sftrvlr

My friend and fellow FlyerTalker mjmsf was headed to Asia to pick up an ex-Colombo fare, and found a rate at the JW Marriott in Phuket for US$89/night. An absolute bargain for 5(+)star luxury and another chance to help rebuild the local economy in one of my favorite places on Earth, so I couldn't resist the invitation for a long weekend in Thailand. The human resources gods were kind to me, and my time off request was granted immediately. Now it was time for the craps shoot we love to call Mileage Plus award availability. Being the lucky dog that I am, I can actually see award availability for most Star Alliance carriers in my computer, so I can call with a pretty good idea of what is available. Now I've had a couple of award desk agents (in the past) tell me that ONLY the airlines can see award availability, so I don't mention that I can see it any longer when I call. I simply say that I called not long ago and the agent was "showing these flights available," and could they "check to see if they still are, and make a booking for me?" Most of the time it works. Even though many times the agent is reluctant to display availability from point to point since they are told to pull it up in Starnet from origin to destination and offer whatever availability comes up.

I actually started with my return date first, since it had to be a certain date, then worked backwards from there. I nearly choked on my sandwich (it was during my lunch hour) when I pulled up availability from Hong Kong to San Francisco and saw a first class seat on Singapore Airlines. Working backwards , I found a first class seat on Thai from Bangkok to Hong Kong, and a business class seat from Phuket to Bangkok. Perfect! The return was all set. Now for the outbound. I wanted to make the most of my time, so I needed an evening departure from San Francisco. The only thing I could find was United (in economy) down to Los Angeles, then Asiana in first class to Incheon, then Thai in business class to Bangkok and on to Phuket. Not as nice as Singapore Airlines, but it was available, and it was the exact days I wanted. The agent at the award desk told me how lucky I was, and booked the tickets for me. Phuket, here I come!

My paper ticket arrived five days later. I usually wait for the ticket to arrive before calling for seats. So I pull up the seat map for the Asiana flight from LAX to ICN, and it shows the flight canceled! I call Asiana and they assure me the flight is operating. Seat 1K. Paranoia sets in and I check daily to see if the flight reappears in Sabre as operational. A week passes. Still shows canceled. Then the fateful phone call comes. A message to call Asiana regarding a schedule change. I knew it! Sabre was right. The 1220AM flight was not operating that day due to maintenance, and I was protected at 130PM the same day.

"What about my connection to Phuket?"

"What connection?"

"Um, the Thai Airways flight from Incheon to Bangkok, and on to Phuket."

"Oh. We don't see that in our computer. Call United."

"But you canceled my flight. Aren't you responsible for getting me to my final destination?"

"You're lucky we even protected you since you're not even ticketed." (Well, it wasn't exactly worded this way, but that was the idea.)

"Actually, I'm looking at my paper ticket as we speak. Would you like the ticket number?"

"Well United never sent the ticket number to us, so there's nothing we can do."

"May I speak with a supervisor please?"

"I am a supervisor."

"Thanks. I'll call United."

So I called United and they were most helpful. They even apologized on behalf of Asiana! I explained how limited my time was and asked if they could clear a seat in first class on the Singapore Airlines flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong for me. The agent laughed. She looked and looked and finally said that only daytime flights were available on Saturday, which would require an overnight in Bangkok, and take a day off my precious time in Phuket. I then asked if anything was open the day before. Daytime or nighttime. She found United to Los Angeles, then Thai Airways to Bangkok (via Osaka) with an overnight in Bangkok. So I'd have to take another day off work, but I'd still have the same amount of time in Phuket. Finally all sorted out. A week before departure.

So after that lengthy introduction, on to the trip report.

UA 979 / SFO-LAX
Seat 2A / United First / Boeing 757
Scheduled 0845-1009 / Actual 0901-1019

