Boddingtons

Does anyone know if any of A343's are being refitted with the new business class seats and if there is a timescale, perhaps?

I've tried to search, but to no avail. There are plenty of reports of people flying new business on the A330s, but not so much on the A343s.

soy

I do not think there is a retrofit program. AFAIK all the aircraft with the new seats are new aircraft. TK is expanding so fast, I guess they figure there is no time/need to retrofit old aircraft

ExGateAgt

From what I have read on other forums, are they going to retrofit SMILES on the cabin crew.

I am not necessarily looking forward to next months trip BUD-IST-JNB in C.

But then again with a dark 30 departure from IST, all we need is sleep.

Guy Betsy

Just did BKK-IST on an A343... not old old as I experienced them last Jan (2010).. but newish, but not as new and flat as like they're on a 77W.

Ok - so they're angled. But they're much better than the old old style I sat on last year. They were the leased planes I believe...

Looks like BKK will now be only getting a mixture of A343s and A330s. Don't even know if they're getting the new A333s.

joorinainen

IST-BKK-SGN 3 of 7 weekly service operates with Boeing 777-300ER, replacing A340-300

TK068 IST2340 – 1340+1BKK1510+1 – 1640+1SGN 777 247
TK068 IST2340 – 1340+1BKK1510+1 – 1640+1SGN 343 x247

TK069 SGN2055 – 2225BKK2345 – 0530+1IST 343 x135
TK069 SGN2055 – 2225BKK2345 – 0530+1IST 777 135

frankdds

Hi

Ok - I'm getting a bit confused here. I am scheduled to spend a week in SGN in October. I was going to fly TK to HKG, then pick up a *A flight to SGN. I had read about many people being unsatisfied with the C class hard product on their a343's. So, while it would be more convenient to take the more direct flight, I would have no problem back tracking a bit to get to SGN.

But, now I am surprised to hear that they have some 777 service to BKK-SGN. Is there any way I could find out what dates, or days this equipment is being used? I would forego the extra trip & expense of HKG-SGN, if perhaps I could get on the new C class on the 777 to SGN.

Thanks

Frank

joorinainen

I answered your question(s) in the post above yours. Sometimes i wonder, do people even read these threads/forums before they ask questions?

frankdds

Well - thanks for responding - I did read your post - I guess I was confused as to exactly what the days were -

Am I to assume that 2 4 7 refer to Tues, Thurs, & Sun?


So the x2 4 7 are the other days?

Just trying to understand something unfamiliar to me

Thanks


Frank

tcm

Just to return to the subject of this thread. TK has formed a partnership with a local Turkish company (Assan) that will produce aircraft cabin components and aircraft passenger seats. They aim to get Airbus and Boeing certification for their products within 2 or 3 years. Hence, it seems to me rather unlikely that they will do any refurbishments to the older A330-200s and A340s, which are approaching retirement.

yes

joorinainen

Ok, bit tired and i thought that you didn't read my post at all . Plenty of 777 runs to SGN next winter and i wouldn't doom the 340's J. It was OK when i had two runs in it IST-BKK & BKK-IST. Y in these birds has one of the most generous legroom in today's longhauls (34 i think).

frankdds

LOL - No problem -I appreciate your information! I always very much dislike people who have no idea how to use the search function - or certainly read the posts -


I even went to the TK website to look up dates - trying to figure out the equipment used - at least in October - the time table still shows only the a343 being used on this route

I would not hesitate to book it now - but some people are really hard on the hard C product on the TK a343 - and the trip reports are a bit few & far in between.

But - thanks for your assistance & info in the matter

joorinainen

Remember not to confuse yourself with the EX-Jamaican 340. There are few reports here which are about those planes. In my experience these don't fly the IST-BKK route. I played around with the dates in October and there is also the 333 which has the new cabin in J also. In november TK seems to put 777 also in the works. I must say that i wouldn't be sure myself which bird im going to end up with TK if i booked my flights 4-5months ahead. Actually i tried to go also with the new 777 or leased 77W and booked my may-trip few months ahead and everything indicated that IST-BKK would have one of these birds but then 4weeks to go they decided to deploy 340 on these days which i was bound to travel. Seat isn't flat-bed but i found it decent and slept both ways from desert to breakfast.

frankdds

Great info!

Thanks Joorinainen

I really appreciate your info - based on what you've told me - I will book direct from IST-BKK-SGN

Never been on a "hairdryer" bird - so there is a small part of me excited about that - if nothing else - I suppose it should be a bit quieter than the 777

Thanks again

sorry for my initial post not being clear -

Frank

Guy Betsy

Yes, but from Oct 31, 2011 - Jan 31, 2012 only. Then it drops down to only IST-BKK-SGN on 1 flight a week from Feb through April 2012 - on various days. No consistency!

joorinainen

Yes, BKK seem's to be TK's dumping ground of assigned AC's. Maybe because of it's 2x daily and there is lot of leisure travellers. What comes to the original topic about refurbishment of this birds i would say that it's never going to happen. Here is the picture of the 340's seat by the way: