Spider
Jan 12, 03, 8:40 am
I promised to write this trip summary in my previous TG report and since I am leaving for SFO tomorrow then London, Sweden and the depths of freezing Russia. I better do it now as I'll be away from FT for a good month after today.
TG-992 was scheduled to depart AKL at 2.30pm but since it is almost always late arriving in NZ then I decided to check beforehand. It was late arriving by 20 minutes but departure was on schedule.
As some of you might know there is no motorway all the way from central Auckland to the airport unlike it is in Sydney and since it always seems to me that it takes less time to get from the airport to the city then I was a bit suspicious when I was told that our trip from New Lynn would take at least 40 minutes with 'my driving'. I was like, "Yeah, right! I'll be there in 25" but as it turned out it took me a whole 42 minutes to arrive at my destination. Now, had I stuck to the speedlimits and red lights then it would have taken probably another 10 minutes. I have to concur with comments on QF forum that Kiwis have no idea how to drive on the motorway by driving really slow in the fast lane. Aaarrgghh!!!
Check-in was really smooth with me being the only person at "F" desk. My suitcase weighed 10.5 kg and was sent off on the conveyor belt with a previous Royal Thai First Class sticker attached. When it arrived in SYD then this sticker was gone replaced with a small Royal Orchid Plus Priority tag and an Air New Zealand Heavy Luggage tag attcahed!! Heavy luggage?? 10,5 kgs?? Some Kiwis must have a warped sense of humour!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Since I was so late then I just rushed to the lounge which was a joint area shared by UA and ANZ. Despite being in F, I was pointed to the left which IMO was business area. It was reasonably large with plenty of drinks and some crackers. Didn't see any real food but then again, I didn't really look for it since boarding was announced just as I entered the lounge. The bathroom was nothing flash and a very far cry from CX Wing/Pier or even QF biz lounge in SYD as far as being clean goes.
Boarding was not very busy and I was on the plane in less than 3 minutes despite the lack of priority/elite boarding. The crew was nothing like on my previous leg. It took them about 30 seconds to work out that I was actually in "F" and I was not greeted by name nor the traditional Thai greeting. My jacket was taken and a strange remark made when I took my passport out of my pocket which I always do.
The cabin looked fresher than on a 744 and seats had good looking dark blue seat covers.
Dom was served while we waited for pushback. Shortly after takeoff, the crew got ready to serve lunch.
Canapes:
Smoked salmon, smoked chicken, cream cheese.
Hors-d' Oeuvre:
Smocked duck, Thai cucumber salad.
Main:
1)Lamb chop Nicoise with rosemary sauce.
2)Stir fried prawns and green beans with chilly. (great stuff!)
Steamed Thai jasmine rice.
Zucchini, buttered carrots, steamed pak choi.
Parisienne potatoes.
Roll, garlic bread, water crackers, butter.
Assorted cheese and dried fruit tray.
Black grapes.
Dessert:
Summer pudding.
Tea, coffee, espresso, cappucino.
The drinks were exactly the same as on my flight from SYD-BKK.
Wine selections:
a) White:
Rully La Bergerie 2000 which is a chardonnay from burgundy.
Domaines SchlumbergerPinot Gris 1998 which is a fruity wine.
b) Red:
Chateau Desmirail Margaux 1999.
Beaune Champs Pimont 1998.
c) Champagne:
Dom Perignon.
Dom Perignon Vintage 1995.
Cuvee Des Roys 1991.
If anyone is interested then here is a shortened menu for SYD-BKK:
Hot Savouries:
Prawn sesame triangle.
Lobster dumpling.
Prawn and ham toast.
Cucumber salad with plum sauce.
Main Course:
Beef curry Mussaman.
Roast duck Chinese style.
Grilled salmon and lobster medallion with red capsicum sauce.
Desserts:
Coconut ice-cream with strawberries and banana in Grand Marnier syrup.
Second serving:
Chicken in coconut milk soup (Thom Kha Kai).
