Dear readers,
Now that the measures are relaxing in Thailand and travelers are allowed back in, I am already looking forward to the trip that I and my girlfriend want to make in May 2022. I do have doubts about which airline I want to entrust my money to.
I've flown with Thai Airways in the past, but after reading about unhappy customers who didn't get their money back, I'm at a loss.
We would like a direct flight to Bangkok from Brussels, but without Thai Airways that option is already gone, or am I mistaken? What is your thought about this?
Greetings from Belgium,
Brian
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Thai airways seems to me - at the moment - a gamble, where you may have lost your money and your planned travel date.
There is nothing wrong with a transfer flight, if the transfer time is reasonable and it is only a very small part of your holiday.
I have regularly flown with Austrian myself, and I have always found the shorter travel time on the longest stretch from Austria to Bangkok plus the flight from the Netherlands to Austria and the transfer there more pleasant than a direct flight that took longer.
I would not book with THAI for several reasons:
1. Uncertainty about the continued existence of THAI
2. If THAI continues to exist, routes will disappear with a 200% certainty. The Bangkok – Brussels route is not the most lucrative and with a limited hinterland, this route seems to me to be one of the first victims in a reorganization of the routes (which will be adjusted anyway, that much is already certain and has also been confirmed several times in the media by the current managers at THAI).
In short, a lot of uncertainty. If you still want direct, then KLM from Amsterdam or AirFrance from Paris is a possibility or Frankfurt (Lufthansa and THAI). But flying with a transfer has proven to be a godsend for me (rather 2x 6 hours than 1x 12 hours). I recommend Emirates and Qatar, transfer in Dubai or Doha around 3 hours, easy to do.
Dennis,
Received confirmation yesterday from a staff member of Thai Airways in Brussels, from 4/11 Thai will start with 2 flights per week from Brussels to Bkk.
Least lucrative route I have my doubts about that, I've been flying with Thai several times a year from Brussels to Bkk for 25 years, those flights are just full all year round.
Is a code share flight with other partners of the star alliance group.
Thai can count on me as soon as possible, never had any complaints.
Have a nice day, Joseph
Indeed 4/11 will be the test.
Hopefully they will actually fly….
I would also like to fly back with Thai, but wait with booking until they themselves prove that they really fly back.
'past experience is no guarantee for the future'.
the reader's question was whether it was wise in view of the current situation of thai and then the answer is clear.
As for the member of staff; who, with all due respect, knows as much as you and I do. As for itineraries; if it were such a lucrative route, thai would fly 2x a day with an A380 from Brussels. They don't, instead 2x a week, with a smaller plane. Besides, there is a reason thai is in trouble right now and 1 of them is too many routes. With Paris (pre-Corona flown with a larger A380) and Frankfurt (pre-Corona flown twice a day, including 2x with the A1) nearby, there is an alternative for THAI. Brussels airlines, part of Lufthansa, which in turn is a partner of Thai, can also bring passengers to Frankfurt. In short, Brussels is 'dead' when it comes to route restructuring.
It's great that you're satisfied with Thai, I was too those times I flew with them, but that doesn't make it a profitable airline
Pay for tickets by credit card. No tickets, then the credit card company will refund the money.
Dennis wonder what your opinion is based on that the Brussels Bangkok route is not the most lucrative route, before the corona pandemic I flew this route on average 5 to 6 times a year (every two months) and always with an occupancy rate of 95% or more.
So from where you are convinced of canceling this route ( in November they will resume this route again ! )
Also explained above.
But THai's problems are too much management, too many different routes, too many planes of too many brands and types and too many benefits for pilots and other employees.
Too many planes is solved by selling 42 out of 100. Then you will have fewer aircraft left and you will be able to fly fewer routes anyway. The big profit, apparently, is made on routes to China. In terms of Europe, THAI has many routes to cities that are close to each other; Paris, Frankfurt and Brussels, Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm, Rome and Milan for example. Then it makes sense that you will delete it, first of all on the smaller routes, which are Brussels, Milan and 1 Scandinavian destination (I'm guessing Stockholm).
It's not a question of "whether" THAI will scrap routes, it's a question of "which". The current administrator of THAI has already indicated that routes will be cancelled.
Why then take risks with – in principle – a bankrupt company when there are so many decent companies with more flexible rules available? Book Qatar Airways or Emirates, they do what they claim!
