TG Business PEK-BKK-PEK
Aug 22, 2005, 7:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold
Posts: 3,640
TG Business PEK-BKK-PEK
I decided to take a quick getaway from PEK, where I’ve been working the past few months, to visit BKK, my first visit to Thailand. Like most intra-Asia fares, the premium between Y and C isn’t particularly large (even on consolidator fares ticketed locally in China), so figured I’d check out Thai’s Regional Business Class service as well.
I arrived PEK around 3:45pm for my 5:25pm departure – I’m trying to reduce stress levels and arrive at the airport early – let’s see how long I keep it up. ;-) After clearing customs, I arrived at the Thai counter and inquired about a seat in First Class. The flight was scheduled for a 3-class MD-11, but is sold as 2 class. However, I was informed that there had been an equipment swap to a 2 class 777-300, so my hopes of an international sleeper seat were dashed.
Once I cleared immigration, I preceded to the Business Class lounge across from the Thai gate. This shared lounge (I think it’s called the BJS lounge) compared favorably with the Air China Business Class lounge I used when I flew UA out of PEK last time. There was some food (a few hot appetizers) and instant noodles, along with a self serve bar – with various beers, hard stuff, and Chinese wine. I just stuck with a bottle of water.
Soon enough, it was time to board TG 674. I was expecting C-class on regional 2 cabin equipment to be similar to UA’s domestic 2 cabin 767-300 configuration, but I was pleasantly surprised with the leg space, although the recline wasn’t anything impressive. Boarding was done through two doors and in two lines, so C-class passengers were completely shielded from the masses. Interestingly, the ethic makeup of C-class and Y-class were remarkably different (just stating fact, not passing judgment). There were only 24 pax in C today, so the load was light. There were probably some empties in Y due to the equipment swap resulting in a larger cabin, but I never got to take a peek because of curtains separating the cabins.
Upon boarding, a tray with guava juice, orange juice, and water, in real glasses, was passed around, along with amenity kits and menus. The amenity kit had no Thai branding – it was Parfums S.T. Dumont Paris and had eyeshades, lip balm, cologne, and lotion. The C-class restrooms were stocked with toothbrush kits (and, of course, real towels for drying your hands). Newspapers and magazines were then offered, I noticed some of the newspapers had been reused from the inbound flight, followed by hot towels.
After about a 30 minute taxi and hold, we took off into the sunset, and shortly after the service began with a package of peanuts (seemed sorta cheap for C-class – both content and presentation wise), and then beverages from a trolley. The C-cabin seemed to be staffed with 3 or 4 F/As, but only one trolley was used, starting from the left side of the cabin back, and the right side of the cabin forward. Since I was near the front of the right side of the cabin, I got served last – and actually got my pre-meal beverage after my tablecloth had been set. I noticed the orange juice was the shelf stable variety, not the fresh squeezed variety offered on CX.
Here is today’s menu:
First Course
Smoked Marlin
Main Course
Grilled Salmon Fillet with Shallot Sauce
Parsley Potatoes, Carrot, Zucchini
Braised Beef Tenderloin with Chilli Paste Thai Style
Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice, Broccoli
Roast Duck Leg Barbecued Sauce, Cantonese Style
Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice
Stir-fried Pork with Yu-xiang Sauce, Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice
Chinese Green with Oyster Sauce
Assorted Breads, Biscuits, Butter
Cheese Tray / Basket of Fresh Fruits
Dessert
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake
Tea, Coffee
Espresso, Cappuccino
The meal service began with the appetizer (generous portion, artfully decorated) and bread, with the main dish distributed 4 passengers at a time on trays. While the main dish was not “plated” it was in a large container and fairly nicely laid out. I had the beef, which was moist and flavorful, but honestly all of the entrée choices looked excellent.
Following the main course, cheese (seemed like camembert and some hard cheese) and whole fruit (oranges, bananas, apples, pears) were offered from a cart, followed by a second pass of the cart with the dessert which was really light and tasty. A very classy, well timed meal service.