Main:
Stir fried noodles with prawns (Phad Thai).
Chicken leek pie.
Dessert:
Wild mango mousse.
Phew! What a load of typing! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
During the meal, movie started. Due to the poor quality of tape I still don't know what its title was but it was about a US marshall protecting a federal judge from some military assassins who were trying to cover up some major fraud. The movie must have been used on 1000 flights before since many parts I never got to see due to poor quality.
Like the menu said, main meal consisted of prawns or lamb. Now, there were 4, YES four, other passengers in "F" cabin. I got 4 medium prawns. Shrimp on CX even in business is a lot larger! They started serving from me and by the time they'd finished I was also done with my seafood. They offered seconds, I accepted... a couple of more prawns? You should have seen the faces these FA's had! They looked like I was after their first newborn! Anyway, I got 3 more prawns and the prawn tray was empty!!! I can swear that at least one person in F had lamb! Was this calculated for 5 pax? What if there were some last minute upgrades?
After the meal all FA's disappeared to the kitchen which on TG Jumbos is on the right side of business class i.e. unlike on BA or CX or QF or AA where galley divides classes. Kitchen is pretty long with microwaves, proper bench and other modern appliances. I know this since I went in search of a beer and found all FA's munching happily over the left-over from the food trays.
The a/c was turned way too low and it was cold. A lady pax went in search of FA's to get a blanket and as a result I was offered the same which was very welcome. There were no amenity kits of any kind. I asked for socks and eventually got them but the looks I got were really shocking.
When Australian Immigration video started then I couldn't stop pinching myself to make sure that I was actually in December 2002 and not a year or two before that in the times when Ansett was live and healthy. The video showed detailed transfer info to Ansett flights and their transfer desks. Are Thais really so backward that they don't know about Ansett's demise? I doubt it but why couldn't they be bothered with updating their info programs?
Overall, I would give 5/10 for this flight since the crew was not on the par with things and entertainment sucked. This flight was a lot worse than my SYD-AKL flight. I am having some serious second thoughts about flying TG again in "F" class. IMO, QF in "J" is a lot better in comparison.
TG-992 was scheduled to depart AKL at 2.30pm but since it is almost always late arriving in NZ then I decided to check beforehand. It was late arriving by 20 minutes but departure was on schedule.
As some of you might know there is no motorway all the way from central Auckland to the airport unlike it is in Sydney and since it always seems to me that it takes less time to get from the airport to the city then I was a bit suspicious when I was told that our trip from New Lynn would take at least 40 minutes with 'my driving'. I was like, "Yeah, right! I'll be there in 25" but as it turned out it took me a whole 42 minutes to arrive at my destination. Now, had I stuck to the speedlimits and red lights then it would have taken probably another 10 minutes. I have to concur with comments on QF forum that Kiwis have no idea how to drive on the motorway by driving really slow in the fast lane. Aaarrgghh!!!
Check-in was really smooth with me being the only person at "F" desk. My suitcase weighed 10.5 kg and was sent off on the conveyor belt with a previous Royal Thai First Class sticker attached. When it arrived in SYD then this sticker was gone replaced with a small Royal Orchid Plus Priority tag and an Air New Zealand Heavy Luggage tag attcahed!! Heavy luggage?? 10,5 kgs?? Some Kiwis must have a warped sense of humour!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Since I was so late then I just rushed to the lounge which was a joint area shared by UA and ANZ. Despite being in F, I was pointed to the left which IMO was business area. It was reasonably large with plenty of drinks and some crackers. Didn't see any real food but then again, I didn't really look for it since boarding was announced just as I entered the lounge. The bathroom was nothing flash and a very far cry from CX Wing/Pier or even QF biz lounge in SYD as far as being clean goes.
Boarding was not very busy and I was on the plane in less than 3 minutes despite the lack of priority/elite boarding. The crew was nothing like on my previous leg. It took them about 30 seconds to work out that I was actually in "F" and I was not greeted by name nor the traditional Thai greeting. My jacket was taken and a strange remark made when I took my passport out of my pocket which I always do.
