PVDtoDEL

TG has 2 flights BKK-ICN departing within 30 minutes of each other. Is there any advantage of picking one over the other (in Y?). They both look like they are 772s. Maybe in terms of immigration lines or IRROPS recovery, there might be a difference?

A_Lee

I take these flights all the time. I normally opt for TG658 (the earlier flight), just because it technically gets in 30 minutes earlier and lets me avoid the some of the heavier rush hour traffic. In practice though, the time difference often isn't that much. The reason being, lots of vacationing Koreans are connecting from HKT, CNX, etc., and if those flights are delayed, or if they don't hurry up to the connecting flight, they wait for those passengers. A number of times it's actually left after TG656 does, due to this issue. But on average it does leave sooner. I was leaving on the last day of a big Korean holiday, or during the peak vacation time, I might select TG656 over TG658. Other than that I can't say I noticed any difference. Both normally depart from a remote stand and so you need to get bused to the plane.

If you don't care about the arrival time, I'd say try to figure out which flight has more empty seats (which will probably be TG656) and go with that.

lingua101

Any idea why TG schedule these 2 flights within 30 min?

A_Lee

Because that's the time when everyone wants to fly from BKK to ICN. There's also an OZ flight and I think three KE flights that leave around the same general time. TG used to have a third flight as well, that left after midnight, but the flight had a very light load, so they dropped it. As I mentioned, Korean vacationers spend the last day of their vacation wherever it is they're at, then take a late flight back to BKK and connect to ICN. The redeye allows them to maximize their vacation time. For the same reason, I also was a regular passenger on those flights.

Most people don't really like to pay for an extra night at a hotel, only to get on the plane first thing in the morning. It makes much more sense to leave at the end of the day, to enjoy another day of your vacation, or the night before and save on the cost of a one-night stay at a hotel. If you live in Thailand though, then that reasoning probably wouldn't enter into the equation. But Korean vacationers make up the majority of passengers on these flights, so Thais or others living in Thailand, and their schedules don't influence much the demand for non-redeyes.

Creole Spirit

your statement is probably right but for a real longhaul flight to Europe I always say:
wake-up in a hotel bed and go to bed in your own bed (or for Asians: wake- up in your own bed and fall asleep in a hotel bed) in order to profit best from your holidays! It makes such a difference to fly during the day compared to a night flight. If I had a chance to fly USA to Central Europe on a daylight-flight I would always opt for that instead of the "normal overnight flights" which indeed might save some money and time but you are always falling asleep when you get into office the same day of arrival...thus its a question of your own experience and preference....
(this does not have any influence on the difference between TG656 and TG658 but could make you consider to fly TG692 or TG628)

A_Lee

Yes, I do think most people would be quite tired if they went to the office right after getting off a redeye. I do it regularly, and unless I can sleep well on the plane, I'm not all that alert. But Koreans are infamous for staying up late drinking the night before going into the office and being pretty much worthless all day at work, so nothing new there.

One point to consider, your average Korean worker does not get vacation time like what westerners get. Five vacation days a year is pretty much standard from what I've heard. Some companies don't even give that. So when you get so little vacation time, maximizing it is top priority, regardless of what effects it will mean on your first day back in the office.

I happen to like taking weekends off in Thailand. I have taken TG628 before, and arrive in Seoul in the evening and am able to sleep in my bed before hitting the office in the morning. But it means I have only one day in Thailand vs. two. Cutting my weekend vacation time in half isn't something I really like to do. Or if it's a 3-day holiday weekend and I cut the vacation from three days to two, also not desirable.

I've taken TG628 or one of the other morning flights numerous times in the past, but it was normally when I was making a trip to Europe or someplace else on TG, and with the flight arriving into BKK in the early morning, it makes sense to connect with the next flight back to ICN. If vacationing in Thailand though, never unless there was no seats available on a redeye.

PVDtoDEL

Thank you A_Lee for the very clear explanation. Both 656 and 658 has the seats I want available (2-seaters in the back), so I think I'll just go with the earlier one.

Taking a daytime flight simply isn't an option - this is part of HYD-DEL-KTM-BKK-ICN-LAX, BUR-PHX-BOS, and I only have about a week to get through it. Every extra day I have at a stopover counts...

I wonder why they haven't consolidated the 2 flights into a single 744 though...

A_Lee

One of the flights returns to BKK via HKG. The other direct. There would be no way to do the flight via HKG if they just had one 744. Plus the loads are seasonal, and they can swap 777-300 and 777-200, aircraft, depending on the load. Years ago before the now cancelled non-stop to LAX, they flew a 747 on that route which stopped in Seoul. I would think there would be a better chance of them putting a 747 or other large aircraft on that route, compared to the strictly BKK-ICN-BKK route. But then, I don't really know what the loads are like between LAX and BKK these days.

lingua101

Since we are on BKK-ICN topic, I want to ask some question. Althought it is a bit OOT.

I just booked myself on TG693 on 22-AUG, the equipment said 777 (on TG reservation system) and when we look at the seat-map to request for a seat it looks it has B777-200 configuration (not B777-200ER), as row 31 on the side only have 2 seats.

I thought and it has been confirmed that TG693 is the continuation flight from LAX-ICN-BKK and it should be on B777-200ER. Can the B777-200 does LAX-ICN? As far as I know B777-200 is on Reccaro seat and no PTE on economy.

Can someone confirm?

buick2003

i was on TG693 lax-icn-bkk last week. they used they same exact plane for both legs. we had to exit the plane in ICN for about 45 minutes before reboarding. economy had the personal tv's and row 31 had 9 seats.

lingua101

The 777-200 with full 9 rows is B777-200ER. I also expected tht TG693 ICN-BKK has to be on B777-200ER as it is the second leg of LAX-ICN.

But this is what shown in TG reservation system ans I saw it with my own eye. And the agent also check that this flight is indeed (BKK-ICN-)LAX-ICN-BKK.

Is it possible for B777-200 (non ER version) to do the route?


BTW, that flight you were in has PYV on Y right?

buick2003

i did a dummy booking on TG website, ICN-BKK on aug 22. the seat selection page shows 9 seats in row 31. the flight has personal tv's in Y.

lingua101

Yeah I manage to check through TG websire and it shows the configuration that you have 9 seats in row 31. Strange. I will probably drop by TG office tomorrow to check again....

lingua101

Another quetion, I just realized that I was book on TG656 which will be the later flight instead of TG658. TG656 is on B777-200/200ER. TG658 is on B777-300

What should I expect on TG656? Will there be PTV? Should I change my booking to TG658 if I want to make sure that I have PTV?

spk

B777-200/200ER (772) is a code for TG's 772 non-ER. Currently only one of the type has been retrofitted with PTV in Y so your chance of getting PTV is slim.

All TG's 773 have PTV in Y so it's better for you unless TG changes aircraft type at the last minute.