TG F (LHR-BKK), SQ F (BKK-SIN), SQ Y (SIN-SYD), and On-The-Ground Experiences

[jjpb3]

TG F (TG911 LHR-BKK) – 3

In many of the trappings of F service, I don’t think TG is much behind SQ. F passengers get very nice items to take with them







assuming that TG haven’t run out of your size for the pajamas. (They said they did on my LHR-BKK flight, but I did see one of the pax with pajamas that were my size [M] ). I’ll note that two particularly useful items in the TG F kit which aren’t in the SQ kits I’ve seen are the facial mist/spray (very useful as a base when you apply moisturizer during the flight ) and the lip balm.

While we’re on the topic of the F experience, I’d like to note that the F toilets are immaculately maintained





and that the toothbrushes (I know, I’m being picky) are, IMO, pretty close in quality to that in SQ F. I did miss the mouth wash on SQ, however.

[StarG]

Nice pictures jjpb3.
They really look similar to the LX F pictures posted on another thread.
Oh well, they are no SkySuites but now you have 'done that'.

[jjpb3]

TG F (TG911 LHR-BKK) - 4

In a very important part of the F experience -- the meal -- I think TG falls short of SQ. This isn’t helped by the fact that the meal table is a big, heavy slab of wood that requires FAs to tug mightily in order to release it from its berth. The table was so big that the table cloth could not cover the entire surface.

.

The undersized table cloth did not create a luxurious feeling to the meal service.


The dinnerware was very nice, with cleverly angular pieces, but unfortunately the overall impression was ruined by the all-plastic flatware



Because of the blunt plastic knife she had to use, the FA struggled to cut a slice of cheese for me after lunch. That said, the cheese slices were larger than on SQ. Overall, plastic 'silver'ware created a cheap feel to the meal services.

I have to say, the menu was visually charming and the menu cover recalled the imagery of Thai handicrafts



but the overall impression was marred by the fact that menu cover was showing signs of wear and tear.

More importantly, I found the quality of the food itself not to be very consistent. I personally liked the foie gras starter



and the satay




but was disappointed with the roast duck for dinner



and the scrambled eggs for breakfast

.

IMO, whenever you see your scrambled eggs stand rigidly at attention like that, you should hear alarm bells ringing.

(The TG F menu for TG911 is posted here.)

Fortunately, TG’s new AVOD system





allowed me to indulge in my favourite inflight mealtime activity – watching sitcoms (in this case Will & Grace )



TG's AVOD controls are very intuitive, but there are some differences with KrisWorld. For example, one press on the Pause button and another on the Play button allow you to start your feature from the place of interruption. With KrisWorld, I've found it necessary to use the Stop button and then press the right arrow key at least two times (once to choose the program, the second to accept English as the language).

(Naturally, I'm so used to pressing the fast-forward or rewind button, and then releasing it to get to my desired point in the feature, that I found the fast-forward and rewind functions on KrisWorld easier to use. I did appreciate the touch-screen feature on TG. Sometimes it was just easier to reach for the screen and touch it, instead of fiddling with the remote control.)

[jjpb3]

Summary - TG F

All in all, TG F was a very nice experience, especially since it was a bargain with BD's cash+miles redemption . I'd spend my miles on TG F again, particularly on the BKK-LHR route (when I'd have access to the TG lounges in BKK).

Although I found TG service to be very warm, I have to admit that I like SQ service better. (Surprise surprise ) One thing I noticed on this flight was the FAs' more diffident manner. Although SQ FAs ensure that you know that they're there to make the flight special for you, they also have a certain confidence about them which I didn't find with the TG FAs on this flight. (Note: I've come to the conclusion that this probably depends on the cabin crew. I found the right mix of warmth, profressionalism and confidence on my BKK-LHR flight.) The second thing I noticed, as noted before, was the absence of the cabin crew in between the meals. Maybe this was just a consequence of the self-service cart.

Lastly, I'm a bit troubled by the lax enforcement of safety procedures by the TG cabin crew. The passenger in 1A didn't stow his belongings or his screen during landing, and he kept his feet up on the footrest during takeoff and landing. Somehow, I can't see SQ FAs tolerating that. (I may be biased by the fact that the passenger also refused to lower his window shades during the quiet period of the flight, because, in his words, "these are my windows". The cabin crew offered to move me because they felt they couldn't impose on the passenger to close his shades.) During takeoff and landing, I also saw the passenger in 1K keep her belongings perched on the sideboards without stowing them.


As nice as my experience with TG F was, I confess that I couldn't wait for the next part of my journey :



It might have been only a regional flight, but it was the airline that has never failed to feel like home to me.

[MAN Flyer]

Excellent stuff so far!.

I quite like the way they leave the drinks out, it's easy to reach over and grab the Dom whenever you fancy a bit more. Besides, the look on the face of the F/A when they come out for a random check and find the bottle empty can be quite amusing...