I arrived at SFO 55 minutes prior to departure (I tried really, really hard to be earlier, but to no avail!) and asked the agent if I could use Easy Check In to just check in for the SFO-LAX portion. They said yes, so I tried. I got the pick up phone message and did just that. The agent couldn't figure out why it wouldn't let me check in and was unable to manually check me in, either. I was directed to the 1K check in line, which had ONLY ONE AGENT (at a peak travel time on a Friday morning ) and four people in front of me. Yikes! Everyone else in the line was leaving around the same time as me, so no queue jumping was permitted. Finally reached the agent at 820AM. He had no problem checking me in to LAX. I told him not to bother with the Thai flights since I had so much time that I'd get my boarding passes once I reached LA. He insisted on through-checking me. I told him it probably wouldn't work and that I should really head for the gate since the flight was already boarding. He insisted on trying to through-check me. I saw him typing TG776 into the computer, but I was on TG775. No wonder it wasn't working! He finally gave up and I raced through security (no line, luckily) and to the gate (the furthest possible distance from the ticket counter, unluckily.) I boarded almost last, joining the flight attendants commuting home after working in from Beijing. Had an empty seat next to me in first class to boot. We took a slight delay for flow control into LAX, but arrived only a few minutes late after an uneventful flight.

With more than three hours before the departure of my Thai Airways flight, I ambled from Terminal 7 down to the Tom Bradley International Terminal as slowly as possible, which took all of 15 minutes. As usual, the TBIT was a madhouse. The economy check in line at Thai had only 2 agents and stretched almost out the doors of the terminal. The business and first class lines had 2 and 1 agents respectively, and each line was about 10 deep. 45 minutes and 2 "VIP" queue jumpers later (escorted to the front of the line by Thai Airways staff as we all glared in disgust) I was checked in and directed through security (no premium line) to the British Airways Lounge/Qantas Club. This was s bit odd since I think all QF flights now depart from American Airlines gates in Terminal 4. Thai puts only their first class passengers in this lounge, which means it's not too crowded. There were about 10 of us in there. The lounge is on the interior of the terminal with windows overlooking the main check in hall. The seats were a bit threadbare, but comfy enough, and there was the standard selection of mid shelf liquor, tea, coffeee, soft drinks, etc. The food consisted of mini croissant sandwiches, cheese and crackers and fresh fruit. Not bad at all, and it certainly beat the Asiana lounge I used the last time I was at TBIT. So all in all a pretty poor showing for Thai Airways check in at LAX. The lounge attendant came around to each customer to announce that the flight was ready to board at 1PM.

TG775 / LAX-(KIX)-BKK
Seat 2K / Royal First Class / Boeing 747-400
Scheduled 1340-2230+1 / Actual 1335-2250+1

Hoping against all odds that by some miracle Thai was planning to operate a newly configured airplane I arrived at the gate (the furthest possible from the Qantas Club) to find 2 orderly lines boarding the aircraft. Not the rugby scrum I was expecting. Nice! There were about 10 people in front of me in the First/Business class boarding line. One of the agents noticed my first class boarding pass and came over to escort me past everyone. I was now doing to everyone else what had been done to me in the check in line ... not by choice, of course . How self-important I now felt! I also felt the glaring pairs of eyes follow me to the boarding doorway . I was greeted with a wide smile, a wai and a "Sawadee Ka," and made the fabled left turn from 2L toward the forward section. I stumbled and gasped as I entered what passes for a business class cabin on this Thai 747. Well not really, but there appeared to be quite a few passengers just sort of staring in disbelief that they were about to be jammed into what is basically a US domestic first class seat for the next 19 hours. A 40 inch pitch with no footrest and no PTV. They were probably asking themselves, "Did I pay a premium fare for this?"

At least I was headed for the nose cone and a seat with a decent pitch and recline. What passes for a first class cabin on this Thai 747. Four rows of seats arranged 4 abreast, with 6 abreast in the 4th row. A center console and a pull down movie screen at the front of the cabin. It made the Asiana cabin I experienced in February look positively world class in comparison. The last time I flew Thai in first class it was from Bangkok to London, and the cabin was far better than this one. It still had the same crushed velvet seat coverings, but there were only 3 rows of seats, and they reclined fully. Oh well, at least I'm not in business class! The welcome was warm, and I was offered a hot towel, menu, wine list, amenity kit, newspapers and magazines. My seatmate arrived soon thereafter and also did a double take as he came to grips with his home for the next 19 hours. He was kicked out of seat 1A by some sort of "VIP" family who occupied the entire first row. I'm not sure if they were government officials, Thai royalty or Thai Airways employees, but they received constant attention from the crew, and were whisked off the airplane once we reached Bangkok without having to clear immigration (I followed them and saw them greeted and walked into Thailand without so much as an ID check.) They also had a horrid little yappy puppy that they kept passing around to one another during the flight. It was eating off of their plates, too ... YUCK!