After dinner there was only about 2 hours left in the flight, and although I needed to make a few trips to the galley to get a can of Perrier, a pre arrival beverage was offered prior to our arrival into BKK. Upon deplaning, the crew gave their traditional Thai bow, and of course we deplaned through the front door, so were again shielded from the masses.
I headed off to the Swissotel Le Concorde – I got a good rate, but would stay somewhere more central next time. This wasn’t a big deal because taxis are so inexpensive but the Swissotel was not in an area where there was much to do within walking distance (except some local shopping and nightlife), nor was it close to Skytrain. Still – the rooms were enormous, the facility fairly grand (on par with a 4* in the US), and the staff was very friendly so it’s not a bad facility.
The return flight was a redeye – departing BKK at 12:35am on an A300 - I’d heard good things about the Thai lounge on FT, so I headed to the airport early hoping to find a wireless hot spot and some good food/drink. While the lounge (the one near gate 13) looked new and bright, the wireless wasn’t working (they have public terminals that worked sporadically), and the food spread wasn’t that amazing (just fruit, some sweet and savory pastries, and some canapés). No wine at all, but plenty of hard liquor and beer. I took a hot shower and spent some time relaxing.
Business Class passengers were ushered into a separate line for boarding ahead of everyone else – no pushing and shoving, but a separate entrance. I hadn’t been on an A300 in 6 years, so it was like a step back in time to board a plane with beige patterns on the window panels, but the seats looked fairly similar to the 777, just a little bit more tired. The double doors on the lavatory were sort of unique. I had a set of two seats to myself for tonight’s flight, and thankfully the armrest was removable so I could spread out.
Pre departure beverages of champagne, iced tea, orange juice, and water were offered in real glasses, and newspapers were then distributed, following with hot towels, amenity kits, and menus. Breakfast orders were taken prior to takeoff, and it was a mystery when the meal would be served. It was starting to rain, but we pushed back just a few minutes late and were airborne by 1am for our 4 hour crossing to Beijing.
About 2 minutes after takeoff, F/As sprang into action offering sandwiches (half tuna, half turkey and pineapple) and basic beverages (juice, water), prior to lights out. I had never seen such a quick service. I spread out and attempted to catch some sleep – perhaps I managed to get an hour or so of shuteye. The recline on the seat was not particularly conducive to sleeping, and even two C class seats weren’t long enough for me to curl up (especially b/c I was in the center section) – the flight was also quite bumpy which made it a bit hard to sleep.
At 3:40am BKK time (4:40am PEK time), lights were on, hot towels were handed out, and it was time for breakfast. I noticed the F/As had changed out of their bright yellow outfits into a more subdued pink uniform.
Here is today’s menu:
Mangosteen
--
Fresh Fruits and Fruit Yoghurt
Main Course
Cheese Omlet, Grilled Chicken Sausages
Hashed Browned Potatoes, Grilled Half Tomato
Red Snapper Patty on Tomato Herb Sauce
Sauteed Zucchini, Carrot, Pumpkin
Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg
Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice, Taiwanese Cabbage
(Instant noodle soup, available upon request)
Roll, Croissant, Danish Pastry, Butter, Jam
Tea, Coffee, Ovaltine
The Mangosteen was never served, but probably substituted by the sandwiches post take off. The fruit plate contained honeydew, papaya, watermelon, and grapes, with generous portions. The yogurt never appeared, but bread rolls, croissants, and almond pastries were offered.
I chose the Red Snapper Patty for my main dish, just to try something different, and it was very tasty with a nice mild sauce and large pieces of vegetables. Not exactly a western breakfast, but it hit the spot. Late risers were offered the fruit tray with breakfast breads, but were not served main dishes.
Personally I’m a bit torn on redeye meal service – I think a breakfast service is better than a late night snack (you’re hungrier, less tired, and it saves you eating on arrival), but it also dramatically cuts into sleep time, because the service needs to start well before landing to give the crew enough time. The only redeye in the US where I’ve seen this format is AA on LAX-SJU, but that flight is over 6 hours long, so 30 minutes of sleep lost is no big deal.
We landed in PEK, right on time, just past 6am. I think we were one of the first flights to land, because immigration was just opening up as I arrived to the counter. I had no checked luggage so was out of the terminal by 6:15am for a few hours of sleep in a real bed.
