travelislife

If you have a print out of your itinerary showing F and it does get downgraded I think you're best bet is to 'play dumb' and still rock up at F check in and say you didn't know it was downgraded. I think they would look after you and give access to F lounge.

BinSabai

I fly BKK PEK with TG's day flight TG614 2-3 times per year. this flight has switched many times as far as I remember between a 747 and a A330. But usually the plane that was scheduled was also there.
At the moment there are still some uncertainties about TG's winter schedule as you see from other threads. So I would check in 2-3 weeks when everything is clear
if it is downgraded, travelslife's advise might help to get F treatment; spa is not so busy from 0800-1000 so you might get your 1 hour massage

Portolan

TraveIsLife and BibSabai:

Thanks for both replies. Useful information. First, that despite this thread that says the B747 ended earlier this year, that apparently isn't the case so there is some hope, and second that "playing dumb" when I show up at the airport in BKK with my printout showing F class might get us the enhanced treatment (not that I much care about the 60 versus 30 minute massage, but Mrs. Portolan is looking forward to it). Actually care less about the inflight experience since it isn't a long flight (compared to the subsequent 13.5 hours back to the US!).

Talk about serendipity: a few minutes after I posted this I got a United revised itinerary email now showing the Thai #614 flight as a B773 in I (aka C). That's probably a bad sign... At least (per seat map and seat selection) it the B777 with flat beds.

tadtv

Booked this flight in January and thank you Thai for waiting to the last minute to downgrade us to business class. So for our last United award trip (due to 88% increase in *A awards) we have now been screwed by Thai airways both directions. They cancelled our leg in April and never told us or United and now just lost our First Class return leg too. Not worth busting my butt to save for award travel anymore. Too late to get any new routing I'm sure. so disappointed in all this. Oh well, as Rick Steves always says, "...and most important, always be flexible"

Portolan

I check our reservations periodically on the United web site and noticed tonight that our seats on the erstwhile 777 were now in row 23...which doesn't exist on the Thai 777 (the aircraft type still showing on the UA site). Pulled up the reservation on the Thai site and was, indeed, now in row 23 on a 747, still downgraded to business. Called United and the agent got us back into F which is what now shows on the Thai site. I was then able to reselect our original seats. Right back where we started from.

So, the good news is that F service seems to be back on TG614, at least in early November. The bad news is that Thai didn't reverse the downgrade. If you were downgraded, better check.

Portolan

Our pre-selected meal choices survived the downgrade from F to C, but got lost in the rebooking in F. So, if you are in the same situation, reconfirm or choose your meals after getting back into F.

Collins

Seems even this isn't a sure bet anymore. Just got an itinerary update e-mail from United and noticed that our BKK-HKG segment in Feb was downgraded from F to C.

A trip to the Thai website informs me that they are now running a 777-300 instead of a 747-400 for the late afternoon flight (TG606). Looks like the early morning A380 is the only option out.

*sigh*

Creole Spirit

on these "regional" routes Thai very often changes the equipment depending not only on demand but also for technical/maintenance reasons and others.
since they seem no longer to operate their B747's within Asia and deploy the A380 only to Japan and to HKG there is not much First Class left.....