Bangkok Reopens (Did it Ever Close?): SIN-BKK-SIN on TG A350/787 Y

[yflyer]

I headed to Bangkok in November 2022, just as the world was returning to normal after the pandemic. I was there for a business conference -- just one of many that were now taking place all over the world. This would be my first trip to Thailand since the start of the pandemic. How had the city changed? Would I find a deserted city centre like I did in San Francisco? Or would it be still recognizable as its old self, the way Barcelona was when I was there earlier in the year.

The title of this TR might have given it away. Bangkok was bustling. It was as if Covid never happened. The crowds, the heavy traffic...it was all the same, as far as I could tell. More folks were wearing masks, but the irony is that mask mandates weren't really in force. Folks there were just masked up on their own accord. I spent a few days there soaking in the atmosphere and attending a packed business conference.

I flew there and back on TG in Economy. I would have flown SQ like I usually do, but SQ fares were just so much higher than TG fares I decided to save a few bucks (for my employer) and fly TG instead. While there, I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Erawan. Not only was it one of my favourite hotels in Thailand, it was also walking distance to my conference venue -- perfect.

I didn't manage to head out for a run while I was there -- my schedule was just too tight, but I did eat some interesting things (Is there anything not interesting to eat in Thailand?)

It was interesting to fly Thai again after a long time. My impressions of their inflight product on both the A350 / B787 later in this TR. Prior to my return, at BKK, I checked out both the TG Royal Orchid Lounge and SQ's SilverKris Lounge.

All that coming up shortly!

[yflyer]

My trip began on a sunny day in November...



TG departs from Changi T1...



TG counters were not busy at 10.20am...



Flight schedules that day...



The beautiful Kinetic Rain sculpture was still there...



Lots to do in the airside area -- shops and restaurants were open...

[yflyer]

I headed to the Dnata Lounge, which was the designated lounge for TG.



This was a long, spacious lounge...



With comfortable seating...



...and a dedicated dining area.



There were high counters/bar stools for work / dining, and these had A/C and USB power.

[yflyer]

There was a self service bar, and a buffet spread comprising hot and cold selections.



Two red wines...



..and two whites...



Beer, soft drinks/mixers and fruit juice...



Coffee/tea...



Overall, an average selection as far as bar and beverages were concerned, the bare minimum for a J lounge in an Asian airport I think.

On to the food...



Fruit salad...



I was there in the late morning, so the breakfast selections were still out: mushrooms, scrambled eggs and pancakes...



...as well as rice and congee...



There was also teriyaki chicken, radish cake, and chicken frankfurters...




It looked like they were changing over to the lunch spread when I arrived, so some of the dishes above might have been part of the lunch menu (The teriyaki chicken maybe?)...as well as pasta.



I thought the food selection was decent, although the presentation was quite average. Again, about the bare minimum I would expect from a J lounge in Asia.

[yflyer]

There were shower rooms...



...with ensuite WC -- always a good thing.

[yflyer]

Overall I would say the Dnata T1 lounge was a decent lounge, rather than a great one.



Perfectly good for a pit stop for food/drink and a shower before a flight. It wasn't crowded, which was an important consideration.

I left the lounge and headed to my gate...

[yflyer]

My plane had not yet arrived when I got to the gate...



Our departure was scheduled for 12.25pm. It looked like we would be departing slightly late -- no matter: I had no meetings scheduled for that day. Eventually, Airbus A350-900 rego HS-THK, "Phaisali" arrived...



This was a 5+ year old plane, first delivered in February 2018.

[yflyer]

Boarding eventually began at 12.40 pm...



This was a 2-class aircraft, with the J cabin up front...



...followed by the Y cabin, laid out in conventional 3-3-3...



The first row Y bulkhead seats...



Legroom and seat recline were fine...



No underseat obstructions...



Footrests! These have all but disappeared from SQ's fleet, but this Thai A350 still has them.



A/C power...



A quick look in the bathroom...