Qatar Airways is a gamble as long as there are no problems. Been waiting almost a year for a Qatar refund of a flight to Cebu. Philippines is still closed so no possibility to go back to my partner..
Don't be the only one, look on the internet and your hair will stand on end at the shock of the large number of people (hundreds!) who have not received a refund to date. Even worse, you email this company, they don't even reply. Caution is more than advised!
My experience with Qatar Airways is completely different: Call to the Contact Center at local rate (+32 28948391 and +31 207994892); 5-10 minutes on hold; less than 2 minutes conversation with support agent to arrange a refund, no questions asked. Within 2 weeks the refund was on my VISA account.
Qatar Airways deserves kudos for how they have handled the entire Covid situation. Just about the only airline that has continued to fly and has not let their customers down.
That's also not true Emirates just left us in Thailand when the corona broke out and then rebooked our tickets to single so they didn't have to pay us then flew back with Qater for more double the price
I called a travel agency with the same question.
There are doubts about Thai Airways, it could just be that they cancel your ticket a month before departure.
Advice was to fly with a transfer, or directly with Eva air or KLM.
Flying with a transfer also has advantages, just stretching your legs, and those few hours more on the way will not spoil your holiday either.
Dear Brain.
I had tickets for January 2021 these flights have been canceled and I have received a voucher, I have now booked again for mid-January, these will continue for the time being and I assume that if they cancel again I will receive another voucher. I would book directly with Thai airways because if you book through another website it sometimes causes problems. I wouldn't be so worried about the continued existence of Thai airway as long as the king flies with it.
Regards Jan.
With Qatar Airways you are always on the safe side. Stopover in Doha from 1 to 3 hours. Pay back punctually in case of a canceled flight.
Do you have experience with 'punctual' repayment by Qatar? Hundreds of people have been waiting with me for over months to years (me) for a refund. And also does not respond to emails from victims. If you call this 'good sitting'…..
I am a Gold member of Qatar Airways. Perhaps the reason for a smooth repayment…
It is a pity that they do not adjust the travel data free of charge (suppose you have a problem with COE on your way or on your return)
I have good contacts with Thai
ok have 2 open tickets from previous flights that didn't go through due to the pandamia
I now use the first one, modified by thai airways brussels on my application for frankfurt – phuket and back bangkok – brussels
I will use the 2nd in May 2022
flights always good service, food is not too bad but less than before, but that is also the case with qatar, emirates and etihad
a decent flight to bangkok is from brussels with finnair, good service, good price
klm sorry very expensive, the flight is not too bad but suitcases and seats are always payable and that is high, with thai free, included in the price as standard
We have booked 1 tickets with Thai Airways before January 4, directly via the credit card.
Normally we fly with Eva Air via Amsterdam, but not this time.
I don't see the problem in avoiding Thai Airways, despite their problems they have had ( still have), in the end there is not much difference in the other airlines should new calamities arise.
Thanks everyone,
I decided to play it safe after reading some of the responses to my question. I will certainly not speak badly of THAI airways, always had good experiences with it in the past.
But it will still be Etihad next year with a stopover in Abu Dhabi. We would go for 4 weeks, and then those few hours are indeed negligible.
Regards,
Brian
I booked a return flight with Connections Bruges with Qatar Airways, Brussels-Bangkok on March 1, 2020. When I returned a few months later, I received an email from Connections that my return flight could not take place on the scheduled date . She suggested another date. If it didn't fit, I could choose another date myself, which I did.
I paid a small amount, because more expensive tickets apply in the period when I return. If I had taken their suggested flight, I wouldn't have had to pay anything extra, of course… But so very happy that I got my
could delay a return flight by months. So I am very satisfied with Qatar Airways.
I myself have flown with Etihad several times and they had good departure and arrival times and not too long waiting times in Abu Dhabi, good service on board. This was before Corona, I don't know how the situation is now.
I'm still flying with Etihad. Been to Abu Dhabi a few times during the pandemic and I must say everything is neatly arranged. Very reliable. I will definitely fly with it again.
Like everyone else at Thai Airways. leaves, they will certainly close the flights to Brussels because they are not lucrative. If they have a full plane almost every flight, flying twice a week is certainly not a loss.
Personally, I like to fly direct, losing very little time for a short 14 day vacation.
My tickets are booked for Christmas. Let's hope that everything continues and we can leave without quarantine.
But respect any other opinion. I always like that here.