Pushback was five minutes early and the captain announced that our flying time would be about an hour shorter than normal to Osaka. Good. The sooner we're out of these seats, the better. Of course that would only mean a longer ground time at Kansai, but I'd rather be stretching my legs there than sitting my bum on what was already becoming an uncomfortable seat (the cushion was so worn that is sagged and I could feel the frame of the seat underneath me.) A short taxi to the runway and we were airborne for Japan. The seatbelt sign went off almost immediately after takeoff, and the crew sprang into action (as best they could in full length, tight fitting uniforms with a sash across the front.) Curtains were drawn tight to prevent a possible incursion by any business class passenger who may become deranged with anger once the reality has set in that they may as well have saved the extra money and flown economy. I must say that the service on this sector was some of the finest in the sky. I find Thai Airways crews to be a real mixed bag. Excellent on long haul and Thai domestic, but grumpy and lazy on medium haul. This myth was shattered on my leg from Bangkok to Hong Kong, but more about that later. Cocktails were served with bags of Ruffles potato chips, which I thought was an oddly plebian choice for an international first class cabin, but went surprisingly well with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame. A small plate of hot appetizers was then offered with a second round of drinks. There was a small chicken satay, a shrimp in puff pastry and a grilled mussel with spicy coriander sauce. Yummy! Main course choices were taken. Tables were then individually set from a cart, and the main meal began. Our menu:

LOS ANGELES - OSAKA

First Serving
Hot Savouries

First Course
Oscietra Caviar with Garnitures
Assorted Hors-d'Oeuvres

French Onion Soup

Main Course
Salmon Fillet with Chu-Chee Sauce, Chinese Chicken Sausages
Steamed Thai Jasmine Rice, Stir-fried Vegetables

or

Grilled Australian Beef Tenderloin with Japanese Sauce
Steamed Japanese Rice, Stir-fried Vegetables

or

Roast Rack of Lamb "Persillade" with Basil Gravy
Duchese Potatoes, Stir-fried Vegetables

or

Chicken Breast with Apricot Glaze
Duchese Potatoes, Stir-fried Vegetables

Assorted Breads, Crackers, Butter

Cheese Tray / Basket of Fresh Fruits

Dessert
Orange Cheesecake
Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries Jubilee

Tea, Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino

***

SECOND SERVING

First Course
Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic or Thousand Island Dressing

Main Course
Stir-fried Japanese Egg Noodles with Prawns wrapped with Egg Crepe

or

Ratatouille Lasagne with White Sauce

Dessert
Assorted Petit Fours

Tea, Coffee

***

Finger Sandwiches and Assorted Fresh Fruits available on request

I thought the appetizer was Oscietra caviar or hors-d'Oeuvres, so I gladly took seconds on the caviar. Then they cleared my table and plopped down another plate with jumbo crab claws, smoked salmon and prosciutto with melon. Two lines into the menu and I've eaten a light meal already. Time to loosen the belt and plow ahead! The onion soup tasted like Campbell's and I didn't eat much. The beef tenderloin arrived pre-plated and tasted good, if a bit well done for my liking. All of Thai's advertising shows photos of a beautiful Thai maiden carving a massive tenderloin roast at your seat from a cart, just like Pan Am used to do. The photo also shows a lobster large enough to swallow Bangkok on the same cart. So I was fully expecting an individually carved piece of beef, but it was not to be. Maybe the photo is as old as the seats in first class. The cheese selection was served from a cart with a rather nice port wine. I didn't have room for dessert, but the cheesecake looked delicious. The meal stretched over two hours and reminded me of the fabulous first class service that Pan Am (and the other carriers) used to provide way back when.

The wine list included 2001 Reisling Hugel Jubliee, Meursault Clos du Cromin 2002, Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac 1999 (lovely!) and Aloxe Corton ler Cru Les Fournieres 2001.

I changed into my Guy Laroche pajamas after dinner, flipped on the Walkman, and slept fitfully for about six hours. The cabin was hot and stuffy, and this was amplified by the crushed velvet seats that seemed to retain your body heat, and had a recline about the same as a United Business Class seat. The movie playing on the center screen kept the cabin too bright, and the damn canine in row one wouldn't shut up. How long to Osaka ? About two hours from landing at Kansai, the second meal was served. I passed since I was still full from lunch. We landed almost an hour early and there was a mad dash to get the hell off the plane. We were permitted to leave our carryons on board. It felt wonderful to emerge into a light, bright, airy terminal at Kansai International. We cleared security, were given transit cards, and told to return in 90 minutes for re-boarding to Bangkok.

