Crazy Thai pricing
 

Booking a Business Class flight to London in early May and TG is quoting THB144,000. I decided to have a look at BA for fun and their flight was THB96,000 and with better arrival times (evening).

I am trying to re-qualify for Platinum (33,000 miles to go and need to get there by end of May) but I am thinking, how can I justify the extra THB48,000 and maybe I am better off just letting my Platinum membership lapse and start flying with other airlines?

I suggest it all depends on what benefits TG*P bring over TG*G, and whether it is worth the cost/effort.

I have a similar dilemma regarding whether it is worth me trying to (re)gain TG*G when I have limited, and personally funded travel confined to greater Asia. And my conclusion is that unless the company is paying, then I'm not too fussed. Lounge access etc is nice, but not critical. TG*S gets me 40kg which is plenty.

All valid points but my main reason for wanting to re-qualify has nothing to do with First Class lounges or luggage allowances. I am in it for the unlimited PUPs, and the annual two 50% redemption awards, and the higher level of multiplication for bonus miles..........I think I will make the effort to re-qualify. I have heard some P members were requalified as P even though they had fallen short of the mileage requirement.

Thai citizens or foreigners? what a shame!...and we have to work so hard to requalify...

I am not aware that ROP Platinum (or any ROP tier for that matter) get a "higher level of multiplication for bonus miles" - unless you are in some super-duper exclusive Royal Platinum tier that we don't know about? :p

TG has a multiplier on earned miles based on flight class (e.g. bonus 25% in J on TG metal, and on most if not all *A metal) irrespective of ROP tier.

But yes, the other perks you mention are very much valid. Indeed the lack of tier bonus and the small flight class multipliers, when many airlines give 100% bonus on J flights for instance - can be considered as weaknesses for TG ROP, especially given the high mileage requirements for awards - mean that for me at least, without 50% awards and GUP/PUP it would be difficult to justify staying with ROP.

If you had meant the bonus miles you get from re-qualifying Platinum, it's 5000 miles - same as re-qualifying for Gold.

Well I guess it works the opposite way to flying LHR-BKK where there tends to be a premium for flying the national carrier as BA will always be at least 30% more than TG. Just FYI for LHR-BKK-LHR in TG Business you are looking at around THB77,000.

Maybe call a local office?

The issue here is prices are set for the market/city point of sale or origin. That is why some folk I know arrange return bookings from the 'price advantageous' point of origin, having first taken a one-way flight from 'home' city. In the OP's case, take a one-way to LHR initially (say a mileage ticket), thence do returns on TG ex-LHR where the each return completes one journey and starts the next, with a final finish on another one-way:

BKK-LHR
LHR-BKK BKK-LHR
LHR-BKK BKK-LHR
LHR-BKK

TG is quite competitive ICN-BKK-ICN in J, but it is more expensive BKK-ICN-BKK unless a special package is issued.

Mrs TK is flying soon on a Korean market TG 'E' class economy fare (no mileage earning, but at KRW 320,000 (or THB 10,000) I have no complaints since that represents a 30% discount on usual V or W fares, and is about 50% of a V/W fare ex-BKK.

My recent trip in J return ICN-BKK-AKL (18 hours) was around THB 95,000, however the reverse fare ex-AKL-BKK-ICN in J class is THB 149,000.

Hi ChampagneSocialist,

Thank you for pointing out the error of my ways...you are correct in that the multiplier is the same across all Elite tiers. However, when retaining Platinum member ship the member receives 10,000 bonus miles AND another complimentary PUP....extract below from the Benefits detail on the website:

Benefits with THAI:

10,000 Threshold Bonus Miles each time Platinum status is attained or retained.
On attaining and retaining Platinum status, One roundtrip complimentary upgrade on THAI is awarded.

I agree that ROP is really only viable with the 50% discounts and the drawer full of PUPs that I have!! But Bangkok is my home base so its difficult to rack up the miles as easily with another airline.

Thai-Kiwi......good advice on buying a one-way BKK LHR, and then buying the next flights ex-LHR or even ex-CDG where the taxes and charges are even lower than LHR.

Thanks fellow travellers, entertaining exchanges

Sam Bee...............can you point me to the fare you found for THB77,000 return LHR-BKK-LHR? I can only find a fare for £2,794 (THB140,000). You're not having April Fool's fun, are you?

Thanks Thaikwai, very interesting - I must defer to your superior experience as I am but a lowly Gold. :D:D However - the TG website definitely says 5000 miles, here: http://www.thaiairways.com/frequent-...num_Status.htm

Either a typo or TG has covertly devalued Platinum!?:rolleyes:

I usually do not vote for Socialists but this time I make a exception!
ChampagneSocialist is right; Platinum members get 5k for renewal and not 10k; and those are only bonus and not status miles

.......and right back at you chaps........looks like Thai being their usual inconsistent selves. I know which URL link I will send to them when I demand my 10,000 bonus miles!!

http://www.thaiairways.com/en_TH/rop...-platinum.page

Frankly, I don't think that USD1,400 is worth any benefit brought by Plat over Gold, on any airline.
If you really want to fly nonstop on *A, then pick Eva air.

Sorry for delay in responding - definitely not an Aprils Fools Joke (i'd hope if I did one it would be funnier :p).

Seems wideopen to me, books into J, balid for departures 01 May - 30 Jun & 01 Sep-30 Nov - ticket by 15 April, 1 month max stay. I'm getting £1720 inc. tax, so i'd underestimated the tax (apologies I see fares ex. tax) - so at THB49 makes about THB84000. But still FAR cheaper than you're seeing.

Maybe TG are not offering direct - if you need a recommendation for a TA, try Trayvale Travels in London - they have staff in Thailand and their staff speak Thai as well (note - i've not used them, but they come highly recommend and have good relationship with TG & BR for UK-Thailand flights).

Maybe it is a sale fare which means it ludicrously won't show on their main page. Maybe click through to the sales link?

Another good option BKK-LHR can be BR in J, great product.