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I had an opportunity to fly Thai Airways on a trip from Bangkok to Hong Kong. Thai Airways offers a really unique first class flight experience that reminded me of Lufthansa’s First Class terminal.
Although Thai Airways doesn’t offer the same level of expensive luxury as the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Thai Airways offers a really impressive personalized service that makes checking-in and passing through security and immigration enjoyable. I love really great food and drinks, but I really love getting through security and immigration in a really easy and fast manner. Thai Airways really hit a home run with this aspect of their service.
Arriving at the Bangkok Airport
I arrived at the Bangkok airport from the Skytrain. The Skytrain provides service directly to Bangkok from the Sukumvit Airport. Transportation from Bangkok to the airport is roughly 45 minutes.
After arriving at the airport, I initially walked into a section of the economy check-in area. There was a short line that included a sign for a baggage drop. I wrongly assumed that must have been the first class area since I didn’t see the economy sign and long lines.
The woman at the desk checked me in anyway and issued my ticket. However she called someone from the airline over and asked me to follow him. If it was a different situation, I would have been concerned. It had the feeling of being asked to go somewhere for additional security checks. However, I was flying in first class and really didn’t have any concerns.
Finding the Correct Check-In Area
I was escorted to the correct first class check-in area which was next to to the area I originally started at. The actual Thai Airways first class check-in area was at the back corner of the airport. The reason it was in the back corner was because Thai Airways first class customers have access to a separate security and immigration line. The only other time I saw this arrangement was at Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal in Frankfurt Germany.
Thai Airways provides a personalized escort that takes you through the entire process. No one was in front of me and I passed through security and immigration in less than 5 minutes. After passing through security, I was escorted into a Thai Airways airport transport cart. I was driven directly to the Thai Airways first class lounge in the cart.
Layout
The Thai Airways lounge was large without being oversized. The staff goes out of their way to warmly greet you and make sure your aware of the lounge amenities. Once inside, the staff offered me the option of sitting in a private suite or sitting out in the main lounge area.
I chose the main lounge area to sit down. The individual suites looked really nice. Each suite included a sofa, multiple chairs, a flat screen TV, and a computer with Internet access.
The first class lounge includes a full bar and menu with a range of Thai and Western food options. I ordered the Thai Style grilled beef and sticky rice. I was concerned about how spicy the food would be because I’m not a heavy spice fan.
The waitress suggested the grilled beef and sticky rice specifically because it wouldn’t be too spicy. The meal arrived immediately and I thought it was excellent. The sauce had a little bit of kick, but it was served on the side.
Royal Orchid Spa Experience
All first class customers receive one free spa treatment at the Royal Orchid spa. I chose a back and neck massage. The Royal Orchid spa is located across from the Thai Airways First Class lounge.
One of the staff members escorted me directly to the Royal Orchid Spa. The Royal Orchid Spa includes a full sized spa facility almost as big as the Thai First Class Lounge. The head and neck massage was really relaxing. It was a similar service as the spa in Emirates First Class Lounge in Dubai.
After the spa visit, I was escorted back into the first class lounge. It was close to departure time, so one of the attendants notified the other first class passenger (there were only two of us), that it was time to board our flight. We were both escorted directly to our flight by one of the staff members from the lounge.
Pros
- Highly personalized service combined with a staff focused on providing a high quality customer experience.
- Access to a seperate express security and immigration line.
- Free spa treatment
- Driven directly to the lounge in an airport transport cart.
- Excellent food and drink options.
Cons
- The signs for first class and business class at the initial check-in could have been clearer and more prominently displayed. You might have some trouble finding the correct area if its your first time at the airport.
Final Thoughts
Thai Airways provides a top notch first class experience. The customer service is excellent and the personalized escort through a seperate security and immigration line really provides a unique experience. Although its not a far distance, being driven inside the airport to the lounge is also a really unique touch.
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