To be continued ...

onedog

Thanks for the report. Keep it coming.^

Steady-EDI

Hey, just found this and a damn fine read it is too ^ Nearly had a knot in my stomach with all the faffing about over the ticketing, flight cancellations, late check-in, etc, but knew it had to turn out ok in the end. (Otherwise there'd be no on-going story, right? )

I love these outrageous long-haul weekends. Can't wait to hear about SQ F

olafman

I used to travel on the HKG-JNB route when CX was still using their old style FC seats on 343s.

One time this couple board into FC in the row in front of me. They were very loud saying "WE DID NOT PAY FOR BUSINESS CLASS. WE PAID FOR FIRST!!! THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE WANT A DIFFERENT PLANE."

You must really think you're someone if you think you can demand a different plane!



In the end they returned to our plane and took the flight.

Rolling out new products CANNOT be done overnight!

sftrvlr

If I recall correctly, The Kansai International Airport serving Osaka was the first of the new generation of Asian mega airports to be built. It's also the one that's sinking. Perhaps it was only my imagination (which it certainly could be after so much flying) but it seemed that the runway was very uneven on takeoff to Bangkok. I spent a half hour or so wandering the terminal to stretch my legs after the long Pacific crossing. We were parked in between an Air New Zealand 767 and an Emirates A340. The terminal is one long wing shaped structure that is almost completetly glass, allowing for ample light and fine views across the runway towards the mainland.

Adjusting to local time (6PM or so) and realizing that it was apparently cocktail hour, I looked for the ubiquitous lifesize feminine cardboard cutout to signal the entrance to the Royal Orchid Lounge. This being Japan, there was a little cartoon character telling me (I think) to wait in front of the door so it could open automatically, which I duly did. I'm not entirely sure, but I think that Thai Airways took a broom closet and fashioned it into the Royal Orchid Lounge at Kansai. It was tiny and full to capacity. There were 48 seats in the main section (not many considering how many passengers could potentially use it) and a small first class section that had an additional 12 seats. There were 6 customers waiting in line for the sole bartender to serve them. It felt claustrophobic and not somewhere I wanted to be, so I walked out and tried to find another Star Alliance lounge. The Silver Kris Lounge was closed for the day, and the ANA lounge was at the other end of the airport, so I took a seat by the window and watched the planes takeoff and land for the next half hour. Reboarding commenced at 630PM for the 7PM departure to Bangkok, and was accomplished in about 20 minutes, with what looked like a full load of passengers, most of whom had originated with me in Los Angeles.

TG775 / OSAKA - BANGKOK
Seat 2K / Royal First Class / Boeing 747-400
Scheduled 1900-2230 / Actual 1925-2250

A crew change had occurred in Osaka, and the aircraft had been tidied up, if not really cleaned (it couldn't have been since we were allowed to leave our carryons on board.) Hot towels and pre-departure beverages were offered. This time you could have anything you wanted, as opposed to only juice or water from LAX. I'm not sure why both Asiana and Thai do not offer champagne when leaving the USA. Singapore Airlines certainly does, so it can't be a foreign carrier regulation. I opted for a champagne, and was offered Dom Perignon 1996 or Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame. I chose the former. The captain announced that we would be delayed about 20 minutes for baggage loading, and would also be arriving about 20 minutes late into Bangkok. He apologized. We'd been on the ground for 2 hours, so I'm not sure what all that was about. Seems like plenty of time to load baggage to me!

