Best Economy to BKK

[Guest hunkster]

Appreciate some help here. I usually travel to BKK on EVA Business Class (I am 6 ft and 200 lb.) but would like to save some $$$ next trip and fly economy / coach.  I'd like to hear some suggestions as to who has the best service in economy or economy plus - I live in Los Angeles. Thanks guys.

[Guest luvthai]

First trip I made to Bkk was economy and it was pure h___!  I was so cramped that it took 2 days to recove

r.  I m also 6'3 and all legs .  I have flown Eva business and will never fly economy again.  Sometimes saving a few dollar just isn't worth it

[TMax]

Look for the airline that is using the 787 if possible, I have found Thai airways (flying from Australia) to be good value. Those 787's to me have a little more leg room and are more comfortable than the other planes as well (I'm 6'1" so appreciate that extra little bit of leg room).

[traveller123]

I am 6 ft and 78 kg.

I recently flew BKK -SFO return on Eva Economy and I was comfortable both going out on a full plane and returning when the middle seat of three was unoccupied.

Just watch out as I read that they are changing the 3-3-3 seating formation on their 77s to 3-4-3 which could make a big difference.

Eva's fares can also be competitve if you watch for their promotions and I also rate the staff, just a pity they don't seem to have cute stewards.

 

The mainland Chinese airlines are the ones I avoid even though they usually have the best prices.

[firecat69]

Forget about economy.  Economy plus seats  are pretty much the same on all the airlines so the fare becomes the determining factor.

 

I like EVA and China Air which is a Taiwan airline.

[kokopelli]

EVA offers Premium Economy which has increased leg room and seat width. Actually Premium Economy( offered by Asian carriers) is not quite the same as Economy Plus which is the term used by American carriers. PE has about 38" pitch while the Economy Plus is about 35". Sometimes 3 extra inches can make all the difference.

[paulsf]

Japan coach is ok if you get the 787 with 2-4-2 seating. Cathay sometimes has prices in the $1500 range for premium economy Lax-Bkk. It's very tolerable.

[steveboy]

Look for the airline that is using the 787 if possible, I have found Thai airways (flying from Australia) to be good value. Those 787's to me have a little more leg room and are more comfortable than the other planes as well (I'm 6'1" so appreciate that extra little bit of leg room).

 

I don't know if it is just the miserable shitty United Airlines, but the economy seats in their new 787s are NARROWER than in their older 777s.

[Jimbillp]

EVA offers Premium Economy which has increased leg room and seat width. Actually Premium Economy( offered by Asian carriers) is not quite the same as Economy Plus which is the term used by American carriers. PE has about 38" pitch while the Economy Plus is about 35". Sometimes 3 extra inches can make all the difference.

Indeed it can.

[Guest whall]

Is EVA good? Been looking at them.

[Guest]

EVA is good.  Obviously you want to pull every trick in the book to get one of the emergency exit row seats both ways.   I would suggest that's a major factor when it comes to the choice of airline.

I did that for years by checking in really early & asking for the emergency exit row seat.  Then when it started getting difficult, I started paying the extra for premium economy.

Some airlines charge for emergency exit row seats & if the charge is reasonable, I would say that's a very good choice.

[Guest whall]

Thank you. That got some good deals going on.

[paulfort]

I have flown many times recently in Eva Premium Economy (or their Elite class) from London to Bangkok on their 777 of which recently a lot have been upgraded and I believe the offer is the same from the US as from the UK . The priority check in, boarding, luggage allowance and priority delivery, good quality head phones on the excellent entertainment system along with decent food and drink service and quality is all a great benefit V economy, if you use them a few times it doesn't take long to get to silver status on their star alliance "Infinity miles" program which gives other benefits including lounge access (their new lounge at BKK is pretty impressive!) and on my forthcoming trip I have used my accumulated miles to upgrade into their "Royal Laurel" premium flat bed business/first class cabin.

 

But more in answer to your question their Elite cabin is pretty spacious (I am 6ft 2") the seats are comfortable and whilst not a flat bed so more like a modern version of an old business class seat they have a good recline with no real issue in getting past a fellow sleeping fellow passenger to the aisle and certainly for me after a pretty decent meal and several glasses of wine an OK nights sleep!

 

I have also used Gulf and Jet in the past with changes from the UK in Bahrain or Mumbai always paying for economy but go the odd upgrade after a few trips and flyer status but for the little extra would certainly recommend EVA!  

[TMax]

I don't know if it is just the miserable shitty United Airlines, but the economy seats in their new 787s are NARROWER than in their older 777s.

Most likely just the airline that specified the seating requirement.

[vinapu]

 

The mainland Chinese airlines are the ones I avoid even though they usually have the best prices.

I flew China Eastern few times due to best prices and with exception of one flight when it was too cold inside cabin I can't say a bad word as far as value for money goes.

[paulsf]

Vinapu, doesn't it get cold in Canada? ❄️❄️☃️

[anddy]

Look for the airline that is using the 787 if possible, I have found Thai airways (flying from Australia) to be good value. Those 787's to me have a little more leg room and are more comfortable than the other planes as well (I'm 6'1" so appreciate that extra little bit of leg room).

