Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - retrofitting program 747

I have noticed that TG recently updated (august) its website with information on the number of 747 aircrafts :
http://www.thaiair.com/About_Thai/Public_Information/Information/AircraftFleet.htm
The number of 7443 is ten vs eight old 7442. This is exactly the numbr given several months ago. Does it imply that TG suspended its retrofitting plan for 747? Anyone knows?

I would say several month ago they planed to have 10 new 7443 ! Now they really have them ! It´s the same with the airport, he was already anounced to be "ready" last year, but that´s not unusual in Thailand :D
I have noticed that TG recently updated (august) its website with information on the number of 747 aircrafts :
http://www.thaiair.com/About_Thai/Public_Information/Information/AircraftFleet.htm
The number of 7443 is ten vs eight old 7442. This is exactly the numbr given several months ago. Does it imply that TG suspended its retrofitting plan for 747? Anyone knows?

The retrofit program is still going on. According to the schedule, you'll see that 7443 is still being introduced into more routes. If nothing changes, all 12 of them should complete before 1 December when 7443 finally take over SYD, FCO and MAD (MUC changes from 7443 to 346).

The 10th 7443, HS-TGT, has been flying for a while. The 11th should be in hangar by now. Some tech at TG told me that some aircraft will be in hangar longer than the other depending on how many maintenance works is due on that particular aircraft. The seat retrofit alone takes almost a month due to extensive rewiring required plus time for test, weight and balance, and certification time.

Anyone think there's any chance that they'll upgrade the NRT>BKK 7442 to the 7443?

I guess this isn't considered "long haul" (although it is 6.5 hours) but it would be nice to have the new FC on this leg.

The retrofit program is still going on. According to the schedule, you'll see that 7443 is still being introduced into more routes. If nothing changes, all 12 of them should complete before 1 December when 7443 finally take over SYD, FCO and MAD (MUC changes from 7443 to 346).

The 10th 7443, HS-TGT, has been flying for a while. The 11th should be in hangar by now. Some tech at TG told me that some aircraft will be in hangar longer than the other depending on how many maintenance works is due on that particular aircraft. The seat retrofit alone takes almost a month due to extensive rewiring required plus time for test, weight and balance, and certification time.
Thanks for the detailed and pleasing answer. I am recent to the forum and probably missed past info, but is TG keeping six 7442 for "minor/shorter" routes? This is the impression I get from "all 12 of them should complete before 1 December".

Yes, TG will keep 6 747-400 in 7442 config for shorter/non-premium route.

The retrofit program is still going on. According to the schedule, you'll see that 7443 is still being introduced into more routes. If nothing changes, all 12 of them should complete before 1 December when 7443 finally take over SYD, FCO and MAD (MUC changes from 7443 to 346).

The 10th 7443, HS-TGT, has been flying for a while. The 11th should be in hangar by now. Some tech at TG told me that some aircraft will be in hangar longer than the other depending on how many maintenance works is due on that particular aircraft. The seat retrofit alone takes almost a month due to extensive rewiring required plus time for test, weight and balance, and certification time.
Thanks for all the useful info. Is there an Internet way to know which aircraft is flying where? For example, could I find the immatriculation -(e.g. HS-TGT) of the aircraft operating TG 931 today?
Probably not, but it would be fun if possible.

LHR Movements can be viewed here, perhaps not every flight but interesting nonetheless. Choose month and then day.

http://www.lhr-lgw.co.uk/heathrow/lhrmainindex.htm

LHR Movements can be viewed here, perhaps not every flight but interesting nonetheless. Choose month and then day.

http://www.lhr-lgw.co.uk/heathrow/lhrmainindex.htm
VERY interesting! It seems that LHR do get the 7443, at least I checked for August. I am most interested by flights out of Paris. Anyone knows a similar source??
Also, would anyone know the registrations of NOt-refurbished a/c? I guess that HS-TGW, HS-TGX are in process or retrofit. What are the six other ones not planned for retrofit?

how many 7441 old 747-300 does TG keep ? And on which routes will they operate ? ( only domestic ? )

how many 7441 old 747-300 does TG keep ? And on which routes will they operate ? ( only domestic ? )
Apparently, the 7441 are gone. [ by the way, Scandinavians must be very happy to pay business class for F seats on the 7442]. It seems that the antiquated 743 will be used on routes to HKG and BEI. I am flying next month from Paris to HKG in F and am booked on a 743 BKK-HKG-BKK. Given the number of premium pax who hub in BKK from HKG to Europe and vice-versa I am surprised that TG plans to keep this a/c (even once retroffiting is finsihed) which is such a letdown. 743 should be reserved to domestic routes.

VERY interesting! It seems that LHR do get the 7443, at least I checked for August. I am most interested by flights out of Paris. Anyone knows a similar source??
Also, would anyone know the registrations of NOt-refurbished a/c? I guess that HS-TGW, HS-TGX are in process or retrofit. What are the six other ones not planned for retrofit?

HS-TGY, HS-TGZ, HS-TGA, HS-TGB, HS-TGF, HS-TGG won't be retrofitted.

BTW, in September there will be a lot of aircraft change from 7443 to 7442. LHR suffers 2 downgrade on Aug 31 and Sept 1 while CDG got downgrades on 3, 14 and 18 Sept. It looks like one of the aircraft is due for maintenance thus lots of them get rotated around. 7443 will do some ZRH run in place of 346 for many days, for example.

Further to spk's info, ZRH is scheduled to get a 7442 on 16SEP and 7443s on 14/18/19SEP, but all subject to change of course.

HS-TGY, HS-TGZ, HS-TGA, HS-TGB, HS-TGF, HS-TGG won't be retrofitted.

BTW, in September there will be a lot of aircraft change from 7443 to 7442. LHR suffers 2 downgrade on Aug 31 and Sept 1 while CDG got downgrades on 3, 14 and 18 Sept. It looks like one of the aircraft is due for maintenance thus lots of them get rotated around. 7443 will do some ZRH run in place of 346 for many days, for example.
thanks SPK, very useful information, as always from you.
I am flying sep 15 out of Paris, is that expected to be 7443. I am a bit worried that when you say downgrade on sep 14, you mean the flight leaving BKK on sep 14 and therefore arriving/departing CDG on sep 15. If so, I would try to change my travel date to the 16th.

thanks SPK, very useful information, as always from you.
I am flying sep 15 out of Paris, is that expected to be 7443. I am a bit worried that when you say downgrade on sep 14, you mean the flight leaving BKK on sep 14 and therefore arriving/departing CDG on sep 15. If so, I would try to change my travel date to the 16th.

I think you're safe because BKK-CDG flight leaves 0:05 and arrives 7:05 on the same date. Therefore, the aircraft change on Sept 14 won't affect your travel.

However, your best bet is to call TG to look into the system about the operating aircraft. I don't work for TG and all my information comes from publicly accessible sources and is by no means as accurate as info from internal system.

After getting used to the new seat on 7443/345/346/772, it is hard to go back to the 7442! BTW, your flight looks very full in C and F!

Apparently, the 7441 are gone. [ by the way, Scandinavians must be very happy to pay business class for F seats on the 7442]. It seems that the antiquated 743 will be used on routes to HKG and BEI. I am flying next month from Paris to HKG in F and am booked on a 743 BKK-HKG-BKK. Given the number of premium pax who hub in BKK from HKG to Europe and vice-versa I am surprised that TG plans to keep this a/c (even once retroffiting is finsihed) which is such a letdown. 743 should be reserved to domestic routes.
I thought they still have 2 of this old birds, but only for the major domestic routes to HKT and CNX.

[QUOTE=spk] I don't work for TG and all my information comes from publicly accessible sources and is by no means as accurate as info from internal system.

QUOTE]
Thanks all the more for your wonderful assistance.
Bruno

i really like thai's new business class product and think it's great that they're retrofitting their aircraft. however, i feel that thai are missing a huge opportunity by restricting the upgrade to a handful of aircraft and implementing the upgrade so slowly. in the mean time british airways is about to launch yet another revision of its already flat-bed club world... if thai don't stay on the ball, there's a risk that they'll continue to be an outdated airline (from the product perspective)... which is a real shame given the almost unbeatable service.

I thought they still have 2 of this old birds, but only for the major domestic routes to HKT and CNX.

The 2 743s hardly ever fly to HKT/CNX.

Mostly HKG/PEK, but recently also ATH/FCO. The latter might have switched to better equipment.

What I really don't understand is why they can't switch the intermediate seats from TGT/TGW/TGX to the 743s, even without PTVs if the rewiring is too expensive. The 743s are just a year or two older than the oldest 744s.