We pushed back at 725PM, and were airborne after another 20 minutes (we had to hold at the runway for inbound aircraft for about 15 minutes.) It was pretty bumpy out of Osaka due to thunderstorms and the captain asked the crew to remain seated. They apparently didn't since I could hear things being set up in the galley behind first class. Once the seatbelt sign went off (about 30 minutes after liftoff) the service began. Cocktails were served with indivudual bowls of edamame. Many passengers simply reclined their seats and went to sleep. No second round this time. Tables were laid individually from a cart and main course orders taken. The menu:

OSAKA - BANGKOK

First Course
Oscietra Caviar with Garnitures
Hors-d'Oeuvres

Shrimp Wonton Soup

Main Course
Grilled Eel with Kabayaki Sauce
Steamed Japanese Rice, Vegetables

or

Roast Duck with Port Wine and Cherry Sauce
Sauteed Mixed Vegetables

or

Pork in Yellow Curry, Cucumber Salad
Steamed Thai Jasmine Rice, Sitr-fried Mixed Vegetables

Assorted Breads, Crackers, Butter, Honey

Cheese and Fresh Fruits

Dessert
Melon Cake

Tea, Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino

The wine list was the same as the one from Los Angeles to Osaka.

This time the service seemed rushed. As if they cabin crew just wanted to get it over with and sit down. A plate containing some sushi and smoked salmon was plopped down in front of me. No offer of wine, bread or anything else to accompany it. Then, almost as if it were an afterthought, they practically ran through the cabin with the caviar service. So I ended up with 2 plates of appetizers on my tray at the same time, and no room for anything else. Not that anything else was offered. I rang the bell to ask for some wine and bread. About half way through the appetizer course they began coming around with bowls of soup! The pace of service was really starting to irritate me, but I was feeling tired at this point, and ate up. The soup this time was delicious. A delicate broth with 3 large shrimp filled wontons, garnished with green onions. I then had the curry, which was fatty, tough and generally tasteless. I ate about half of it. The grilled eel looked really good and I wished I chosen differently. Pre-plated cheese was offered. More business class than first class, I thought. I took it with a glass of port. No dessert for me, thanks. My tray was cleared and another hot towel offered. A Johnnie Walker Blue on the rocks completed the meal and I fired up the Walkman, reclined the seat and napped for about 3 hours.

I woke up off the coast of Vietnam on a beautifully clear evening, an endless sea of twinkling lights beneath us. All the fishing boats hard at work. Every time I do this, it simply amazes me that I've come half way around the planet in mere hours. I'm still excited every time I touch down at the end of a long journey in a far away land. No matter how tired I may feel. We descended straight in to Don Muang Airport and touched down at about 1045PM local time, 15 minutes behind schedule.

We were at the gate 5 minutes later, and I was off the plane quickly, through immigration with no wait at all, and out into the bedlam that is the arrivals hall in Bangkok. I stopped at the ATM for some Thai Baht and went outside to check the taxi line. It was 92 degrees farenheit at 11PM and the line must have had 50 people in it. I don't think so! Back inside to haggle for a car service to the Sofitel Central Plaza. We started at 400 Baht, and ended at 250 Baht. Done deal. I no longer stay at the Amari Airport Hotel, which is attached to the airport terminal, since it is such a ripoff at over US$200. I booked into the Sofitel Central Plaza on the Dynasty Club Floor for US$44 which included breakfast the next morning. Admittedly this was the travel agent rate, but they were offering US$90 to the general public. A fantastic deal for a very nice hotel. I was in my room ordering a bucket of ice at 1135PM. Not bad! Had a nightcap and retired for a good night's sleep, waking up at 930AM the next morning. Wandered up to the Dynasty Club Lounge on the top floor of the hotel, where an enormous spread of cereals, yogurt, fresh fruits, bakery items, meats and cheeses awaited me. After breakfast I went for a quick dip in the pool, before leaving for the airport at 1230PM for my 205PM flight to Phuket.

TG213 / BANGKOK - PHUKET
Seat 11A / Royal Executive Class / Airbus A300-600
Scheduled 1405-1525 / Actual 1405-1520

The hotel car (which I negotiated with the bellman for 300 Baht rather than the 750 Baht it was listed for) dropped me at the domestic terminal in 15 minutes. I noticed that Thai has installed automated check in kiosks now for domestic flights, so I thought I'd give the Royal E Service a try, anticipating that it would not work since I was on an international ticket. It worked fine! I entered my United Mileage Plus number,my booking popped right up, a seat was assigned, and a boarding pass popped out. 1 minute. Off to the still nasty domestic Royal Orchid Lounge. Since the bombing at Hat Yai not long ago, you are wanded by a military policeman at the entrance to the terminal, then again at the entrance to the Royal Orchid Lounge. I grabbed a bottle of water and waited for my flight. They called boarding early since we drew the short straw and had a remote gate today. And remote it was! As far away as possible from the domestic terminal, at the end of the airport in the maintenance bay. Very odd, I thought, as our bus drove past some old Delta L-1011s now with Thai Sky Airlines, and an ancient 747-200 with the engines removed, belonging to Orient Thai Airlines. It was 98 degrees farenheit in Bangkok, and wouldn't you know it, the auxiliary power unit on the A300-600 wasn't working! The captain and crew apologized profusely as we all (crew included) dripped with sweat for 20 minutes until the doors closed and the engines fired up. The cabin was finally cool by the time we landed in Phuket!

Since we were already at the end of the runway, and there was no traffic, we were airborne just a few minutes after the doors closed, and our ancient A300-600 with ancient seats was winging it's way over the Gulf of Thailand to the southern paradise of Phuket. There is no service to speak of on this short domestic flight. Non alcoholic drinks and a puff pastry filled with tuna that was horrid. It was a clear day and we had a great view of Pattaya and Koh Samui. We began descent over Surat Thani, through huge thunderstorms, and arrived a few minutes early into Phuket. Mjmsf was already there, having arrived on SilkAir from Singapore an hour earlier, and we were whisked off to the JW Marriott in air conditioned luxury.

To be continued ...

RTW4

Your attention to detail is wonderful. I took TG from BKK-SYD and had a great flight ...Food was incredible and the service was sensational. Brought my own DVD player and had a great time... Incidentally I had a salmon in a puff pastry that was great..

Fliar

looking forward to the rest! Sad to hear TG was a sub-par experience.

manureva744

Excellent trip report ! I only flew TG in economy and thought it was good !
Concerning your comment about pre departure drinks I can answer your query there. I am a flight attendant for Air France and I only fly to LAX and CDG as I am based in Papeete. It is forbidden for ALL foreign airlines (I don't know about US ones) to use any alcohool as long as the doors are open due to US customs regulation. The customs tolerate that we open the bars after the doors are closed as the regulation stipulates that you can only open the bars after take off. All this because the articles inside the bars are duty free and no VAT has been added. Some airline provide CHampagne for First class passengers that has been declared and that is not duty free.
Should I open a bar for example by mistake or because a customer demanded to have a drink even though I expleined that it was not possible until we start taxying and in my misfortune, customes decide to pay a visit to our aircraft and check the seals on the bars that they are all locked and they find my one open and the seal is broken Air France would end up with a heavy fine ! It is the case in some other countries like the UK, Saudi Arabia, Singapore etc...
We have to also fill out paper work with bar numbers, seal numbers and the amount of bottles in the bars. It is OK when you work First class but believe me it is a night mare when you work economy and you have to count every single little miniature !!!
This is a long explanation to tell you why you didn't get any champ before you left LAX !

sftrvlr

I love FT! Thanks for the explanation. Learn something new every day on this site. And now I know that AF has a base in PPT as well ... I fondly remember an AF flight I took many years ago between MNL and HKG. I was in first class on a 747 and they had a full meal service, amenity kits, etc. for that short hop. They even had FREE cigarettes in First Class! Mini packets of Marlboro and some other brand I can't remember ... probably Gitanes or the like.

sftrvlr

The JW Marriott in Phuket is simply stunning! It is located on Mai Khao beach on the far Northern end of the island, adjacent to the Sirinath Marine National Park, and it's the only hotel on the beach from what I could see. Literature in the room explained that the area is a turtle breeding ground in the winter. The resort is a low rise property (3 floors) and each room has a view of amazingly lush tropical gardens, with the upper floor rooms (I was lucky enough to get one) having views of the Andaman Sea. This photo of the swimming pool does not lie:

http://www.phuket.com/marriott/sports.htm

It is one of the most fabulous pools I've ever seen. And there was hardly anybody there. The bartender, Roon, told us that the hotel was up to about 60% occupancy (from 10% after the tsunami) and that the villas section was sold out. Good news! Most of that 60% was from a group of Telefonica Espana employees having a sales meeting, so they were not at the pool during the day. Nice place for a sales meeting ... I guess Telefonica must be doing really well. Every morning when you head down to the pool, they practically fall over themselves setting up your chair with towels, iced water, cold face towels, freshly chilled melon and other fruits, etc. And they come around continually during the day to top up your water, bring you cold face towels, and deliver snacks of fresh chilled fruit. It is truly luxurious. I basically spent two full days lazing by the swimming pool be pampered, which seems to be the theme of my holidays this year.

The surf was too high, and the undertoe too severe to swim in the sea, but the beach was uncrowded and great for walking. Mjmsf said he remembered the beach having less of a slope when he was there last (pre-tsunami) and that much of the vegetation between the hotel pool and the Andaman Sea had been washed away. In fact there were several large piles of debris stacked near the beach. The JW Marriott escaped the brunt of the wave in December, even though it took out the pool and one of the beachside restaurants. Fortunately none of the employees or guests were killed. One of the pool boys told us that a member of his family had not been found after the tidal wave. He came from Khao Lak, which was particularly hard hit by the tsunami, and told us that things were pretty bad up there. Much worse than Phuket. As is the custom in the "Land of Smiles," though, he was still smiling. He even made a joke about how it took 5 locals to lift 1 "farang" body as they were picking up the dead. "Too many cheeseburgers," he said. As with everyone else though, he felt terrible about the loss of life and livelihood in Southern Thailand, and asked us to spread the word that they are open for business and want us to come back to enjoy their wonderful hospitality. I certainly plan on doing just that at every opportunity.

Two glorious days, a beach massage (US$10 for an hour!), an aromatherapy facial and about 3 pounds of grilled Phuket lobster later, I awoke rather sadly on my last morning. My flight wasn't until 105PM, so I had a last wander around the resort and along the beach, then headed to the lobby to catch the hotel car to the airport. Mjmsf had another day in paradise, so I bid him adieu and a pleasant flight to Colombo, wishing all the while I could delay my departure by a day ... or a month. The ride back to HKT takes only about 20 minutes, and I was at the check in counter by noon.

TG630 / PHUKET - BANGKOK
Seat 12K / Royal Executive Class / Airbus A300-600
Scheduled 1305-1430 / Actual 1305-1430

There was nobody at the Royal Executive Class check in counters, but I had to wait a moment for the agents to finish up the gossip session they were engaged in. My boarding pass to Bangkok popped out immediately, but for some reason they couldn't check me in for my connecting flight to Hong Kong. Something to do with it being a United e-ticket . Rather than making me wait, they sent me on through immigration to the Royal Orchid Lounge and told me they would bring me my connecting boarding pass once they figured out how to print it, which they did. Good service! The lounge has a nice view of the runway and a selection of soft drinks, coffee, tea and even beer since it serves customers departing to international destinations. The domestic Royal Orchid Lounge doesn't offer the beer option. I grabbed a Singha Gold and some finger sandwiches, and watched a Malaysia Airlines 737-400 depart for Kuala Lumpur, as well as the arrival of an Air Asia flight and a Bangkok Airways flight. Boarding was called at 1240PM, and we were buttoned up and ready to depart right on time. We pushed back, taxied directly to the runway, and took off for Bangkok. This flight offered a lunch service, but having experienced the pitiful offerings on Thai Airways domestic flights, I chose not to eat. An iced green tea later, we touched down at Don Muang and prayed to the gate gods. After a brief wait for a gate, we arrived right on schedule, and at real gate, too.

I was met at the aircraft door by a customer service agent who had a sign with my name on it. She welcomed me to Bangkok and confirmed that I was continuing in Royal First Class to Hong Kong. I was then escorted downstairs to a waiting minivan, driven to the international terminal, and taken to the Royal First Class Lounge. Thai has done a fabulous job on this lounge. It's in the same space that it was before, but it's been completely refurbished. The chairs and sofas are wicker, and covered in Thai silk, and there are various Thai artifacts scattered throughout, giving the impression of an intimate hotel lobby at a fine establishment. Classy and tranquil, although I can see that it would be crowded at peak hours (there were only 2 of us in the lounge when I was there.) A full service bar offers top shelf booze and has a large food selection, which included dim sum, hot noodle soup, finger sandwiches, puff pastries (savory and sweet) and a cheese board. You pick out what you want and they bring it to you. I had a Bombay Sapphire and tonic, and some smoked salmon and prawn sandwiches, as well as a curry puff. Very tasty. The washrooms were stocked with products from L'Occitane, and offered full shower facilities. All in all, a world class lounge. Let's hope they follow through with the revamp of their airplanes to bring their product up to a competetive standard.

