Delta Ending Service to Thailand

[Dalewood]

There is word on flyertalk.com that Delta is ending service to Bangkok. That would leave no US airline serving Thailand. It says service ends in October 2016, but I find that part hard to believe. Apparently they wish to close or downgrade their hub at Narita.

[Dalewood]

October 30, 2016 is the last day to Bangkok---maybe a day or two later back to the US. My frequent flyer miles are on Delta and this happens just when I am retiring :-(

[travelerjim]

China Eastern Airlines...Shanghai based...is Skyteam partner.
Delta bought a small % earlier this year.
With FULL MQM & Skymiles earning on Delta.
Tj

[travelerjim]

China Eastern Airlines...Shanghai based...is Skyteam partner.
Delta bought a small % earlier this year.
With FULL MQM & Skymiles earning on Delta.
Airfares are much less on China Eastern...
Tj

[cdnmatt]

Airfares are much less on China Eastern...


I flew on them once, and there's a reason the fares are so cheap. My ass was numb for about 3 days after that flight.

[frequent]

My ass was numb for about 3 days after that flight.

You're sure that was the reason?

[francois]

I have flown on China Eastern via Shanghai to Tokyo and then onward to USA on a Delta flight.
China Eastern was great however I was in Biz Class. The male flight attendants were quite handsome so maybe cdnmatt got special attention from them?

The airport in Shanghai is Second Class and the lounges were poor.

[arsenal]

I have to say that in over 40 flights with both China Southern and China Eastern I have found the planes and service to be absolutely fine. I recently flew a two leg journey with one leg Cathay and the other Dragon Air which is the budget branch of Cathay. In every way from seats, food and on board entertainment Dragon Air were much better. Odd.

[travelerjim]

Only China Eastern flights will earn MQM and FULL Skymiles credits on Delta.
That's important for those like me which seeks to maintain Platinum (75,000 miles annually) status with Delta.

Likewise for others who are desiring Delta Gold Elite status (50,000 miles annually)...
Skyteam lounge access is available to all Skyteam Elite + members worldwide.

The airfares on China Eastern are several hundreds $$ lower than Delta.
Lowest airfares are good for 6 months...vs Delta's usual 3 months or 30 days from BKK.

I will like the cost savings with China Eastern...but will miss Delta from BKK.
I have flown Northwest Airlines and Delta soooo many times to and fro BKK.
I wish Delta would somehow make good friends with Korean Air...they are the BEST IMHO.

But Delta has chosen to invest $$$$ in China Eastern
and appears to be making its China Eastern hub the link to Delta flights to the USA on Delta from Shanghai.


For the Business Class flier....China Eastern is also $$$ cheaper fares...
and lowest business class fare is good for 12 months vs Delta's 3 months.

Tj

[Dalewood]

I flew on them once, and there's a reason the fares are so cheap. My ass was numb for about 3 days after that flight.

Thanks for the info, but talk about leading with your chin......

Most of the flyertalk crowd does not like the airline or the airport.

[Yraen]

I'me with Matt. I flew Delta from Houston to Honolulu in a 100% full aircraft and I have never, ever had 'bumitis' like I did on that flight. The seat was as hard as bricks, any cushioning had been degraded long ago leaving the seat 'sway-backed' so I was sitting in (not on) a hole in the ground.

[fountainhall]

I'me with Matt. I flew Delta from Houston to Honolulu in a 100% full aircraft and I have never, ever had 'bumitis' like I did on that flight. The seat was as hard as bricks, any cushioning had been degraded long ago leaving the seat 'sway-backed' so I was sitting in (not on) a hole in the ground.
Matt was referring to the seats on China Eastern, not Delta! Seems both airlines are in the numb bumb category.

[cdnmatt]

I guess I should clarify:

1.) Yes, it was China Eastern, not Delta.
2.) I was in coach, not business class.
3.) It was about 5 years ago.

Nonetheless, one of my most memorable flights, and not for a good reason. As far as I can remember, the service and everything was fine, but sitting in that seat from Vancouver to Taipei was agonizing. It's the only airline in my life I've sworn off of.

[Smiles]

Only China Eastern flights will earn MQM and FULL Skymiles credits on Delta ... The airfares on China Eastern are several hundreds $$ lower than Delta. Lowest airfares are good for 6 months...vs Delta's usual 3 months or 30 days from BKK.
... I will like the cost savings with China Eastern...but will miss Delta from BKK.

... But Delta has chosen to invest $$$$ in China Eastern and appears to be making its China Eastern hub the link to Delta flights to the USA on Delta from Shanghai.

... For the Business Class flier....China Eastern is also $$$ cheaper fares...and lowest business class fare is good for 12 months vs Delta's 3 months.
... and China Eastern has some of the worst airline reviews going: http://www.airlinequality.com/airline-reviews/china-eastern-airlines/
Some Canadian friends of mine came out to Thailand to visit us a few years ago and their experiences seem to confirm the reviews. The worst plane ride they've ever had, with the ending statement of " ... never again ... " !

