part of seat-belt warning sign)... All-in-all, whole Austrian C experience was rather mixed, good food and service, not so good hard product.

After the arrival immigration process was quite quick, took some ten minutes, although lines were quite long, but fast moving. From the BKK airport we took metered taxi for five persons, which departed from the lowest level, and it was rather big taxi that costed us 800 THB (with two pieces of luggage on the roof).

Upon arrival we were greated very friendly, but got stumbled in very, very slow and inefficienf check-in process... they actually checked if our suite was ready at 5pm (hotel's official check-in time is 2pm!), and my two friends rooms were actually not ready until 6pm... this in just unacceptable and hotel should offer which ever room was ready, even if this would mean complimentary upgrade. But their were actually not offered anything except drink in cafe when waiting... Not a feature of great hotel.

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Other than that unfortunate experience this is excellent hotel, we had Executive Plus Suite in 16th floor with great (river) view, I can just recommend this great suite, which has plenty of room and quite a few small additions (breakfast, executive floor access, daily complimentary water, you get daily orchid flower,...),... Breakfast was good, plenty of choices from different breakfast-cultures, although staff is sometime de-oriented and breakfast rooms gets a bit too crowded.

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If you stay in executive room, you can have breakfast also in Executive lounge in 31st floor, which is superb also for day-time happy hour (6-8.30pm) or afternoon tea (3-6pm). Pool area is just superb, you get towels there, but I recommend wearing the robe when going to the pool... also the gym is super, with plenty of equipment to choose from.

Great info. Flying IAD-VIE-DBV next month and this gives me a great sense of the OS C product. Thanks!

That's interesting re the room not being ready - we had the same problem at the KL Hilton last summer - 6pm or so and the room wasn't ready. Quite simply not good enough!

The reason, they were given that the room was not ready at 5pm, was, that the hotel was fully booked previous night ... ok, that is understandable, but if this is a case, add some perk to the guest reservation, free internet for one day, executive lounge access or something, this is what quality hotel should do to be top quality and please the guest that arrived after some 20-ish hour trip...

There are not too many OS C trip reports around, so thanks for yours. ^

I'll be flying OS C for the first time in September, also VIE-BKK-VIE, so your info is much appreciated.

+1 on the Millenium BKK. Very nice hotel, I liked it better than the Conrad.
Though they did try and sell me every possible upgrade and "buffet special" during check in.

+1 on the Millenium BKK. Very nice hotel, I liked it better than the Conrad.
Though they did try and sell me every possible upgrade and "buffet special" during check in.

Yes, I love the hotel and am staying there again in October - this time in a suite!

My favourite part is after walking through the heat, humidity, noise and smells of Bangkok you arrive at the wharf for your free boat back to the hotel with a cool drink and wet towel provided onboard. It's the perfect respite from Bangkok city and makes the hotel seem like an oasis.

I plan to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel (2 pax with 2 bags). Any other ideas?

Yes, I love the hotel and am staying there again in October - this time in a suite!

My favourite part is after walking through the heat, humidity, noise and smells of Bangkok you arrive at the wharf for your free boat back to the hotel with a cool drink and wet towel provided onboard. It's the perfect respite from Bangkok city and makes the hotel seem like an oasis.

I plan to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel (2 pax with 2 bags). Any other ideas?

We tried the boat to the skytrain (with 2 transfers) to the airport. Took a ridiculous amount of time and trouble and we ended up saving about 200 Baht, if I recall. Take a taxi.

After the arrival immigration process was quite quick, took some ten minutes, although lines were quite long, but fast moving.

Did you receive a BKK fast track immigration pass from OS? In my experience they are not handed out onboard and crews are mostly unaware of their existence.

I've recently been told by a purser on another OS 777 route that they are available upon request to C pax from the BKK OS ground staff meeting the flight, but wouldn't mind confirmation before my next VIE-BKK.

OTOH fast track passes are automatically provided and usually pre-filled on the BKK-VIE return leg.

Yes, I love the hotel and am staying there again in October - this time in a suite!

My favourite part is after walking through the heat, humidity, noise and smells of Bangkok you arrive at the wharf for your free boat back to the hotel with a cool drink and wet towel provided onboard. It's the perfect respite from Bangkok city and makes the hotel seem like an oasis.

I plan to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel (2 pax with 2 bags). Any other ideas?

Yes, take an AOT Limo - bookable in the baggae claim hall. Large SUV will be cTHB950 o/w but there are sometimes roundtrip deals too & other vehicle oprtions - 7-series etc. Civilised & seamless. Yes, its 4-5 x the taxi fare but 5 x not-very-much is, erm...not very much :D

Did you receive a BKK fast track immigration pass from OS? In my experience they are not handed out onboard and crews are mostly unaware of their existence.

I've recently been told by a purser on another OS 777 route that they are available upon request to C pax from the BKK OS ground staff meeting the flight, but wouldn't mind confirmation before my next VIE-BKK.

OTOH fast track passes are automatically provided and usually pre-filled on the BKK-VIE return leg.

No, no passes from OS... but also didnt ask for one... although immigration was swift, no more that 5 minutes wait, despite the long line... maybe US border/customs should learn something in BKK...