 

 

I don't know if it is just the miserable shitty United Airlines, but the economy seats in their new 787s are NARROWER than in their older 777s.

 

 

Most likely just the airline that specified the seating requirement.

 

The last statement is  obviously correct. It makes no sense to pick carriers based on aircraft type, as the seating configuration has nothing to do with that. 

 

As a case in point, and referring to TMax Thai Airways 787: you may have found that good, which is true is seen in isolation. BUT: I have flown TG from BKK to Bali and back a few weeks ago. Outbound was a 777, back a 787. The 787 seats were noticeably worse than the (older) 777 seats, both in general comfy-ness of the seat.AND seat pitch (I am 6ft as well and all I care about in economy on long haul flights is legroom, couldn't care less about service; on a shorter one of 4+ hours I don't care too much about either, then the main criterion is flight time, not going to take 7am flights!) 

 

 

So to OP's question: most important for you will be seat pitch, so check what they have, which may differ from aircraft type to aircraft type within the same airline. Check out www.seatguru.com to compare specific flight numbers that you would consider (though I was told it is not as up to date as it used to be)

[Guest]

I have only flown a 787 once, with JAL, to Tokyo.    

Being sat in an emergency exit row seat, the leg room was more than I ever need, but the one downside was an excessively firm seat base.  

[Guest 2guys]

The last statement is obviously correct. It makes no sense to pick carriers based on aircraft type, as the seating configuration has nothing to do with that.

 

As a case in point, and referring to TMax Thai Airways 787: you may have found that good, which is true is seen in isolation. BUT: I have flown TG from BKK to Bali and back a few weeks ago. Outbound was a 777, back a 787. The 787 seats were noticeably worse than the (older) 777 seats, both in general comfy-ness of the seat.AND seat pitch (I am 6ft as well and all I care about in economy on long haul flights is legroom, couldn't care less about service; on a shorter one of 4+ hours I don't care too much about either, then the main criterion is flight time, not going to take 7am flights!)

 

 

So to OP's question: most important for you will be seat pitch, so check what they have, which may differ from aircraft type to aircraft type within the same airline. Check out www.seatguru.com to compare specific flight numbers that you would consider (though I was told it is not as up to date as it used to be)

Looks like my very last ever Thai Airways flight could be coming up.

Used them on London-Bangkok some years ago and it was the oldest, worst ever 747 I had been in. The metal frame was felt in the but and I had an extra legroom seat. Even 2 pillows didn't help. After quite some years I booked them on a Bangkok-Bali flight, seems I will regret that reading the above. If so, then Thai Airways is on my black list never to use them again.

[PeterRS]

I have only flown a 787 once, with JAL, to Tokyo.    

Being sat in an emergency exit row seat, the leg room was more than I ever need, but the one downside was an excessively firm seat base.  

I also did that JAL flight once. Seating layout was quite comfortable at 2-4-2 with pitch at 33 inches. Almost every other airline using 787s has a 3-3-3 layout and pitch of only 31 inches. I guess that means they get in one extra row of seats plus perhaps an extra 15 passengers. So that config adds no more than 25 cheap tickets. They/d be better adding one more biz class row and making economy more comfortable.

 

Read somewhere Boeing designed the 787 for 8 across but the bean counters employed by the airlines decided on 9. as for 31 inch pitch, I reckon its all but impossible for anyone over around 5'10. I save up and look for the best deals on Premium Economy now. Pitch on the best carriers is 38 inches

[anddy]

After quite some years I booked them on a Bangkok-Bali flight, seems I will regret that reading the above. If so, then Thai Airways is on my black list never to use them again.

don't get me wrong, the seats on the TG 787 were still ok, waaaayyyy better than Air Asia would have been! Just not as good and roomy as the older 777 seats. 

[Brummbaer]

I only use TG on flights up to 4 hours to and from BKK, either to collect or burn StarAlliance miles. They have a good service, but Europe-Bangkok they are way too expensive.  Any of the ME3 only want 50% to 70% of what Thai asks for and give me a cigarette/dutyfree shopping break half way, too.

But then Europe-Thailand is a different market than US-Thailand. For somebody based in the US it wouldn't make sense to travel eastwards to South East Asia.

[paulsf]

I'm doing Philadelphia-Doha-Bkk soon . It's 5 hours faster than the usual Western routes I go. Price is almost the same .

When there are fare sales Western routes can be much cheaper, but many people are now doing the eastern routings on the ME3 to SE Asia.

[traveller123]

The ME3 are giving the older airlines a lesson. Their normal fares can be expensive but sometimes their promotions can be a very good deal. I booked with Qatar in early September BKK - Barcelona return May/June 2017 for 20,950 baht each.(Just a pity it wasnt 50 baht + to the GBP on my UK credit card).

[PeterRS]

The best prices on Qatar are usually offered in a 4 or 5 day window during the Thai Interational Travel Fair in mid-February. Last year Qatar had three short sales between about mid-November and the Travel Fair with prices dropping further each time.