Thailand escape from DST in November (Eva Air Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-10)

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Thailand has been one of the few countries on my wishlist. I've heard a lot of good things about the country and initially had a plan to go solo. However, because of other reasons, my dad ended up joining me.

For context, I've only covered Bangkok and more recently did a trip also to Pattaya. More to come. I had a plethora of options to choose from, but because this is not an India trip, I didn't just go by what was cheapest, but what was also convenient and had shorter connections (not rushed, but reasonable).

I already flew Singapore Airlines this past May and easily could have again. Problem with SQ is Economy Class is only available on the daytime flights which I'd have to sacrifice a full working day and while Changi is a great airport, not worth spending overnight if your intention is to get there with minimal time. Plus already flew the A350, would probably avoid it for a while.

Korean Air was another option. They operate 9-across Boeing 777-300ER's but have more recently switched to a Boeing 787-10, which is good when it comes down to Wifi. However, not so good from the same reason as SQ (full day off work, waking up in the AM) and when it's your first time in a new country, you should reach there in the daytime to be able to see and get to know the place well (or at least where you're staying). On the return, I'd have to spend 9 hours in Incheon depending on which flight options were there, so I thought, maybe next time we'll see.

Eva Air has many flights and there are 777's with a 9-abreast configuration and some with the 10-abreast. So I seized the opportunity to go back to flying a 777-300ER and 9-across. Plus they had a night flight, which I could still work a full day and leave at night and I wanted to get more KrisFlyer points because Eva Air is also a Star Alliance member.

Pictures will follow next post onwards.

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Flight: Eva Air flight BR27
Route: San Francisco - Taipei
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER (B-16716, 16 years at time of departure)
Livery: Normal
Date of Departure: November 10 (11:30PM), Arrival November 12 (5:35AM)
Seat: 66A (Economy Class)
Configuration: 3-class (Business, Premium Economy, Economy)

It's been quite a while since heading into SFO at night time especially for a International redeye flight. I made it a point to work a full day Monday (my job's fully remote) and have dinner and catch a redeye flight to Taipei and later Bangkok.





One thing to be clear about is that Eva Air has two redeye flights from SFO-TPE daily. One is BR27 which is a 9-abreast (uses older frames up to B-16716) which I was on and the other flight was 20 minutes later at 11:50PM on BR17 (10-abreast), hence why the line was bigger.

I intentionally checked seat maps to determine which one is a 9-across especially for sleeping and it was BR27. The other positive side to this was that the frame that operates BR17 is typically used to operate BR67 to Bangkok and later London Heathrow. This held true as when I saw the frame at gate A1, I figured it'd be the one picking me up to LHR.





Our gate would be gate A6. Even despite the government shutdown in the US (now over), the good news is that International flights were not affected and TSA Pre took no more than 5 minutes and we had plenty of time to spare.

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Some plane spotting. Air India's VT-ALK which would be heading to Bengaluru via Kolkata.

You can faintly see the Eva Air Boeing 777-300ER parked at gate A1 since 3PM from BR18 (B-16737), the 10-across flight. That frame would later fly me to Bangkok as BR67.



Our bird that would take us to Taipei over the Pacific (B-16716). The difference is the radome placement, but Wifi providers are exactly the same (Panasonic Wifi). It's not like SQ where the planes like these have On Air and the one like the newer BR 77W has Panasonic.





This side had a sea of Boeing 777-300ER's (China Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Eva Air and Air India)



The other side of the gate A concourse had mostly A350's but one CX 77W too. Here's a Starlux A350 that would also head to Taipei.



Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER at SFO. They mostly use A350's for all their SFO flights except 872/873. B-KQH.





Cathay Pacific A350 (B-LRF) at gate A10 taxiing soon for its 9:45PM departure to HKG.







China Airlines 777-300ER B-18052








A little warning that Wifi would not be available on this flight. Funny story? It worked, but not the launch portal page. The night flight gave me a great excuse to sleep and for a 9-abreast 777-300ER I slept quite well, because of how wide the seats were.



Our menu for tonight's flight.

