Hello from Tokyo. I’m currently in the middle of a reflective journey. I took a 5 hour and 30 minute flight from Bangkok (BKK) to Tokyo (NRT) on Thai Airways’ Boeing 777-300ER First Class.
I have flown first class on Thai Airways many times over the years, from the A340, A380, 747, and 777. But all of those planes have been retired over the years. At the moment, Thai Airways has exclusive first class on its three 777s, all of which will begin operating in 2022.
What did you take away from your Thai Airways first class experience? While the hard products are underwhelming (strangely underwhelming for a new aircraft), the soft products are impressive, from food and drink to service and amenities. It was amazing.
I’ll be publishing a full trip report soon, but in this post I’d like to share some of my first impressions of the experience.
Thai Airways’ new first class lounge is impressive
Historically, the best part of Thai Airways’ first class has been the experience on the ground. I was escorted every step of the way, the former exclusive first class lounge was fantastic, and I was even able to book a complimentary 60-minute full body massage.
Thai Airways still offers airport escorts, but unfortunately the former first class lounge is closed. First class passengers now have access to a dedicated section of the Thai Royal Orchid Prestige Lounge. It’s an unusually large space considering there’s usually only one first class flight at a time, so there can only be a few people in the lounge at most.
The lounge is very clean and has a wide variety of food and drinks. The worst thing I found about this lounge was the service, and that was similar feedback from other people who visited the lounge. The lounge is overstaffed, with more attendants than guests. Still, the service is not at all proactive.
Similarly, there were no proactive offers to refill drinks and even basic details were missed. For example, when the food we ordered was served, they didn’t even bring the silverware, and it took several minutes for them to bring it after we asked for it.
It’s not that the staff weren’t friendly, so I don’t know. But they just stand there and look at you and don’t seem to be trained on how to provide proactive service. This should be an easy fix, right?
Thai Airways 777 first class seats are strange
Let’s start with what I think is the most disappointing aspect of the Thai Airways First Class experience: the seats. The cabin has eight seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. The seats are perfectly spacious and I love the orchid pattern on the bulkhead.
However, the sheet has some quirks. First, the seats don’t have doors. This will likely become the norm when the product is introduced in 2022. Instead, the seat just has a small privacy shield. You can see the “truck” in the bottom right. In the photo below.
But this was the most shocking part. The cabin was in terrible condition for a plane that entered service two years ago. None of the storage compartments opened easily, the tray table was badly battered, the controller wires were taped together, and there were lots of stains on the seats.
By the way, when I got on the plane, a mechanic was repairing some first class seats, so there were even more problems than I imagined at first glance
I can’t remember the last time I saw a first class seat in such poor condition. Especially within a few years of its introduction. Did Thai Airways just choose a cheaper product? Won’t the airline keep these seats? I do not understand…
Thai Airways’ first class service is perfect
Now let’s move on to the software products, which were uniformly exceptional. In particular, the two flight attendants working in first class, Ong and Bond, were superstars. They couldn’t have been more friendly and very sophisticated.
They called each first class passenger by name as they arrived at their seats from memory, exuding a truly genuine warmth and had incredible product knowledge. For example, I ordered a Japanese meal and they accurately explained the details of each element of the meal without any reference. They proactively made suggestions on what to order and anticipated our every need.
A good staff makes all the difference, and their professionalism more than makes up for the shortcomings of this hard product.
Thai Airways’ first class amenities are extensive.
The amenities on this 5 hour and 30 minute daytime flight exceeded my expectations. One was a Porsche Design amenity kit with PAYOT products.
There were also some great Thai Airways branded pajamas made in partnership with Bodge.
The planes are also equipped with Wi-Fi, and first class passengers are given a voucher for free on-board connectivity.
Thai Airways first class food and drinks are phenomenal
For a 5 hour and 30 minute flight departing in the morning, the food service exceeded my expectations in both quality and quantity. Thai Airways now offers Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle champagne in first class. The airline used to have Dom Pérignon, but now Emirates sells it exclusively.
Breakfast was served after takeoff, with a choice of Thai, Japanese, or Western food. I chose the Japanese option, which was phenomenal. The meal started with a fresh fruit plate, bread basket and Thai-Chinese cruller with pandan custard and condensed milk.
Next came muesli, with a choice of fruit toppings.
We then had the main feast consisting of an appetizer, a Japanese bento set with salt-grilled sea bass, rice, and miso soup. Hmm, hmmm, hmmm.
Despite the short flight time, there was a second meal service before landing. This time I chose Thai rice noodles with shrimp and peanut sauce and Thai sweets for dessert. I also tried Thai Airways’ signature drink, Violet Bliss, a butterfly pea limeade.
I loved the attention to detail in the service. For example, after being given his pre-arrival dish, Bond asked if he could put some shaved bergamot on the plate “to add flavor.” What a great attention to detail!
conclusion
The Thai Airways first class experience was amazing and exceeded my expectations. The best thing about this flight was the service, as Ong and Bond couldn’t have been better ambassadors for this airline and country. On top of that, the food and drinks were delicious and the amenities were plentiful.
However, what I don’t understand is the hard product of Thai Airways’ first class. The airline has introduced these seats in the past few years. Not only is there a lack of privacy compared to other top products, but the seats are in terrible condition. I don’t understand what’s going on.
Anyway, although the hard product had some shortcomings, the soft product was purely perfect and I would love to fly first class on Thai Airways again.
What do you think about Thai Airways’ 777 First Class?