TG are very hit and miss these days, and have sadly declined in F in the last year or so. I presume they still don't have any drinks menu ?, which is ridiculous for intercontinental F.

[jjpb3]

I presume they still don't have any drinks menu ?, which is ridiculous for intercontinental F.

I forgot to mention that! I was amazed that there was no drinks menu.

When the cabin crew wasn't proactive in recommending a wine to go with your meal, you had to ask which wines they had -- and then that required a lot of explanation from the cabin crew.

I quite like the way they leave the drinks out, it's easy to reach over and grab the Dom whenever you fancy a bit more. Besides, the look on the face of the F/A when they come out for a random check and find the bottle empty can be quite amusing...

I think I was mostly responsible for the Dom disappearing on my BKK-LHR leg. Lightweight fellow pax: where were the SQTalkers when I could have enjoyed the company?

[sqforever]

Excellent report jjpb3! I actually had higher expectations of TG F, especially in catering and the lavatory. I imagined beautifully-plated Thai food with the aroma in your face and such but your photos were not exactly that. And for the lavatories I though TG would have like an oriental-style feel instead of sinks that look like UA! The SQ B77W lav. is probrably much nicer with the timber and marble-style and such. But great job on this write! And btw IMO I agree that the TG video is one of the best! Very relaxing.

[SQflyergirl]

Excellent !. Made for very good reading, and an excellent addition to SQtalk's growing list of top notch reports!

[YK@HKG]

Very good report and detailed photos

[KeithMEL]

Awesome stuff, thanks jjpb3!

More please.

[9V-JKL]

Thanks for sharing jjpb3, MORE PLEASE!

[upright man]

I thoroughly enjoyed your TR so far, jjpb3 ! Can't wait for more !

[UA MM]

Great reports, jjpb3.
Looks like TG changes the amenity kits from Bulgari to Hermes.

[Lobster]

Thanks for the report JJPB3 really enjoying it.

I have to say the quality of trip reports on this board is just so high. Thank you to everyone for all the effort you put into them.

[jjpb3]

At BKK - 1

(Apologies for the tardiness in the installment, but the Muses were depriving me of inspiration. Thanks for the patience; here are the next ones.)

We landed at BKK ahead of schedule, but as far as I was concerned, it was soon enough. As I mentioned earlier, the passenger in 1A obstinately refused to lower his window shades, so it was a relief to fly into a part of the world that was still in darkness. No longer was I penalized for having a bodyclock that wasn’t prepared to go to sleep.

If you look beyond the F seats in the second picture of Post #15, you’ll see the Business Class cabin. Unlike on SQ, where the narrowing of the aircraft because of the F galley constitutes a natural barrier between F and C, the TG F cabin is really only separated from C by a wide curtain (on the left-hand side of the cabin when you face front), which is only drawn just before takeoff and then pulled aside before landing. I’m not a fan of this feature -- IMHO, it makes the F cabin feel less exclusive before takeoff and landing. I know, this makes me sound like a snob , but that’s what the cabin divisions are supposed to be for: a feeling of exclusivity and greater service.

At around 5:30 in the morning – when we landed – BKK is mostly empty. It’s a good thing for the airport. In a previous visit, I found the airport poorly designed in terms of the way it directed foot traffic and the way the signs were laid out. The lack of a crowd meant that these characteristics weren't as noticeable. There were staff holding up signs for other F passengers, but because I became an SQ passenger once I disembarked, they weren't there for me. No matter. I had a long but tranquil walk to the transit desks, which wasn't at all painful because of:

• As noted, the lack of a crowd
• The open design of the airport, which actually looked attractive and inviting at that hour
• My decision to use a wheeled carryon, which meant my shoulders / back didn't have to bear the brunt of my inability to keep my carryon items to an absolute minimum (thank you, lap top )

I reached the transfer desk and spent quite a few seconds trying to figure out where the SQ desk was (again, a sign of bad signage at BKK). I marched up the counter, and the agent looked surprised when I presented my passport.

“Mr jjpb3, we weren’t expecting you so soon. Your flight was early!”
“Oh, I get lucky sometimes. [smile]”
“I have you in Seat 2A?”
“That’s right. Could you check if the seat next to me is free, and if it isn’t, if there might be another seat with no one next to it?”
“Oh you don’t have to worry about a seatmate, Mr jjpb3. You’re our only passenger in First Class this morning.”



Let me tell you. I was borderline cranky at this point (thanks to Mr Seat 1A's self-centredness and my natural inability to get a good night’s sleep on the 12 noon-ish departures ex-LHR), but that statement had me beaming. I couldn’t wait to get on my flight.

But of course a reviving shower was needed. Plus I had to try CGK's recommendation about the TG F Lounge shower amenities and food.

Needless to say, my fatigue-fogged mind meant I didn't enjoy the shortest possible walk to the TG F Lounge.