Then stick these two with the intermediate seats to ARN/CPH and refurbish all 747-400s. As spk stated already, hard to go back to the 7442 after the new seats (sort of like 7442->7441 downgrade), and with TG's track record the non-refurbished aircraft will make appearences in Europe regularly... As already proved by schedules next month. :td:

But that would be way too logical for TG to refurbish the whole 744 fleet and improve the 743s too. to And we'd no longer enjoy the aircraft lottery. :D :rolleyes:

i really like thai's new business class product and think it's great that they're retrofitting their aircraft. however, i feel that thai are missing a huge opportunity by restricting the upgrade to a handful of aircraft and implementing the upgrade so slowly. in the mean time british airways is about to launch yet another revision of its already flat-bed club world... if thai don't stay on the ball, there's a risk that they'll continue to be an outdated airline (from the product perspective)... which is a real shame given the almost unbeatable service.
Well, Air France started its retrofitting program in late 2003 and announced in every piece of advertising that it would be finished by June 2005. As of August 2006 (over a year later than the planned finish date) there are still some 20 planes to be retrofitted. Expected completion is now mid 2007. Besides the usual optimism bias put in advertising material (to attract customers), they have encountered numerous technical problems with the installation of the new seats. For example the F seats installed on the early 773 broke down regularly and I think that they switched suppliers (unlucky you if you fly on an "early" 773). I remember that SQ and CX also had some rather long technical delays. I am not trying to excuse either TG or AF for sloppy preparatory work. But TG is not the only one... by far.
I think that the fact that TG is keeping six 744 (out of 18) with old equipment is a mistake (I understand that it is costly to retrofit). It will mean that in coming years they will need to substitute an old 747 when one (or a couple) of retrofitted plane breaks down. So there will be plenty of occasional surprises. Too bad.

The 2 743s hardly ever fly to HKT/CNX.

What I really don't understand is why they can't switch the intermediate seats from TGT/TGW/TGX to the 743s, even without PTVs if the rewiring is too expensive. The 743s are just a year or two older than the oldest 744s.


There is an interview with TG executive in a local newspaper about a week ago saying that TG board of directors have already approved the retirement of B743 and 8 AB6. These aircrafts are to be retired in 2007-2008. And TG plan to order new aircrafts to replace those retired. So this is the reason why B743 didn't get refurbishment.

the retirement of B743 and 8 AB6

Good news! I thought they'd stick around longer since they're some of the latest 743s built and apparently have same engines (or just slightly diffeent) as the 744s.

Though I guess the remaining AB6s will still retain the old C, most of them should be just domestic after that.

I need to know if the MAD-FCO-BKK routes 30 November 2006 and BKK-MAD 16 December 2006 they were made with the new classes in the 744

Latest news is that MAD will get new config after December 2.

Latest news is that MAD will get new config after December 2.

So SYD would get at about the same time?

So SYD would get at about the same time?


Flying F on Sunday on TG993 BKK-MEL Via SYD. aircraft listed as 744, Reservations tell me its new config :) if it turns out to be.

I think you're safe because BKK-CDG flight leaves 0:05 and arrives 7:05 on the same date. Therefore, the aircraft change on Sept 14 won't affect your travel.

However, your best bet is to call TG to look into the system about the operating aircraft. I don't work for TG and all my information comes from publicly accessible sources and is by no means as accurate as info from internal system.

After getting used to the new seat on 7443/345/346/772, it is hard to go back to the 7442! BTW, your flight looks very full in C and F!

Further to the above, I am flying BKK-CDG business on Saturday morning Sep 30. Can u tell me if it's going to be on the retrofitted aircraft? Returning CDG-BKK on Oct 15. Thanks.

TG website showing code 744 for both sectors - so that is the refitted aircraft. But things can always change...

I note that the booking page shows that BKK-CDG is sold out except for F, and is completely sold out in all classes CDG-BKK. I hope you already have your ticket!

TG website showing code 744 for both sectors - so that is the refitted aircraft. But things can always change...

I note that the booking page shows that BKK-CDG is sold out except for F, and is completely sold out in all classes CDG-BKK. I hope you already have your ticket!

Thanks for that and I hope there are no aircraft changes on those dates. Yes, I do have my J class ticket. I will be checking in in Singapore. If they are looking for F upgrades, my guess is that it'll be done in BKK? I am Star Gold. Is there a chance of me being upgraded in SIN or BKK? And if I already have a BP, wld they rather give it to someonne who hasnt checked in?