[yflyer]

Like most A350 Y cabins, the emex row in the main cabin had a missing window seat, which meant the following row window seat had extra legroom plus aisle access...a very desirable seat!

[yflyer]

Each seat had a large widescreen IFE panel...



Foldable tray table...





Fairly comprehensive IFE platform...



I appreciated the high def camera view...



Small pillow (with disposable cover) on each seat...



USB charging port under the IFE screen...

[yflyer]

They were still using the fantasy/Alice in Wonderland themed safety video that I saw the last time I flew TG...



I've always imagined the voice over in the next scene to be "In case of emergency, a winged cherub will fly over and give you an oxygen mask..."

[yflyer]

Final safety checks...



Turning onto Runway 02R...



Accelerating down the runway...



Rotate...



Wheels up...



Just under 2 hours flight time to Bangkok today...



I spent a few minutes checking out the IFE.



Headphones were the old fashioned headband type, but believe me, these sounded better than the awful earbuds that SQ now uses. Still, for the best possible sound, bring your own headphones (with airline adapter).



Picture and sound quality were good...



There was a decent selection of movies onboard, although the catalog was not as jawdropping as SIA's Krisworld IFE.

A message on the IFE screen indicated Wifi was available.



I tried connecting...



No luck...



Oh well. Luckily it was a short flight. I would have been a little disappointed if this had been a long haul sector.

We were now over the clouds, in clear blue skies...

[yflyer]

Time for lunch...



The IFE had a screen for a digital menu...



Nope, not loaded today...



The cabin crew offered me a choice of prawn or chicken.

Across the aisle, the pax seated there had ordered the prawns, served Asian style, with rice.



I asked for the chicken...



This looked like an old-school Y meal tray. Cutlery was plastic, and beverages were served in plastic cups.



To me, the meal tray looked a little retro. Not a bad thing, actually! Those were the good old days of travel. None of the cardboard box nonsense that SQ tried and then scrapped...

But I did a double-take at the casserole on my Y tray...good God...it was a ceramic dish (The kind SQ also used in Y a decade or so ago!)



Was I in a time machine? Was this a fluke? A glance around seemed to confirm that the other pax had metal foil casseroles, and mine seemed to be the only ceramic one. I should have kept it!

In retrospect I believe I was likely served a casserole from the J cabin for my meal. Whether it was accidental, or whether they decided they had excess J mains and decided to allocate them to the Y cabin. In any case, I was happy to be given this "partial upgrade"!

The chicken tasted very good, and so did the starter (Yes TG still offers a proper appetiser in Y)...



The dessert was fine too...



The red wine I paired with my chicken was a French Syrah...



The friendly cabin crew member serving my section was kind enough to also pour me some of the white wine to taste. Thumbs up!



Finally, coffee in a proper cup...



I really enjoyed this Y meal. It felt like a throwback to, yes, the "good old days".

[yflyer]

With much of the flight over the waters of the Gulf of Thailand, we made landfall close to the coastal city of Rayong...



Just 25 minutes more to run on this flight...



Cabin ambience in the full Y cabin was good: the large windows and comparatively spacious seating made the cabin feel open and airy.



A few circuits...



...due to airport congestion...



Final approach (With just a little crosswind)...



On the ground...



...and at the gate.



We disembarked shortly after, into the busy terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport.



With the slightly delayed arrival, I suspect some folks would have had to rush for their connections, but I had no other plans for the day, so I could afford to take a leisurely stroll to immigration.

[yflyer]

Overall, I felt this was a good flight. While the aircraft was no longer brand new, the A350 is still one of the most advanced passenger aircraft flying today, and the Y cabin product was as modern and comfortable as almost any out there. I thought the cabin crew were warm and efficient, and really enjoyed my meal (Even if the ceramic casserole was a one-off...). I wished that wifi was working, and that electronic menus were available, but on a short sector, those were fairly minor quibbles.

After clearing immigration, I headed to the AOT transport counter and got a car transfer to the Grand Hyatt. I didn't pre-book a car, but thankfully a regular car was available.

To be continued!