Thai Airways Business Class between Singapore and Bangkok

Seen from Europe, Asian airlines are a model of quality and service. They are quickly held up as models and the differences between them and our national airlines are highlighted. I had the opportunity to take a Thai Airways flight from Singapore to Bangkok. A good way to check if this reputation is deserved or not.

So of course I was connecting from a flight in First Class on Air France, which sets the bar very high (even if my Thai flight was in business) when you link the two flights, the second one being moreover a short/medium-haul flight with, consequently, not comparable services. But, keeping it factual, here’s what I got out of the experience.

A disappointing mobile experience

I had checked in online from Paris, the only remaining issue being my baggage that Air France had not wanted to check from end to end. No worries on this side, the ground staff mandated by Air France went directly to the Thai counter upon arrival in Singapore. They naturally offered to pick up my suitcase at the baggage claim and check it again so that I wouldn’t have to go through immigration one way and then the other. Very good point for them.

Par contre l’enregistrement sur mon mobile n’avait pas été du même tonneau.However, the check-in on my mobile phone was not as good. An application out of date on which you have to enter your name and file number every time since it does not allow you to stay logged in. Minimal service, outdated interface and disappointing user experience.

A barely decent show for a business class

We often criticize the Air France lounges sometimes at CDG, often abroad. I was going to see what the Thai standard is. A not very cheerful decoration to begin with (on the other hand it is the colors of the airline).

Minimalist buffet and, let’s admit it, edible but not more so.

Erratic wifi and no toilet, you have to go out into the hallway. In short, a great disappointment for a business show, even more so considering what is expected of Thai. Well below the Air France lounge in 2F at CDG, that is to say.

The staff is almost invisible: in one hour I will not see anyone venturing into the lounge except the person in charge of replenishing the buffet.

In short, I don’t stay long and prefer to go shopping in duty free, Singapore Changi being an ideal airport for that.

The aircraft is an Airbus A330, in Star Alliance livery.

The beauty of travelling in Asia compared to Europe is that you can use wide-body aircraft with real long-haul business cabins even on a two-hour journey. I can’t wait to discover the cabin.

I enter the business cabin (Royal Silk in the Thai Airways nomenclature)

I will pass on the assortment of the colors which are only the translation of the visual identity of the airline (one likes it or not), to linger on the seat.

They are in fact former “decommissioned” long-haul cabins. Logical: what to do with a “full flat” on such a short route, a simple “recliner” is more than enough.

In any case there is sufficient legroom.

The IFE is also of another generation.

And the movie selection is of course reduced to its simplest expression.

As for the food, without being exceptional, it was more than acceptable. The order is taken before takeoff and delivered on a tray. The only flaw is that the foie gras has only the name.

On arrival in Bangkok we are parked offshore so disembarkation by bus. Which is not necessarily a bad thing when you know how many kilometers you can walk in Suvarnabhumi airport. A bus will be dedicated to business class passengers and will leave before all passengers have disembarked.

On arrival I found my luggage delivered in the first ones, proof that the Thai staff did the job well in Singapore and that they really respect the order of priority of the luggage delivery.

In conclusion I remain unconvinced.

The lounge and the catering are clearly not up to par. At least not to the level expected from Thai.

The seat is another debate. For a business, the headquarters and especially the IFE are no longer up to standard, that’s a fact. On the other hand, for a short/medium haul flight of two hours, I would dream of such a cabin on a European airline where, more often than not, the difference between economy and business is down to a detail on the seat and, above all, on the service. Here we have a real business cabin.

As far as in-flight catering is concerned, it is more than acceptable without being exceptional. But on such a short flight, it is already very good.

I remain a little disappointed considering the reputation of the airline, without the flight being bad, far from it.

We will wait for the return flight to compare and make a more precise idea.

The detailed review of this flight is available on flight report.

The photo album is available here.