Review, photos and rating of KLM KL876 Bangkok (BKK) → Amsterdam (AMS) by ThomasDutch. Flight in Business Boeing 777-300ER. Thai Airways Fleet Boeing 777-300/ER Details and Pictures. Not only operates Boeing 777-200/ER, THAI Airways also operates its stretched version Boeing 777-300/ER. On current fleet, THAI Airways operates 20 Boeing 777-300/ER (there's 6 Boeing 777-300, and 14 Boeing 777-300ER). Both aircraft configured with Royal Silk Business and Economy Class. The two main passenger versions are the Boeing 777 200 and the Boeing 777 300 variants. Although their air-frame measurements such as wingspan, wheel track and tailplane are the same, the major difference is the fuselage length. The Boeing 777 300 is significantly longer than the Boeing 777 200 by 10 metres.
Thai Airways' premium-seats seen in the images below can be found in their Royal Silk Class on board their work-horse, the Boeing 777-300ER. These seats are, hand on heart, so comfortable as well as pleasing to the eyes. Personally, I think their concept really works well.
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But, before we are completely blown away by the world of Thai Royal Silk, I personally also need to voice my opinion that it doesn't matter how good the seats are if the level of personal service is not up to the scratch. Electronic bingo game.
First, some information for aviation nerds like me. Thai Airways currently have 20 B777-300 aircrafts in three different configurations: 3D7, 3D7(ER) and 3AL(ER). Historically seen, a total of Boeing 777-35R(ER) which were leased from Jet Airways, have already left the Thai fleet. Average age of the current fleet of 777-300 is just above 8 years right now. In addition, there are currently also 12 B777-200's still in their fleet. The Boeing 777 is not a 'new' aircraft per say - first flight happened back on June 12th 1994, and was a year later introduced to the world by United Airlines on June 7th 1995. The 'triple-seven' has in recent years become a very popular work-horse taking over some of the market after the Boeing 747 jumbo jet passenger-version, which are being retired world-wide at an incredible fast pace.
Sadly, but understandably, Thai Airways First Class isn't available on aircrafts other then their few remaining B747's and on their fleet of A380's. There is also a continuity issue with Thai Airways Royal Silk Class: their bussiness class has at least two very different types of seats depending on aircraft-type: the newest version seats and their (now outdated) 90's space age-looking seats. Clearly, I prefer the newest version in which you may see in the advertisements below. Also, in travel circles, Thai Airways has been, and probably still is notorious at changing aircrafts on scheduled flights, sometimes at the so-called last minute.
Boeing 777 Thai Airways Seat
So, as I mentioned in second paragraph of this bLOG-entry, it doesn't really matter how bad or good the seats are and look, if the level of personal in-flight service is not up to a standardized and set level. Most airlines are not perfect, and Thai Airways is no exception to this. Within Thai, there seems to be very varying levels of service depending on flight-segment, time of the day, and the crew set-up. I have had flights with Thai where standards were lacking in most areas, but I have also had flights which literally blew me out of the sky. I firmly believe that Thai Airways needs to improve being a whole lot more consequent in all areas of the flight and inflight-service. It may be a difficult goal to achieve, because quite simply, people are as different as there are grains in the sand on a beach. The best way to achieve this might be to have clearer and stricter instructions, better training, and continous enforcement-inspections by travel-professionals. There must also be a well-known, well-established consequence for those staff not able to deliver within the set company standards, as well as an award program for outstanding employees.
Boeing 777 Thai Business Class
Additionally, I have a personal feeling that Thai Airways doesn't sufficiently recognize their Star Alliance partners gold and diamond members. How the feeling of being recognized in their own Royal Silk members-program, I have only learned from some of those members. Star Alliance partner SAS - Scandinavian Airlines - also had this noteable 'problem' in the past but has been able to rectify it in a much more satisfying way. Still, I feel and know there is a whole lot more that could have been done in this area, both at SAS and THAI.
The bottom line is that as a dedicated passenger of Thai Airways for several decades, with perhaps hundreds of flights on most of their various aircraft types, I wholeheartedly love their colours, concept and service. But, as with most things in life, love truly needs to be nurtured both ways to be able to be sustained and continue to grow. I hope and pray that not only Thai Airways, but also all other (Star Alliance) airlines of the world, understands and acknowledges this fact.
In conclusion for now, I haven't traveled too much (yet) in Business and/or First Class of many other airlines, so I'm probably not the best one at judging which airline actually have the best seats in the skies. But, that being said, having gained valuable experience from a long service on board several mass-market cruiseships as well as the world's highest rated cruiseship, and after achieving a honorable degree at a prestigious Hotel Managaement School in Austria, personal service management, public and guest relations and guest management - both positive and negative - have for decades been one of my biggest and many burning passions.
Sadly, but understandably, Thai Airways First Class isn't available on aircrafts other then their few remaining B747's and on their fleet of A380's. There is also a continuity issue with Thai Airways Royal Silk Class: their bussiness class has at least two very different types of seats depending on aircraft-type: the newest version seats and their (now outdated) 90's space age-looking seats. Clearly, I prefer the newest version in which you may see in the advertisements below. Also, in travel circles, Thai Airways has been, and probably still is notorious at changing aircrafts on scheduled flights, sometimes at the so-called last minute.
Boeing 777 Thai Airways Seat
So, as I mentioned in second paragraph of this bLOG-entry, it doesn't really matter how bad or good the seats are and look, if the level of personal in-flight service is not up to a standardized and set level. Most airlines are not perfect, and Thai Airways is no exception to this. Within Thai, there seems to be very varying levels of service depending on flight-segment, time of the day, and the crew set-up. I have had flights with Thai where standards were lacking in most areas, but I have also had flights which literally blew me out of the sky. I firmly believe that Thai Airways needs to improve being a whole lot more consequent in all areas of the flight and inflight-service. It may be a difficult goal to achieve, because quite simply, people are as different as there are grains in the sand on a beach. The best way to achieve this might be to have clearer and stricter instructions, better training, and continous enforcement-inspections by travel-professionals. There must also be a well-known, well-established consequence for those staff not able to deliver within the set company standards, as well as an award program for outstanding employees.
Boeing 777 Thai Business Class
Additionally, I have a personal feeling that Thai Airways doesn't sufficiently recognize their Star Alliance partners gold and diamond members. How the feeling of being recognized in their own Royal Silk members-program, I have only learned from some of those members. Star Alliance partner SAS - Scandinavian Airlines - also had this noteable 'problem' in the past but has been able to rectify it in a much more satisfying way. Still, I feel and know there is a whole lot more that could have been done in this area, both at SAS and THAI.
The bottom line is that as a dedicated passenger of Thai Airways for several decades, with perhaps hundreds of flights on most of their various aircraft types, I wholeheartedly love their colours, concept and service. But, as with most things in life, love truly needs to be nurtured both ways to be able to be sustained and continue to grow. I hope and pray that not only Thai Airways, but also all other (Star Alliance) airlines of the world, understands and acknowledges this fact.
In conclusion for now, I haven't traveled too much (yet) in Business and/or First Class of many other airlines, so I'm probably not the best one at judging which airline actually have the best seats in the skies. But, that being said, having gained valuable experience from a long service on board several mass-market cruiseships as well as the world's highest rated cruiseship, and after achieving a honorable degree at a prestigious Hotel Managaement School in Austria, personal service management, public and guest relations and guest management - both positive and negative - have for decades been one of my biggest and many burning passions.