Overall assessment: Cathay’s regional product is a bit more upscale than TG, but Thai’s service and product was an excellent experience with its own nuances. Cathay’s meal service is a bit more upscale (although TG’s main dishes seem nicer presented), and obviously CX’s lounges in HKG beat TG’s BKK facilities. I need to try SQ sometime…
Next report: United Business PEK-ORD-BOS
Happy travels.
I arrived PEK around 3:45pm for my 5:25pm departure – I’m trying to reduce stress levels and arrive at the airport early – let’s see how long I keep it up. ;-) After clearing customs, I arrived at the Thai counter and inquired about a seat in First Class. The flight was scheduled for a 3-class MD-11, but is sold as 2 class. However, I was informed that there had been an equipment swap to a 2 class 777-300, so my hopes of an international sleeper seat were dashed.
Once I cleared immigration, I preceded to the Business Class lounge across from the Thai gate. This shared lounge (I think it’s called the BJS lounge) compared favorably with the Air China Business Class lounge I used when I flew UA out of PEK last time. There was some food (a few hot appetizers) and instant noodles, along with a self serve bar – with various beers, hard stuff, and Chinese wine. I just stuck with a bottle of water.
Soon enough, it was time to board TG 674. I was expecting C-class on regional 2 cabin equipment to be similar to UA’s domestic 2 cabin 767-300 configuration, but I was pleasantly surprised with the leg space, although the recline wasn’t anything impressive. Boarding was done through two doors and in two lines, so C-class passengers were completely shielded from the masses. Interestingly, the ethic makeup of C-class and Y-class were remarkably different (just stating fact, not passing judgment). There were only 24 pax in C today, so the load was light. There were probably some empties in Y due to the equipment swap resulting in a larger cabin, but I never got to take a peek because of curtains separating the cabins.
Upon boarding, a tray with guava juice, orange juice, and water, in real glasses, was passed around, along with amenity kits and menus. The amenity kit had no Thai branding – it was Parfums S.T. Dumont Paris and had eyeshades, lip balm, cologne, and lotion. The C-class restrooms were stocked with toothbrush kits (and, of course, real towels for drying your hands). Newspapers and magazines were then offered, I noticed some of the newspapers had been reused from the inbound flight, followed by hot towels.
After about a 30 minute taxi and hold, we took off into the sunset, and shortly after the service began with a package of peanuts (seemed sorta cheap for C-class – both content and presentation wise), and then beverages from a trolley. The C-cabin seemed to be staffed with 3 or 4 F/As, but only one trolley was used, starting from the left side of the cabin back, and the right side of the cabin forward. Since I was near the front of the right side of the cabin, I got served last – and actually got my pre-meal beverage after my tablecloth had been set. I noticed the orange juice was the shelf stable variety, not the fresh squeezed variety offered on CX.
Here is today’s menu:
First Course
Smoked Marlin
Main Course
Grilled Salmon Fillet with Shallot Sauce
Parsley Potatoes, Carrot, Zucchini
Braised Beef Tenderloin with Chilli Paste Thai Style
Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice, Broccoli
Roast Duck Leg Barbecued Sauce, Cantonese Style
Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice
Stir-fried Pork with Yu-xiang Sauce, Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice
Chinese Green with Oyster Sauce
Assorted Breads, Biscuits, Butter
Cheese Tray / Basket of Fresh Fruits
Dessert
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake
Tea, Coffee
Espresso, Cappuccino
The meal service began with the appetizer (generous portion, artfully decorated) and bread, with the main dish distributed 4 passengers at a time on trays. While the main dish was not “plated” it was in a large container and fairly nicely laid out. I had the beef, which was moist and flavorful, but honestly all of the entrée choices looked excellent.
Following the main course, cheese (seemed like camembert and some hard cheese) and whole fruit (oranges, bananas, apples, pears) were offered from a cart, followed by a second pass of the cart with the dessert which was really light and tasty. A very classy, well timed meal service.
