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BHX > BKK return.
My excellently timed overnight flights to & from BKK with Swiss have been changed to daytime flights which are unsuitable for my circumstances.
Not a lot I can do with my outbound other than probably change to Lufthansa via Munich.
However, on the inbound I note Lufthansa and Thai have flights not too far off my original Swiss flight time so I am hoping I can switch to one of these.
Before I ring up, I want to check if anyone here has any experience of Business Class on a Thai 777 to Frankfurt, or a Lufthansa a350-900 to Munich?
Would be a middle pair so the 2-2-2 on Lufty isn’t a huge issue.
Both look inferior to Swiss though.Thanks.
Thai 777 is pretty much the same seat as on the old Etihads (prior to business studio). So, a bit rudimentary in its finishes but still fine as a 1-2-1 proposition. Despite some amazing prices ex-UK to Dubai, I just don’t ever see myself parting with cash or points for LH’s abysmal long haul cabin.
Sanity check please.
My current default rerouting option is with Lufthansa on their own metal (a350-900 on the long haul sector).
Flights departure times are not hugely different in either direction to the cancelled Swiss flights, though the inbound lands 2.5 hours later so will effect my attempt to sneak into work on the Monday undetected.
Out: Lufthansa BHX > MUC > BKK. Journey time 14hrs 30 mins (arrive at 14:10 – a very decent time IMO)
In: Lufthansa BKK > MUC > BHX. Journey time 17hrs 20minsHowever, to avoid the apparently bad Lufthansa business class, I may be able to go for an alternative routing which involves an extra leg.
I’d like to know if anyone feels the Lufty product is so bad that it is worth the inconvenience of an additional leg, hence losing most of the first day.Out: Swiss BHX > ZRH // Swiss ZRH > HKG // Thai (777 lie flat) HKG > BKK. Journey time 19hrs 55mins (arrive 20:45)
In: Austrian BKK > VIE // Austrian VIE > MUC // Lufty MUC > BHX. Journey time 16hrs 35 minsI don’t know anything about the Austrian business class seating on the 777.
Austrian 777 business class looks like Brussels and Aer Lingus. It’s fine; forward facing and ideally you’d avoid a duo seat.
Are you travelling solo or with someone? If with someone then the LH lack of personal space isn’t critical to you. So I would not add on an extra leg unnecessarily.
Also we may see difficulty generally at HKG for some time to come. Based on zero covid approach, or other. For me, I will no longer transit or travel to HKG on account of the national security law. And for work purposes I’d never be routed via HKG for same reason.
VIE is not my favourite European airport. It frustratingly has security checks per gate, so it’s very hard to time one’s arrival at the boarding gate having left the lounge.
The A359 will have the better air cabin pressure and you’ll recover better from the flight.
Austrian 777 business class looks like Brussels and Aer Lingus. It’s fine; forward facing and ideally you’d avoid a duo seat.
Are you travelling solo or with someone? If with someone then the LH lack of personal space isn’t critical to you. So I would not add on an extra leg unnecessarily.
Also we may see difficulty generally at HKG for some time to come. Based on zero covid approach, or other. For me, I will no longer transit or travel to HKG on account of the national security law. And for work purposes I’d never be routed via HKG for same reason.
VIE is not my favourite European airport. It frustratingly has security checks per gate, so it’s very hard to time one’s arrival at the boarding gate having left the lounge.
Thank you. That was useful.
An update and some further questions please.
After six phone calls and four emails to the Lufthansa Service Centre, I’ve got a reroute.
Let it be known that 3 of these calls had a wait time of under 5 minutes to get through. The longest wait took just under 20 minutes to get through. Shame on you British AirwaysOutbound has been changed to Lufthansa via Munich. The flight time is slightly better for me than the original Swiss flights, but I understand the onboard experience is likely to be inferior to Swiss. They would not entertain any other airline option.
The inbound was eventually booked onto Thai tg920 (usually a 777 from what I can tell). I tried to get Singapore but they wouldn’t have it. I tried to get rerouted from HKT instead of BKK, but they said any change of airport has to be within 200 miles.
Flight times are slightly worse than the original Swiss flights, but not a biggie.
However, I am still unsure how the onboard experience compares to Swiss.
As I start the last day in Phuket, one possible advantage of the Thai flight is that I assume I should be able to book myself a separate flight from HKT to BKK and have my luggage checked through to at least Frankfurt, if not BHX. Hence can stay in resort for a couple of hours longer and no need to mess around at BKK.Questions:
Does anyone know how the Thai longhaul onboard experience compares to Swiss?
Am I right in assuming I’ll be able to get luggage checked in at HKT on a Thai domestic flight via a separate ticket all the way to FRA or BHX?