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We began boarding around 11:10PM for our BR27 flight to Taipei. Very orderly boarding.

Royal Laurel Business class



Premium Economy. A fairly large section compared to many airlines which have 3-4 rows at most.





Voila. 3-3-3 Economy on a Boeing 777-300ER. Felt more breathable compared to the 3-4-3 nowadays.





My seat was 66A for the night. The middle seat was empty which gave me more width and was very easy to fall asleep.



A pillow and blanket were offered. This blanket was one of the best compared to most airlines as well as the pillow.



It took us a while to pushback because two 777-300ER's were departing and starting their engines (China Airlines and Air India)







These maps are non-interactive like Rockwell Collins but the IFE works, gives you valuable information, it gets the job done so I didn't complain about it not being interactive because I knew my next leg would be interactive.





13 hours of a flight. Not bad, I slept 11 out of 13 hours total after take off.



Pushback happened a little after 11:45PM









Tracking the flight's progress on the ground as I knew Wifi would not be available later on.







Eva Air has Star Gallery
















We took off a little bit past 12:10AM.















Non-interactive map in 3 languages (Mandarin, Japanese, English)



























As I mentioned before, if you click Launch Portal on this flight, it would not work.

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Supper service began shortly after take off



I went for the Vegetarian lacto ovo meal. Pasta and some vegetables along with bread and butter, and salad. The meal was really decent to my expectations. Salad was awesome. Bread was warm (kudos to Eva, some airlines serve it cold) but the dessert was weird.

My dad on the other hand had Indian vegetarian, and he was not very happy with it. The bhindi masala was good that he had, but the rest to him below average.





Adjustable headrest



Pillow and blanket offered. I won with the middle seat empty, so because it was so wide it was very easy to sleep even with turbulence.



Even for a 15+ year old aircraft, they do a great job maintaining the lavatories.







Toothbrush and toothpaste available on request. No amenity kits at least unless you asked for them?

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I checked out the entertainment system here, too



Not a whole lot of movies, and definitely not much in the way of Indian movies.





A lot of Asian and Western music but not much Indian music







TV shows were there but not live TV such as what you get on Emirates and Singapore Airlines











Kid's selections

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I slept a very good 9 hours and eventually brushed my teeth and got a snack. Decided to check the maps out.

Mandarin Map version.

































Japanese map version













































English map version

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Second meal service commenced, breakfast

Veg lacto ovo meal. Scrambled eggs with baked potatoes (Not a fan of potatoes) and some veggies. It was pretty decent to my expectations.

As far as my dad, he got the naan and chick peas masala. He was not impressed at all because it was soggy.



Empty seat space for sleeping.



Foldable tray table





9-abreast 777-300ER cabin. Wide and airy. Those days are long gone and decreasing unfortunately. I wish the 777X would be as comfortable as this or if they would increase the width of the aisles and seats to accommodate for 10-abreast.





Not far from Taipei Taoyuan.







Taipei and Taiwan arrival video



















Connecting flight information. I was on BR67 but at the time I booked my dad's ticket he got BR211, which was also a 777-300ER (newer, but 9-abreast, B-16728 with the same dark grey Panasonic radome above door 2)

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Sunrise on arrival into Taipei



















Apologies for the blurriness. Somehow my 16 Pro's camera became blurry but it was mostly because of the rain. Landing was smooth but it was quite turbulent just a few hundred feet to landing.













Less than a 5 minute taxi to the gate







Parked next to an Eva Air Boeing 787-10





Deplaning at Taipei Taoyuan

















Passport check but no security check like Incheon or Hong Kong Airport which was really neat. Frankfurt is another example of this, too.

Our time between flights was 2.5 hours. My dad and I were on separate flights because I booked his ticket later. He was on BR211 (B-16728) and I was on BR67 (B-16737, which came from SFO behind our flight).

Pictures of Taipei Taoyuan airport.