After dinner there was only about 2 hours left in the flight, and although I needed to make a few trips to the galley to get a can of Perrier, a pre arrival beverage was offered prior to our arrival into BKK. Upon deplaning, the crew gave their traditional Thai bow, and of course we deplaned through the front door, so were again shielded from the masses.
I headed off to the Swissotel Le Concorde – I got a good rate, but would stay somewhere more central next time. This wasn’t a big deal because taxis are so inexpensive but the Swissotel was not in an area where there was much to do within walking distance (except some local shopping and nightlife), nor was it close to Skytrain. Still – the rooms were enormous, the facility fairly grand (on par with a 4* in the US), and the staff was very friendly so it’s not a bad facility.
The return flight was a redeye – departing BKK at 12:35am on an A300 - I’d heard good things about the Thai lounge on FT, so I headed to the airport early hoping to find a wireless hot spot and some good food/drink. While the lounge (the one near gate 13) looked new and bright, the wireless wasn’t working (they have public terminals that worked sporadically), and the food spread wasn’t that amazing (just fruit, some sweet and savory pastries, and some canapés). No wine at all, but plenty of hard liquor and beer. I took a hot shower and spent some time relaxing.
Business Class passengers were ushered into a separate line for boarding ahead of everyone else – no pushing and shoving, but a separate entrance. I hadn’t been on an A300 in 6 years, so it was like a step back in time to board a plane with beige patterns on the window panels, but the seats looked fairly similar to the 777, just a little bit more tired. The double doors on the lavatory were sort of unique. I had a set of two seats to myself for tonight’s flight, and thankfully the armrest was removable so I could spread out.
Pre departure beverages of champagne, iced tea, orange juice, and water were offered in real glasses, and newspapers were then distributed, following with hot towels, amenity kits, and menus. Breakfast orders were taken prior to takeoff, and it was a mystery when the meal would be served. It was starting to rain, but we pushed back just a few minutes late and were airborne by 1am for our 4 hour crossing to Beijing.
About 2 minutes after takeoff, F/As sprang into action offering sandwiches (half tuna, half turkey and pineapple) and basic beverages (juice, water), prior to lights out. I had never seen such a quick service. I spread out and attempted to catch some sleep – perhaps I managed to get an hour or so of shuteye. The recline on the seat was not particularly conducive to sleeping, and even two C class seats weren’t long enough for me to curl up (especially b/c I was in the center section) – the flight was also quite bumpy which made it a bit hard to sleep.
At 3:40am BKK time (4:40am PEK time), lights were on, hot towels were handed out, and it was time for breakfast. I noticed the F/As had changed out of their bright yellow outfits into a more subdued pink uniform.
Here is today’s menu:
Mangosteen
--
Fresh Fruits and Fruit Yoghurt
Main Course
Cheese Omlet, Grilled Chicken Sausages
Hashed Browned Potatoes, Grilled Half Tomato
Red Snapper Patty on Tomato Herb Sauce
Sauteed Zucchini, Carrot, Pumpkin
Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg
Steamed Thai Hom Mali Rice, Taiwanese Cabbage
(Instant noodle soup, available upon request)
Roll, Croissant, Danish Pastry, Butter, Jam
Tea, Coffee, Ovaltine
The Mangosteen was never served, but probably substituted by the sandwiches post take off. The fruit plate contained honeydew, papaya, watermelon, and grapes, with generous portions. The yogurt never appeared, but bread rolls, croissants, and almond pastries were offered.
I chose the Red Snapper Patty for my main dish, just to try something different, and it was very tasty with a nice mild sauce and large pieces of vegetables. Not exactly a western breakfast, but it hit the spot. Late risers were offered the fruit tray with breakfast breads, but were not served main dishes.
Personally I’m a bit torn on redeye meal service – I think a breakfast service is better than a late night snack (you’re hungrier, less tired, and it saves you eating on arrival), but it also dramatically cuts into sleep time, because the service needs to start well before landing to give the crew enough time. The only redeye in the US where I’ve seen this format is AA on LAX-SJU, but that flight is over 6 hours long, so 30 minutes of sleep lost is no big deal.
We landed in PEK, right on time, just past 6am. I think we were one of the first flights to land, because immigration was just opening up as I arrived to the counter. I had no checked luggage so was out of the terminal by 6:15am for a few hours of sleep in a real bed.
