THAI defends food service after passenger complains on Facebook

[DrTuner]

8 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

By the way Business class passengers eat in the lounge or already had dinner on these late flights. 

Been to the miracle lounges? Not much to eat there. Liquid dinner is the best option.

[Captain Monday]

My perfect airline meal,was on Braniff Airlines,from Bogota  to Dallas,
Shrimp cocktail, Filet steak, and Creme caramel, on china plates and
real knifes and forks,the also had big leather seats,and that was economy,
It was a long time ago,but I have never forgotten it,flying definitely has
gone downhill.
regards worgeordie
 
 
 

That is a history before my time when US air services were strictly regulated guaranteeing carriers be profitable with load factors that would be suicidal these day. People now demand cheap tickets they get what they pay for

A small bag of pretzels and free soft drinks.

[Captain Monday]

Been to the miracle lounges? Not much to eat there. Liquid dinner is the best option.

I was just there last month BKK D or E gates. As I recall they had rice, Gaeng Karee Gai, and Spaghetti Bolognese. I just wanted a cookie

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Yep.  I often fly economy on them too and their food and service is good - in my opinion better than other regional airlines, but it's all much of a muchness really if we're being honest.  Flew 6 hours to Tokyo last year with the family and they were great - service good, food good, kids looked after.

Most of the people who make negative comments about Thai haven't been on a plane for years.

I do SIN-BKK on average 3 times every 2 months and due to timings (I go straight from the Office),  I normally use SIA but will use Thai if there's a significant (>$100) saving.

 

However, having not use them for a few months, I used them about 6 weeks ago and remembered why i don't use them:-

1. Seat selection is rubbish (never seems to be any seats near the front available)
2. I couldn't print my boarding pass so had to queue for 1/2 hour just to get the piece of paper
3. Food selection is rubbish, it's always fish/seafood (I'm allergic) or chicken (which I don't eat), in fact they handed me the shrimp without asking as they'd run out of chicken by the time they got to me.  I used to take the vegetarian option but nowadays I just fill up in the lounge and don't bother on the plane

Wasn't much better in Business Class (Before I got Fast Track access via TLM membership I used to fly Business as I hate queuing at Swampy) except it's easier to get a better seat.

 

SIA is not much better when it comes to food selection (8 times out of 10 it's also Seafood or Chicken) but better for booking seats near the front & I can print my boarding pass so straight through departure immigration (I only travel with my passport & wallet as I have everything I need in my condo in BKK)

 

 

[Mike Teavee]

56 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Been to the miracle lounges? Not much to eat there. Liquid dinner is the best option.

Miracle Lounges in Hall D are fine, but I agree there's nothing in the one in Hall C.

 

If you're going in them using a Priority Pass, try the Air France/KLM lounge in Hall F/G (right at the intersection) or the Oman Lounge in Hall E (I ended up walking to this from the Miracle Lounge in Hall C as I didn't fancy eating cheese sandwiches & crisps, about the only thing on offer I would eat). 

[leeneeds]

Just flown last night Brisbane -BKK, 2 meals served both were ok plenty of drinks offered 

during the flight, with stewards walking down the aisle with trays. For me I have used both business and economy many times, and have not had issues, other than the long flights are painful now as I get older in  economy, the enjoyment of anything over 4 hours has evaporated, the numb bum syndrome grasps me and sure jump up as soon as possible on landing, getting off the aluminium tube as quickly as I can. You get what you pay for in todays society.

[gk10002000]

I flew Thai air a few times on connecting flights from Japan and Tai Pei.  I found the food poor.  EVA and even China Air food was always quite good in either economy class or premium economy elite.  Korean Air flight food was poor.  Japan Air connecting flight from Japan to BKK was fresh and clean as could be

[DaRoadrunner]

Having read this thread I get the feeling it is not much fun being an air stewardess (flying waitress). Jet lagged and trapped for hours with hundreds of often grumpy passengers in cramped conditions.... what can we expect? I admire the way some of them keep their cool when abused by passengers.

 

As for the food, it has to be prepared hours before and kept heated on the flight, so one cannot expect it to taste like it came from a five star Michelin restaurant. If I had to complain I would say there is often just not enough food and I am left hungry.

 

Try flying Aeroflot, you will never complain about the other airlines ever again! We got a one inch thick doorstep of Russian black bread, a boiled chicken that looked like it had been starved to death and half a cucumber that a bar girl could do a live show with. Totally unreliable, it took 44 hours Bkk to London!

 

I am about to make a trip to Germany, which is the best airline?

[DaRoadrunner]

1 hour ago, Mike Teavee said:

Food selection is rubbish, it's always fish/seafood (I'm allergic) or chicken (which I don't eat), in fact they handed me the shrimp without asking as they'd run out of chicken by the time they got to me.  I used to take the vegetarian option but nowadays I just fill up in the lounge and don't bother on the plane

Did you know that with most airlines you can phone them a few days in advance and order special food? They have Gluten free, vegetarian and others available. I get some strange looks from other passengers though.... why is that guys food different?

[bartender100]

I have not flown Thai for a while, but could not be any worse than the KLM Amsterdam-Bangkok-Amsterdam route, atrocious 

[fruitman]

Last time we flew Thai (many years ago since we now boycot them) we got disgusting food, a wrap with very cheap tomato sauce in it....and it was a very small meal for a man of 90 kg...

 

The hostesses were rude and didn't care at all, she said they also brought their own food since it was so bad on board.

[observer90210]

4 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

Yeah, I suspect the complainer has already been taken into custody. 

Not if he lives abroad, was smart and did not post pics leading to his personnal ID/info and chose a nick name instead of his/her real name, in his account.

[starky]

7 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:

Well I don't fly business class, because I am a pensioner but I can't

complain about the food served on Thai Airways, I fly from Perth to

Suvarnabhumi non stop with Thai which takes just over 6 hrs.

And i always had a decent meal, snacks, and drinks.

I get the Perth Bkk flight twice a month. My only gripe is I often get the morning flight and for some reason it is treated like a red eye. Take off at 9 in the morning and after a quick breakfast the plane is completely blacked out and lights aren't turned on till an hour out of bkk quite ridiculous really. Also Thai Airways hosties have always been renowned for sleeping. One or 2 may stay awake to carry round the drinks tray the rest are always sloughed up for the whole flight surely they all can't be that tired all the time.

[RJRS1301]

11 hours ago, fasteddie said:

Best airline food I ever had, shame about the infestation of head lice/crabs I caught off my last Thai flight.

You have low standards regarding the food, the best that can be said about Thai Airlines food is that the standard has fallen drastically.

What other airlines have you flown?

I always carry alcohol wipes with me and wipe the headrest, seats, arm rests and table before taking my seat.

 

[Colabamumbai]

I always pack my own lunch. 

[Deli]

Open a can of dog food and it looks similar

[Fex Bluse]

4 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Having read this thread I get the feeling it is not much fun being an air stewardess (flying waitress). Jet lagged and trapped for hours with hundreds of often grumpy passengers in cramped conditions.... what can we expect? I admire the way some of them keep their cool when abused by passengers.

Oh, I'm not sure I would think of it that way.

 

Perhaps you saw the recent TV News thread about the problem of THAI/Thai flight attendants illegally smuggling merchandise into the country for resale.

 

I suspect they have it quite good indeed.

[legend49]

8 hours ago, kevin612 said:

Short time flight I don’t expect to eat, long flight I expect decent snacks. Meal? I never enjoy one.

Even the short domestic flight say CNX to BKK they serve coffee you cant drink and some form of warmed melting wrap with supposedly a paste of some curry; its like being at the cheapest junk food shop you can find. Even Thai Smile does 100% better with refreshments.

[nspec]

I've been flying between Bangkok and Busan fairly regular over the last 3 years, business class not economy and have tried all the regular airlines on this route. Thai is by far the best of the 3 airlines available!

 

Departing Busan if you don't want to take a chance on the 3 regular meals there is a choice of 5 or so meals which can be pre-ordered, all are of an acceptable standard.

 

Regards to drinks, always juice and often champagne are served whilst passengers are still boarding and they keep serving right up until just before landing. On one of the 'local' carriers if you ask for a third drink it is like the Spanish Inquisition to check that you are OK to have another......'Duty of Care' is what they call it!

 

Whilst Thai are not as good as they once were, nor on par with the likes of Emirates and Etihad for long haul, IMO they are better than most for flights around SE Asia.

[craigieboy1973]

Service was good but ...... too many indians arabs.... the smell was horrible should be asking these passengers to shower before flight.... my last flight i was scared never been on a plane that rocked and rolled so much must be oldest plane in fleet ....10 years with thai air .... you also keep changing the limits on points thank you but no more time for a change

[rchapstick]

Glad to see the usual TV kvetching.....

 

The flight in question that started this conversation left for Sapporo at midnight, so I would hope they would NOT serve a full meal, as this would disrupt the entire cabin for 2 hours.  A sandwich/snack handout is entirely appropriate.

 

And WRT charging people who poach seats, I'm all for it.  They d9nt let people just take open business class seats.  Why should they let people take open seats that anyone else would have to pay a premium for?

[Wiggy]

I just returned from London yesterday on Thai Airways. I chose to pay extra for a bulkhead seat which is standard on most airlines these days. Excellent legroom and I could get up to go to the bathroom without disturbing those next to me (I had a window seat, 31A). The food to London was better than the return. My only real gripe is the use of plastic utensils (most airlines have reverted to metal) and absence of cabin crew during the flight. Overall, I find EVA better than Thai.

[SheungWan]

It appears that THAI Air have not improve their act very much if at all, which is a shame as many of us use to fly them regularly many years ago. Now I wouldn't dream of it.

[fruitman]

Well i just tried worlds best airline (Qatar) and the food also was no good....a tiny portion of chicken with rice, the size of a baby meal.

 

I wonder who gave them the title of worlds best airline.

[bluejets]

Been flying with Thai Air since 2008 and never had a problem.

Always good food, well presented, polite attitude and helpful.

Some people are simply whingers by nature.

[helloagain]

12 hours ago, Denim said:

 

Why fly Thai ?

 

 Airline of last resort.

I have 15 years ago now never only singapore airlines

[Crash999]

I actually like their food. Better than Vietnam anyway. 

 

But points redemption is now a nightmare. Spent an hour on the phone last year trying to book seats for my family to go to Europe. Despite being a few months ahead every business class seat on every flight was full. Only option was to fly to Hong Kong or Osaka. 

[Hockeybik]

The food on my last few longer Thai flights was pretty sub-par for any airline that isn't considered "budget".

[Crusader]

Some interesting comments on this topic...but based on the original issue (the food served) it is a very simple process to find out ahead of time what is going to be served (either online or to the airline directly).

Personally, I would not use Thai unless absolutely necessary - the worst business class and airport lounges I have ever experienced - but we are spoiled for choice now.  Travelling economy...well, you get what you pay for - I never had any complaints when I used to do it.

[stupidfarang]

11 hours ago, SteveK said:

EVA air are much better IMHO, and markedly cheaper.

Totally agree, great Airline, I now use them all the time between the UK and Thailand. Have flowen Thai many years ago but gave up on them as their planes were old, Flew British Airways Business class two years ago, never again, old planes, poor food, small TV screens. There are some other good airlines out there but I prefer direct flights