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Flight: Eva Air flight BR67
Route: Taipei - Bangkok
Aircraft: Boeing 777-3ALER (B-16737, 8.5 years at time of departure)
Livery: Normal
Date of Departure: November 12 (8:05AM) Arrival November 12 (11:10AM)
Seat: 67A (Economy Class)
Configuration: 3-class (Business, Premium Economy, Economy)

On this sector, this is where my dad and I separated unfortunately. It's not a big deal because it was only a flight departing 20 minutes apart. The good news is we both got Boeing 777-300ER's, which Eva has multiple flights on them and a few on the A330 and Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.

Our Boeing 777-300ER's were younger for sure than the one we got off, with similarities and differences:

My dad got B-16728 on BR211, which is a terminator flight. This one had the dark grey Panasonic radome on top of door 2 and Panasonic Voyager 3D maps and more choices. Only difference is his was a 9-abreast Boeing 777-300ER.

I got B-16737 on BR67, which continues to London Heathrow. FR24 shows BR67 typically uses the frame off BR17 (from SFO) and this held true here. Radome was the same planted on top of door 2 (like SWU-SNC on SQ). Only difference was mine was a 10-abreast 777-300ER and different colored seating. Not a big deal for 3 hours but you can feel the tightness and difference compared to the last leg which was super comfortable. Not bad but not cramped like the A350's and 787's.



Here she is B-16737 which will fly me as BR67 to Bangkok which came right behind BR17 at SFO at gate A1. Nice to meet you. I was expecting you to fly me on my next leg and boy I was not wrong.







Taipei Airport's gates are actually inside shops and you'd have to go down which is pretty cool and unique.





My flight was at C3 whereas my dad's flight was at C7.



Boarding began a little bit late around 7:40AM but it took till 7:50AM to get on the aircraft. And even then it was quick to get to my seat.









Eva Air Royal Laurel Business Class seat





Premium Economy in 2-3-2- configuration





And here we are. 10-across 3-4-3 seating. You can feel the difference and see the difference in colors.




A pillow was only offered on this short flight




View from 67A

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Accessing Star Gallery, which seems to be more vast than the older 777-300ER













Panasonic Voyager 3D maps. Same color palette like SQ.























Pushback began only past 8:20AM, so we could see a plethora of Eva Air Boeing 777-300ER's pushing back and being replaced with another one.

B-16729 (A 9-across 777-300ER)





B-16711, another 9-across 777-300ER being towed out of C4









B-16735 (Another 10-abreast 777-300ER) getting towed in next to B-16728

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Pushback began a little bit after 8:20AM for our 3 hour flight to Bangkok



You can see Eva Air's 777's, 787-10 and their A330. Discerning is B-16716 which I got off from BR27 from SFO-TPE.







Not a long taxi to the runway, but quite a few planes taking off.





Eva Air Boeing 787-10 (B-17815)





Eva Airways A330 (B-16337) next to B-16716. It is 16716, because the radome is placed slightly further behind (like SWB-SWT on SQ) and has the modern Eva livery whereas B-16706 has the much older livery.





Eva Air taking off to SIN.









Took off around 8:40AM for Bangkok









A very fast and steep take off into the clouds on this rainy morning.

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Yes, here's the Panasonic Voyager 3D map on this leg.

Autoplay:









World Clocks which SQ does not have here.





















Less detailed flight information whereas SQ's is like (Distance to Bangkok, Time to Bangkok, Distance to Bangkok, Estimated Arrival Time at Bangkok, Local Time at Bangkok)























Flight Preview mode



















Total Route mode

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Boeing 777-300ER cabin (10-abreast)



Breakfast. Veg lacto-ovo meal. Vegetable quiche, some veggies and even some sort of potato that tasted like hash browns. Roll was warm, but fruits weren't that good in selection compared to other carriers.

Meal was very decent. My dad on the other hand got vegetable upma and frankly, he said it was the worst. So for the return legs, I've changed his meal to Chinese vegetarian meal (Oriental vegetarian).



Hazy skies while cruising.

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More of the Voyager 3D maps:



Mid-flight:















Overhead mode:















Compass mode:













Command Center:













World Clocks:













Time Zones:













Window Seat: