After visiting Singapore I was ready for the next stop, Phuket in Thailand, a perfect place for an easy going beach holiday. I visited Phuket last time in December 2004, then luckily avoided the tsunami.
I had chosen to fly on Tiger Airways, wanted to try a new airline and had heard good things about it. Singapore's lovely metro system MRT carried me from Chinatown to Changi, smoothly and quickly. I think it's hard to find any cleaner metro trains!
The Changi tower:
I was curious to see Changi's Budget Terminal, linked by bus to the Terminal 2. The check in area looked like a typical basic Budget Terminal - but of course clean and well organized...
...but after the security you find a very nice little terminal, all services available.
The flight was delayed a bit but I didn't mind, there was a free internet service and it was interesting to just observe what was going on. I could hear there were lot of Australians, probably flying on Tiger back to home.
13 January 2008
Singapore SIN - Phuket HKT
TR 154 13:50 - 14:35
A320 Y Seat C15
This time we could walk to the a/c, a really nice looking bird I think. On the way I spotted an other A320, which needed some fixing:
Our plane:
The flight was perhaps 50% full, I got three seats just for myself. This A320 had 180 seats with the seat pitch of 29", tight but ok this time. The cabin looked new & fresh with greyish interior, the crew looked more adult than earlier on JetStar from HKG to SIN. Their inflight magazine was one of the best I've seen anywhere:
The Andaman Sea, west of Thailand:
The short flight was soon over, I just had time to buy a coffee and a plastic model of Tiger's good looking A320.
Tiger Airways is a really good LCC, at least for a short flight like I had, flying from SIN to Australia could be a different experience.
At the Phuket Airport I was reminded I wouldn't be the only weather refugee from Finland in town... Air Finland's B757-200 heading back to the North-West, probably to some provincial airport in Finland:
The five days in Phuket gave me what I needed, sun and good food. Staying in Patong wasn't a good idea, it was even more crowded with tourists than last time. It was spooky how some local guys in the street shops could guess your nationality, I was greeted in Finnish: Terve miten menee? (Hi how's it going?) ..perhaps I just look Finnish, last time that happened in Gran Canaries in Spain, a long time ago...
Today Phuket is better prepared for tsunamis than in 2004, the evacuation routes were clearly marked. In 2004 I avoided the tsunami because I changed my mind and didn't stay over Christmas as planned. My friends stayed, luckily they survived but a friend of mine lost her unborn baby. But, they were not among the 178 Finns and thousands of others who died.
After Phuket my next stop was my all time favourite, Bangkok. I would be carried there by Thai Airways.
18 January 2008
Phuket HKT - Bangkok BKK
TG 609 14:45 - 16:10
A330-300 Y Seat A22
The Phuket airport is one of the most uncomfortable international airports I have been to, it sure needs a serious face lift and more space. The always friendly Thai people saved a lot, unfortunately the Westerners were not as polite at the busy airport.
Getting in to the a/c was a relief, though the flight was almost full. The cabin had seen better days but the leg room was ok. No personal IFE as expected, just a large screen in the front. The crew gave a very professional impression, it didn't took a long after the take off before the snack box was served: a tiny Danish and an orange juice, followed by hot drinks. I would had preferred something more local, fruits perhaps.
The short 1h 25min flight was soon over, a bus transfer to the gloomy new terminal at Suvarnabhum.
Bangkok is one of my favourite cities: great food, good shopping, friendly people. My only problem there is the polluted air, but my lungs survived five days. I stayed in the hotel Narai on the Silom Rd, a nice 3* hotel close to the city center, good deals often available.
BA had lost my luggage already in the beginning of my journey so I had a good excuse to shop, five days later I returned to Suvaranabhum with a heavy bag. This time I didn't worry for the weight, I had a business class ticket back home to HEL on Finnair. This was my first long haul flight in C class, I though this would be the best way to burn my Finnair Plus points. I had experienced Finnair's C class once before, on BKK-HKG-BKK a couple of years ago. It was ok, but nothing special.
23 January 2008
Bangkok BKK - Helsinki HEL
AY 96 12:35 - 18:25 (17:50 - 23:40)
MD-11 C Seat 1D
At the airport I was told the bad news: the flight would delayed for about five hours. Nothing new with the MD-11's, personally very happy they all will leave AY's fleet by the spring 2010. In mid winter AY has two daily departures to BKK using MD-11 so BKK is mosty likely to suffer if something goes wrong. The good news was the passengers would get a room and a lunch in the new 4* Novotel airport hotel. My room was one of the best I have ever stayed, no problem killing time there:
But I still wanted to check the Cathay Business Lounge at the airport, so after the tasty lunch I took the minibus back to the airport. The Cathay's lounge where I was invited was rather small, but comfortable, I skipped the snacks but had a whiskey and coffee, while surfing in net.
Never in my life has a flight delay been so pleasant experience but then it was time to start the flight back home to the Winterland. I left the lounge only when I really had to, so I could walk straight in to the a/c. I was greeted by a friendly blond and guided to my seat, a glass of champagne was served.
The take-off was powerfull as always on MD-11. The angled lie-flat seat felt quite good, a bit hard though. Generally the cabin felt airy and fresh, the large windows on MD-11 are great. The seats were new, in the toilets you could see the age of the a/c.
A 360-panorama view to the AY MD-11 C cabin: http://www.finnair.fi/filecontent/fi/fleet/md11_business.htm
The IFE was the old style, but the limited movie selection was actually quite good, I watched a couple of new movies. It was a day flight and I wasn't tired enough to sleep.The amenity kit looked cheap, but the Finnish natural cosmetics were nice, how could I have survived without Lingonberry Seed Oil Facial Mist?
In some point I realized only six seats were occupied, out of 36 in the C cabin. This ment we passengers got lot of attention, have to say the service was really intensive. Finnair usually have couple of Asian flight attendants on their Asian flights, but in the C cabin the crew was all Finnish, mostly blonde ladies in their 30's, polite and professional but a bit distant at first - rather Finnish I think.
The meals kept me busy most of the flight, the flight's menu looked liked this:
The lunch was the best part of the meal, the dinner was just ok, nothing to write home about. The wines were great, especially the 20y old Porto, absolutely great. My choices from the wine list:
My first Finnair long haul flight in C class was a good experience, better than expected actually. Next time I want to try their A343 and A333 (from 2009), both in Y and C, with AVOD etc. We landed at HEL close to the midnight, after Bangkok the airport and city felt so silent. And a lot colder for sure, though the winter was the 'warmest' ever measured in Helsinki. I don't mind the cold but the darkness is the worst part. Once again, the sun therapy in Asia worked and I know I will need it next winter too, perhaps in a new destination, in Malesia perhaps?
EK425 From Australia, joined Apr 2008, 14 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 years 9 months 4 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 6355 times:
Andaman,
Another great TR!
Wow, the SIN LCC terminal looks so good for a 'basic' facility! But I guess that is Singapore for you!
Quoting Andaman (Thread starter): flying from SIN to Australia could be a different experience.
I would never fly them PER-SIN because of their shocking legroom. Even though QF is pricier and still has bad legroom (31") I still get a free meal, AVOD and frequent flyer miles
A bummer about the 5 hour delay in BKK, but I guess that nice hotel room wouldv'e made up for it. Did all the pax get a hotel room or just those travelling in C? Also, how were the loads in Y for that flight?
Quoting Andaman (Thread starter): how could I have survived without Lingonberry Seed Oil Facial Mist?
I don't think you wouldv'e been able to survive without it
Interesting about the dinner, only having one choice for it. It would suck if you dont like fish. Were there any inflight snacks C pax could have instead of the dinner?