My departure was scheduled for 4PM, and I had been told that they would let me know when the flight was ready for boarding. At 340PM I went to the front desk to ask if they had forgotten me , but the agent said not to worry, and that they would come and get me. I then asked if it was delayed. It was not. Ten minutes later, I was escorted from the lounge to gate 15, through security, past the last couple of passengers still waiting to board, and down the jetway to doorway 1L. The agent "announced" me to the flight attendant at the door, thanked me for flying Thai, and bid me a pleasant journey. I'm now asking myself if this personalized service can get any better? Well the answer was, yes it could. The flight attendant motioned to the first class cabin and said I could sit anywhere since I was the ONLY PASSENGER IN FIRST CLASS! This has never happened to me before. Practically my own private jet. I selected 3K and was offered a hot towel, champagne, newspapers and magazines, and a menu. They closed the door and we pushed back. I did notice that it was the same ancient configuration that my 747-400 had from Los Angeles to Bangkok, but I could certainly put up with it for a couple of hours.

TG606 / BANGKOK - HONG KONG
SEAT 3K / Royal First Class / Boeing 747-400
Scheduled 1600-1945 / Actual 1600-1935

Gate 15 is near the end of the runway, so it was a very short taxi with a rolling turn and immediate takeoff. The seatbelt sign went off not long after the landing gear was retracted, and the purser and lead flight attendant both came over to my seat. They welcomed me aboard (again) and asked if I would like the curtain drawn between myself and the forward business class cabin. That cabin was completely empty, so they recommended that we leave it open so I could, "Have the run of both cabins." OK, so now this is really starting to go to my head. I have 2 (sort of) premium cabins and 3 flight attendants at my disposal for the next 2 hours! I was offered another beverage and stuck with the Dom. When she returned, the FA handed me the champagne, then opened the tray table from 3J and said she'd be back with some canapes. 90 seconds later, I'm staring down 3 (yes THREE) plates of springrolls, shrimp fritters and chicken satays, along with a bowl of cashew nuts. I patted my belly and commented that not even "this" could hold all "that." She told me just to eat what I wanted. Then she suggested that we do a sort of "sampler" of the main courses as well, and asked if I'd like that. After looking at the menu (and knowing I had dinner on Singapore Airlines to come) I declined, and just went with the Phad Thai ... and some more satay please . She seemed genuinely disappointed! The menu that I could have pigged out on:

BANGKOK - HONG KONG

Hot Savouries

***

Five Color Balls in Soup (I didn't ask!)

or

Lobster Bisque

Main Course
Phad Thai with Prawns wrapped in Egg Sheet

or

Salmon Teriyaki
Steamed Japanese Rice, Black Sesame Seed

or

Fillet Mignon with Mushroom Cream Sauce
Farmer Potatoes with Bacon and Shallots
Asparagus, Turnips, Carrots

Assorted Breads, Crackers, Butter

Cheese and Fresh Fruits

Dessert
Coconut Ice Cream

Tea, Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino

I skipped the cheese and the ice cream as well. Simply too much food. The Phad Thai was yummy, and I got a big smile as I added all the chili powder to make it spicy. "The proper Thai way," I was told. There was no wine list, so not sure what was on offer. I stuck with the champagne all the way to Hong Kong. By the time the meal was finished, we were less than an hour away from Chep Lap Kok. The purser came by to chat and apologize that it would be raining on arrival. I explained that I was connecting to San Francisco, so it really didn't matter. We made the now less dramatic (since the closure of Kai Tak) descent into the new Hong Kong International airport through a spectacular lightning storm, and landed smoothly in light rain, 10 minutes early.

To be continued ... more personalized service awaited me, as we'll see ...

Fliar

very cool - your private jet! Well done :-)

PresRDC

Probably for the best!

Great report. Thanks.

pekko

Very well written report. I'm looking forward to hear more of your personal pampering. What can be better than sitting in your private 747 jet? :P

caligirl

Great trip report!

ryan754

Bing,
Great report, I have to say I really like th F lounge in BKK, nice and calm. In the future when flying F into BKK forget about the taxi's TG offers a limo service to your hotel for free! Even on award tickets I believe. The person who escorted (took your gold First Class card) should have told you of this service.