The longhaul sectors of the new flights are booking class D. The originals were P. What difference does this make to me? Presumably more miles, but anything else?
Is it worth trying to get Thai business class flights on points between HKT and BKK? The journey time feels too short.Thanks.
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
An update and some further questions please.
After six phone calls and four emails to the Lufthansa Service Centre, I’ve got a reroute.
Let it be known that 3 of these calls had a wait time of under 5 minutes to get through. The longest wait took just under 20 minutes to get through. Shame on you British AirwaysOutbound has been changed to Lufthansa via Munich. The flight time is slightly better for me than the original Swiss flights, but I understand the onboard experience is likely to be inferior to Swiss. They would not entertain any other airline option.
The inbound was eventually booked onto Thai tg920 (usually a 777 from what I can tell). I tried to get Singapore but they wouldn’t have it. I tried to get rerouted from HKT instead of BKK, but they said any change of airport has to be within 200 miles.
Flight times are slightly worse than the original Swiss flights, but not a biggie.
However, I am still unsure how the onboard experience compares to Swiss.
As I start the last day in Phuket, one possible advantage of the Thai flight is that I assume I should be able to book myself a separate flight from HKT to BKK and have my luggage checked through to at least Frankfurt, if not BHX. Hence can stay in resort for a couple of hours longer and no need to mess around at BKK.Questions:
Does anyone know how the Thai longhaul onboard experience compares to Swiss?
Am I right in assuming I’ll be able to get luggage checked in at HKT on a Thai domestic flight via a separate ticket all the way to FRA or BHX?
The longhaul sectors of the new flights are booking class D. The originals were P. What difference does this make to me? Presumably more miles, but anything else?
Is it worth trying to get Thai business class flights on points between HKT and BKK? The journey time feels too short.Thanks.
I have flown Thai business class LHR – BKK several times and would be happy to do so again. I have not flown Swiss so cannot make any comparison. I have in the past used a separate TG ticket from HKT to connect with my TG flight in BKK and my luggage was checked all the way from HKT – LHR.
The additional cost to fly HKT – BKK is not very much and I have always booked business. Main reason is the added flexibility with the ticket, shorter check in queue and access to the TG lounge in HKT. It may also add some weight to your request to check your luggage all the way through.
I will be interested to hear what you think of the Lufthansa business class on your return.
All the best with your upcoming trip.
An update and some further questions please.
After six phone calls and four emails to the Lufthansa Service Centre, I’ve got a reroute.
Let it be known that 3 of these calls had a wait time of under 5 minutes to get through. The longest wait took just under 20 minutes to get through. Shame on you British AirwaysOutbound has been changed to Lufthansa via Munich. The flight time is slightly better for me than the original Swiss flights, but I understand the onboard experience is likely to be inferior to Swiss. They would not entertain any other airline option.
The inbound was eventually booked onto Thai tg920 (usually a 777 from what I can tell). I tried to get Singapore but they wouldn’t have it. I tried to get rerouted from HKT instead of BKK, but they said any change of airport has to be within 200 miles.
Flight times are slightly worse than the original Swiss flights, but not a biggie.
However, I am still unsure how the onboard experience compares to Swiss.
As I start the last day in Phuket, one possible advantage of the Thai flight is that I assume I should be able to book myself a separate flight from HKT to BKK and have my luggage checked through to at least Frankfurt, if not BHX. Hence can stay in resort for a couple of hours longer and no need to mess around at BKK.Questions:
Does anyone know how the Thai longhaul onboard experience compares to Swiss?
Am I right in assuming I’ll be able to get luggage checked in at HKT on a Thai domestic flight via a separate ticket all the way to FRA or BHX?
The longhaul sectors of the new flights are booking class D. The originals were P. What difference does this make to me? Presumably more miles, but anything else?
Is it worth trying to get Thai business class flights on points between HKT and BKK? The journey time feels too short.Thanks.
I have flown Thai business class LHR – BKK several times and would be happy to do so again. I have not flown Swiss so cannot make any comparison. I have in the past used a separate TG ticket from HKT to connect with my TG flight in BKK and my luggage was checked all the way from HKT – LHR.
The additional cost to fly HKT – BKK is not very much and I have always booked business. Main reason is the added flexibility with the ticket, shorter check in queue and access to the TG lounge in HKT. It may also add some weight to your request to check your luggage all the way through.
I will be interested to hear what you think of the Lufthansa business class on your return.
All the best with your upcoming trip.
Thanks for the info.
No Thai flights available from HKT to BKK across several dates I’ve checked in August this year. Oddly, there are Thai flights the other way from BKK to HKT on those same dates.
I wonder if this is somehow linked to Sandbox entry into Phuket or something.
Will wait a while and see if TG domestic flights HKT > BKK come back again.
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