Thaikwai

I tried to book the advertised THAI Lexus Limo service today, for Business Class and First Class customers who book a round trip on the THAI website.

Firstly, when I called the Platinum call centre they gave me the number for AOT Limos and they do not provide the service. So, I called again and got the number for the Thai Limousine service, who told me that it needs to be booked at least seven days in advance, does not apply to awards tickets, upgrades, cash + miles tickets and...here's the hilarious bit.......only the first 5 passengers per day!!!!

So it appears that poor old Lexus only have 5 cars in Thailand to support this "promotion"..........

Another example of the idiots in THAI's marketing department, putting on a good "show" offering "free" limo transfers but not revealing the "fine print". Don't they realise that applying such ridiculous conditions to the offer only creates negative publicity?

BinSabai

I called the Platinum Center as well today, asked for TG's Marketing Director and discussed with him your issue. It took me around 1.5 hours to convince him to accept a slight trace of disappointment on the customer side. Actually only my hint about your handle could soften his mind and heart a bit but he insisted that their Lexus Promotion was once again outstanding and a role model for the whole Airline industry. Anyway he will do you a favor and tomorrow confirm your free Transfers. However they will be conducted by a Thai Airways Tuk Tuk (the one with the Lotus Malai swinging in the smog) in collaboration with Tourism Authority of Thailand to enhance the Holiday Feelings of us Farangs, while the boring black windowed Lexus will be assigned to TIPs. Alternatively they could also assign some golf carts, so you would not need to change vehicle and could drive straight to F Lounge upon arrival at Swampy....

Thai-Kiwi

BinSabai, do you moonlight as an advocate for "non-TIP ROP Gold/Plats?!" Where can I sign up ;-)

BinSabai

sure! just let me know your issue!
but as the moonlight in smog-ridden Bangkok is weak, I will not do it free of charge!

Thaikwai

What have you been smoking BinSabai? Can i have some?

JTPictureman

If they only accept 5 per day they probably only have one car.

Kacee

Thaikwai

I think BinSabai may have been employing a modicum of humour in that post.......

SKL

Competition for premium traffic is a totally different ballgame as compared to 10-20 years ago. THAI for that number of years has been playing catching up in terms of cabin comfort, lounge quality, WIFI inflight, horizontal lie flat seats, product consistency, new aircrafts etc. An airline either delivers on promises of quality and innovations, or it loses customers to competition. That is the reality of market place.

For a national airline whose home base is the most visited city on the planet, THAI should fare much better than how it is doing now. It can be complacent and make money from economy class seats, trying to keep up the reputation of being the #1 economy class airline in the world. Or it can beef up premium services and really explore that segment of the market that has in some measure migrated elsewhere.

Understand they have plan to buy new aircraft. The last round of purchase, corruption investigation has led nowhere because claims that suppliers will not release details. Nobody wants to bite the hand that feed them. This is Thailand, are we surprised?

Lower the expectations. then we may actually appreciate the airline.

Kacee

Yes, it was spot-on parody.

Thaikwai

I normally fly at the sharp end of the aircraft, and I rarely see a Business Class cabin less than 80% full, yet THAI's prices are, on average, about 20% higher than the usual competitors on the European routes. The ability to command such a premium on Business and First Class seats should have this airline operating at a reasonable profit, but its the corruption, incompetence and inability, or unwillingness, to off load massive personnel overhead, that has brought it to its knees. It will struggle on in this fashion until they appoint an industry turnaround expert and allow him/her to actually do the job!!

Kacee

TG makes more premium cabin seats available for awards (on a relative basis) than any other *A carrier. Definitely the easiest J/F reduction in all of *A. So not sure their premium cabin yields are actually that high.

Though agree with your basic point about the airline being poorly run.

BinSabai

not to forget all the free tickets for politicians, board members, cronies etc.etc. and they do not sit in cattle class...
the main problem is the political influence and interference; which highly capable executives are willing to work in such an environment