The cabin looked fresher than on a 744 and seats had good looking dark blue seat covers.
Dom was served while we waited for pushback. Shortly after takeoff, the crew got ready to serve lunch.
Canapes:
Smoked salmon, smoked chicken, cream cheese.
Hors-d' Oeuvre:
Smocked duck, Thai cucumber salad.
Main:
1)Lamb chop Nicoise with rosemary sauce.
2)Stir fried prawns and green beans with chilly. (great stuff!)
Steamed Thai jasmine rice.
Zucchini, buttered carrots, steamed pak choi.
Parisienne potatoes.
Roll, garlic bread, water crackers, butter.
Assorted cheese and dried fruit tray.
Black grapes.
Dessert:
Summer pudding.
Tea, coffee, espresso, cappucino.
The drinks were exactly the same as on my flight from SYD-BKK.
Wine selections:
a) White:
Rully La Bergerie 2000 which is a chardonnay from burgundy.
Domaines SchlumbergerPinot Gris 1998 which is a fruity wine.
b) Red:
Chateau Desmirail Margaux 1999.
Beaune Champs Pimont 1998.
c) Champagne:
Dom Perignon.
Dom Perignon Vintage 1995.
Cuvee Des Roys 1991.
If anyone is interested then here is a shortened menu for SYD-BKK:
Hot Savouries:
Prawn sesame triangle.
Lobster dumpling.
Prawn and ham toast.
Cucumber salad with plum sauce.
Main Course:
Beef curry Mussaman.
Roast duck Chinese style.
Grilled salmon and lobster medallion with red capsicum sauce.
Desserts:
Coconut ice-cream with strawberries and banana in Grand Marnier syrup.
Second serving:
Chicken in coconut milk soup (Thom Kha Kai).
Main:
Stir fried noodles with prawns (Phad Thai).
Chicken leek pie.
Dessert:
Wild mango mousse.
Phew! What a load of typing! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
During the meal, movie started. Due to the poor quality of tape I still don't know what its title was but it was about a US marshall protecting a federal judge from some military assassins who were trying to cover up some major fraud. The movie must have been used on 1000 flights before since many parts I never got to see due to poor quality.
Like the menu said, main meal consisted of prawns or lamb. Now, there were 4, YES four, other passengers in "F" cabin. I got 4 medium prawns. Shrimp on CX even in business is a lot larger! They started serving from me and by the time they'd finished I was also done with my seafood. They offered seconds, I accepted... a couple of more prawns? You should have seen the faces these FA's had! They looked like I was after their first newborn! Anyway, I got 3 more prawns and the prawn tray was empty!!! I can swear that at least one person in F had lamb! Was this calculated for 5 pax? What if there were some last minute upgrades?
After the meal all FA's disappeared to the kitchen which on TG Jumbos is on the right side of business class i.e. unlike on BA or CX or QF or AA where galley divides classes. Kitchen is pretty long with microwaves, proper bench and other modern appliances. I know this since I went in search of a beer and found all FA's munching happily over the left-over from the food trays.
The a/c was turned way too low and it was cold. A lady pax went in search of FA's to get a blanket and as a result I was offered the same which was very welcome. There were no amenity kits of any kind. I asked for socks and eventually got them but the looks I got were really shocking.
When Australian Immigration video started then I couldn't stop pinching myself to make sure that I was actually in December 2002 and not a year or two before that in the times when Ansett was live and healthy. The video showed detailed transfer info to Ansett flights and their transfer desks. Are Thais really so backward that they don't know about Ansett's demise? I doubt it but why couldn't they be bothered with updating their info programs?
Overall, I would give 5/10 for this flight since the crew was not on the par with things and entertainment sucked. This flight was a lot worse than my SYD-AKL flight. I am having some serious second thoughts about flying TG again in "F" class. IMO, QF in "J" is a lot better in comparison.