Overall assessment: Cathay’s regional product is a bit more upscale than TG, but Thai’s service and product was an excellent experience with its own nuances. Cathay’s meal service is a bit more upscale (although TG’s main dishes seem nicer presented), and obviously CX’s lounges in HKG beat TG’s BKK facilities. I need to try SQ sometime…
Next report: United Business PEK-ORD-BOS
Happy travels.
Aug 23, 2005, 12:01 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PlatMM, BA and Alaska Emerald, HHonors DIA, Accor, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat Amb, UA Silver, AA
Posts: 4,516
Nice report!
I used to live in PEK in 2000-2001, and enjoyed the TG service in J several times. I think it cost about US$600+ at the time. Can I ask how much the flight costs these days?
PS--In 2001, TG also offered a GREAT discounted price PEK-BKK-SYD, for $1400 in J return.
I used to live in PEK in 2000-2001, and enjoyed the TG service in J several times. I think it cost about US$600+ at the time. Can I ask how much the flight costs these days?
PS--In 2001, TG also offered a GREAT discounted price PEK-BKK-SYD, for $1400 in J return.
Aug 23, 2005, 3:50 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold
Posts: 3,640
Originally Posted by kyushuman
Nice report!
I used to live in PEK in 2000-2001, and enjoyed the TG service in J several times. I think it cost about US$600+ at the time. Can I ask how much the flight costs these days?
PS--In 2001, TG also offered a GREAT discounted price PEK-BKK-SYD, for $1400 in J return.
I used to live in PEK in 2000-2001, and enjoyed the TG service in J several times. I think it cost about US$600+ at the time. Can I ask how much the flight costs these days?
PS--In 2001, TG also offered a GREAT discounted price PEK-BKK-SYD, for $1400 in J return.
Aug 23, 2005, 9:47 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PlatMM, BA and Alaska Emerald, HHonors DIA, Accor, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat Amb, UA Silver, AA
Posts: 4,516
Thanks for the update--it's really only about US$200 more than a discount Y ticket on TG, isn't it?
Do you have an online travel agent in PEK who can quote TG J prices to Australia/New Zealand? I'm thinking of a trip next Spring, and it would be easier to have some info before I arrive in PEK. If not, no big deal.
Thanks!
Do you have an online travel agent in PEK who can quote TG J prices to Australia/New Zealand? I'm thinking of a trip next Spring, and it would be easier to have some info before I arrive in PEK. If not, no big deal.
Thanks!
Aug 23, 2005, 1:14 pm
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,043
Originally Posted by kyushuman
Do you have an online travel agent in PEK who can quote TG J prices to Australia/New Zealand?
they don't speak a whole lot of english, but they have been good to me.
Aug 24, 2005, 2:47 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 34
Originally Posted by das
Boarding was done through two doors and in two lines, so C-class passengers were completely shielded from the masses. Interestingly, the ethic [sic] makeup of C-class and Y-class were remarkably different (just stating fact, not passing judgment).
Aug 24, 2005, 8:51 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold
Posts: 3,640
Originally Posted by sunblaster
You mean "ethnic" makeup? What were your observations on this?
Traditionally I haven't been accustomed to a different racial mix between the C cabin and the Y cabin which is why I mentioned the point.
Aug 24, 2005, 11:13 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PlatMM, BA and Alaska Emerald, HHonors DIA, Accor, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat Amb, UA Silver, AA
Posts: 4,516
Originally Posted by das
Due to other experiences with FTers being flamed as racist for stating factual information about ethnicities, I can't go into further detail.
Traditionally I haven't been accustomed to a different racial mix between the C cabin and the Y cabin which is why I mentioned the point.
Traditionally I haven't been accustomed to a different racial mix between the C cabin and the Y cabin which is why I mentioned the point.
Why? Not sure, but I knew exactly what you meant when I read it, and I was always puzzled by the demographics as well.
Still, it didn't affect service or my experience, but it was just about always true.
Last edited by kyushuman; Aug 24, 2005 at 11:14 pm Reason: clarity