On the other hand, this April I went back to Canada on China Southern. Granted, I flew Biz class and it was quite luxurious on just about every criteria and thankfully came up to their excellent reviews: http://www.airlinequality.com/airline-reviews/china-southern-airlines/ . I'd hop aboard China Southern any old time as I have read that their Economy and Premium Economy classes are pretty wiz-bang as well . . . taking into consideration that Economy on any airline is often problematic.
I do on the other hand agree with TravelerJim's feelings about Korean Air as one of the best airlines going if you choose to go Economy.

[scottish-guy]

Never used Korean Air so took a look at flights to/from AMS/BKK at the end of September (guessed that would be cheaper than LHR): 1150 Euro in Economy seems expensive, and significant layover times in Seoul (5-7 hours)

Good reviews on Skytrax tho

[francois]

I have flown on Korean from Seoul/Incheon to Bangkok and have nothing good to say about Korean.
Although in Biz Class it was an old model 747 with an almost useless entertainment console.
The food and wine were as bad as it gets. That was about 3-4 years ago.

Incheon airport in Seoul was first class.

[fountainhall]

I guess I should clarify:

1.) Yes, it was China Eastern, not Delta

As far as I can remember, the service and everything was fine, but sitting in that seat from Vancouver to Taipei was agonizing. It's the only airline in my life I've sworn off of.
Sorry Matt but China Eastern has never flown Vancouver to Taipei. China Eastern is based in Shanghai and has no rights to the non-stop route. So you must either have changed planes in Shanghai (but even then I'm not sure that China Eastern had permission to fly other than chartered flights to Taiwan five years ago) or you must have taken China Airlines (the Taiwan carrier).

[cdnmatt]

Not sure what to tell you, although I did make a mistake. It would have been on exactly April 30th, 2009, so more than 5 years ago.

The flight was Vancouver -> Taipei -> Kuala Lumpur, both legs on China Eastern, with a 7 hour layover in Taipei (which I hated, because I smoke and Taipei is non smoking). I'm absolutely certain it was China Eastern, not China Air, because I remember having to clarify the airline name to my mom multiple times after that. She would be hesitant to book on China Air, and I would have to say, "no, no... I'm sure China Air is fine, it's China Eastern you want to watch out for".

[Smiles]

I have flown on Korean from Seoul/Incheon to Bangkok and have nothing good to say about Korean.
Look on the bright side: at least the Russians didn't shoot you down. They do that every 30 years or so ... keeps you in suspense.

[fountainhall]

Not sure what to tell you, although I did make a mistake. It would have been on exactly April 30th, 2009, so more than 5 years ago.

The flight was Vancouver -> Taipei -> Kuala Lumpur, both legs on China Eastern, with a 7 hour layover in Taipei (which I hated, because I smoke and Taipei is non smoking). I'm absolutely certain it was China Eastern, not China Air
Sorry again Matt, but it is just impossible that that route could ever have been served by China Eastern. Believe me, I have travelled millions of kms and at one time knew most of the long haul trans-Pacific combinations. China Eastern is a mainland registered carrier and has never had any rights to fly into Taipei from any country other than its home base in China. So, if it actually had traffic rights to Taipei in 2009 (which I doubt because in that year I am pretty certain Taiwan only permitted mainland charter flights), you would have had to stop and change aircraft in Shanghai first. Also, it has never - ever - had rights to fly out of Taipei to any country other than China. So Taipei/KUL on that carrier is absolutely impossible.

If you used just one carrier and had a stopover in Taipei, you had to have flown Malaysian, China Airlines or, if they flew out of Vancouver that year, EVA Air. No other Asian carrier operated on that route.

[cdnmatt]

Well, I don't know what to tell you, because I remember that flight vividly, as it was a major turning point in my life, instead of being "just another flight". Could it maybe have been "China Eastern operated by XYZ" and I'm forgetting the "operated by" part?

I know the flight was Apr 30, 2009, and I know when I booked the ticket Expedia listed the flight as China Eastern.

[Up2U]

Deleted

[fountainhall]

Well, I don't know what to tell you, because I remember that flight vividly, as it was a major turning point in my life, instead of being "just another flight". Could it maybe have been "China Eastern operated by XYZ" and I'm forgetting the "operated by" part?

I know the flight was Apr 30, 2009, and I know when I booked the ticket Expedia listed the flight as China Eastern.
It's the only possibility - a code-share with a China Eastern ticket on an aircraft operated by China Airlines (on your date probably one of the first under a new agreement between China and Taiwan). Certainly it is impossible to have been a China Eastern aircraft. China Eastern and China Airlines are both Skyteam members, but both only joined the alliance in 2011. So your numb bum would have been caused by China Airlines rather than China Eastern!

[Dalewood]

All else being equal, China Airlines Premium Economy looks to be a good mix of comfort and affordability. Has anyone ever tried it?

[fountainhall]

Sorry I have not tried it, but checking Seat Guru I see only one of its aircraft types has Premium Economy - the 777ER. This has the usual 38" pitch (6" more than economy) and is 2" wider. However, the seat recline is the same as economy. Usually for Premium Economy most airlines offer some extra recline because of the extra space between rows.

[dab69]

just checked from Delta.Com flight mid February 2017 to BKK ~$1200-1500

[dab69]

was worried about my FF miles. couple footnotes said "Korean Air" and "China Air" respectively though.