Triple7man From Thailand, joined May 2005, 617 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 years 9 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 5974 times:
Quoting Andaman (Thread starter): The good news was the passengers would get a room and a lunch in the new 4* Novotel airport hotel. My room was one of the best I have ever stayed, no problem killing time there:
You bring back memories of my stay at the Suvarnabhumi Novotel. I did not make my flight, so I paid for it myself for an 8 hour stay there. It was very nice but expensive. I would like to try it when I can overnight there. It was comfortable but I really did not sleep well at all. I was probably too keyed up about missing my flight and missing my connection in NRT as a result.
Andaman From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (3 years 9 months 4 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 5634 times:
Quoting EK425 (Reply 1): A bummer about the 5 hour delay in BKK, but I guess that nice hotel room wouldv'e made up for it. Did all the pax get a hotel room or just those travelling in C? Also, how were the loads in Y for that flight?
All passengers got the room, they have a rule a room is provided if the flight is delayed 5h or more, if just rooms available.
The C class pax got a C class room. I didn't mind the delay, five more hours in tropics
It seemed the Y class was full, AY's Bangkok flights often are packed, the Nordics love Thailand. BKK is their only long haul destinations with two daily departures (in winter).
Quoting EK425 (Reply 1):
Interesting about the dinner, only having one choice for it. It would suck if you dont like fish. Were there any inflight snacks C pax could have instead of the dinner?
Oops my bad, there sure was a dinner choice. I had left part of the menu out and can't find it anymore... Well the dinner wasn't anything special anyway. Yes snacks were served between meals but I didn't need any. On their A340's they have a nice looking snackbar for C class pax.
The Suvarnabhumi Novotel is a nice, actually it was my first time in a airport hotel. I can image it also can be a lonely experience if you are staying alone in a big sterile airport hotel, far from the city center.
AntonovA330 From Switzerland, joined Jul 2007, 298 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (3 years 9 months 4 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 5457 times:
Nice thing Andaman! Kiitti! Glad you had survived the delay
BTW, is that picture (of you I guess) taken in Rovaniemi? I have quite a similar one of myself from that very spot (also with AY DC9 in the background)! Terkkuja pukille...
Good day to you sir! Please turn left, your seat is in the first row.
Carfield From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1447 posts, RR: 9 Reply 8, posted (3 years 9 months 4 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 5361 times:
Thanks for the report!
Finnair seems to have some changes with its J service!
When I flew it last year, no amenity kit was passed out to J passengers - only a pair of socks and eyeshades. All other amenities are at the lavatories.
There are new serving chinas too... it looks nice.
About choices of meals, Finnair is only of the few airlines, which does not offer a choice of entrees in economy class. In Business class, the second meal often has no choice of entrees... breakfast or dinner or refreshment. So if you have dietary requirement and you fly FInnair, please remember to reserve your special meals. I guess it will be nice to be given a choice, but Finnair is heavily discounted in business class on most Asian routes. So I guess it is sort of okay!
Yes the meals are Finnair's weak point, both in Y and C.
I am really curious to see how Finnair will look in the coming years, they have been growing fast and their goal is to triple the long haul traffic by 2017. Now it seems they are competing with price in the long haul traffic, I hope they will reach there the same good level they have in short hauls.
The MD-11's will go by the spring 2010, being replaced by the A330-300's, and by the A350's later, that should help. Anyway, they made a good profit last year, so they must do something right. Personally I am happy their business concept provides good and often inexpensive connections from HEL to Asia.
Andaman From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (3 years 9 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 4698 times:
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 10): Another interesting report, Andaman. Finnair's C-Class product on the MD-11 looks ok, in contrast to their Y-Class offering...
Yes the C class was ok, a good word the describe it. Personally happy the MD-11's are going, I want to try their A340 (and A330 from next year), the Y class should be better on those, at least a modern Panasonic AVOD available on A340.
I hope the Y class meals are improving too.
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