Thai Airways BAD Customer Service

[sydney69er 1,091]

I have been trying to cancel a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Sydney. I guess I am not surprised that a SEAsian company has very bad customer support!

I also had a Qantas flight from Sydney to Bangkok booked using Frequent Flyer points. That took about 1 minute and a few clicks to cancel. Just logged into my account, click click click, cancelled. The frequent flyer points were back in my account next day less 6000 points Cancel Fee as expected.

Thai Airways! I have flown them a few times and it is a nice airline when things go well. First of all, I am a Royal Orchid Plus account member but only basic status. In my ROP account, I cannot see my flight booked. So unable to cancel via my account.

When I go to Manage My Booking from the original flight email confirmation, there is no way to Cancel a flight. I can Modify Flight and choose a different flight but no Cancel Option.

I emailed service@thaiairways.com as per instructions on their website. Still waiting for a response to that email after 10 days.

I tried emailing the Sydney Thai Airways office at customer.service@thaiairways.com.au - no reponse so far.

I called the Sydney call centre. They said they cannot help as the flight leaves from Bangkok, I have to call the Bangkok call centre. They did say I could also email contact@service.thaiairways.com. I tried that email, it doesn't exist! Great work Sydney customer service!

I have tried calling the Bangkok call Centre 3 times. Supposively open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. When i call I get a long message in Thai. It then says for English press 9. I press 9, then get a long message in Thai then it disconnects.

I will keep trying but the way things are going Thai Airways will be added to my No Fly List:

1. Malaysia Airlines - had same issue getting refund for a flight they cancelled - Business class ticket only a few hundred dollars, from KL to Bali. Never got a refund. Long long story, many calls, long waits in queue, many emails. Waste of time. BANNED. 
2. British Airlines - attrocious service and food (but have not flown with them for over 20 years). Got snapped at by one of the fat pasty English bitches for asking for a 2nd drink during the meal from London to Singapore.
3. United Airlines - flown them 4 times Business Class between Sydney and US. Business Class only has cranky, old American bitches and terrible food! Never again.
4. Thai Airways TBC

[mikel 2,483]

1 hour ago, sydney69er said:

I have been trying to cancel a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Sydney. I guess I am not surprised that a SEAsian company has very bad customer support!

I also had a Qantas flight from Sydney to Bangkok booked using Frequent Flyer points. That took about 1 minute and a few clicks to cancel. Just logged into my account, click click click, cancelled. The frequent flyer points were back in my account next day less 6000 points Cancel Fee as expected.

Thai Airways! I have flown them a few times and it is a nice airline when things go well. First of all, I am a Royal Orchid Plus account member but only basic status. In my ROP account, I cannot see my flight booked. So unable to cancel via my account.

When I go to Manage My Booking from the original flight email confirmation, there is no way to Cancel a flight. I can Modify Flight and choose a different flight but no Cancel Option.

I emailed service@thaiairways.com as per instructions on their website. Still waiting for a response to that email after 10 days.

I tried emailing the Sydney Thai Airways office at customer.service@thaiairways.com.au - no reponse so far.

I called the Sydney call centre. They said they cannot help as the flight leaves from Bangkok, I have to call the Bangkok call centre. They did say I could also email contact@service.thaiairways.com. I tried that email, it doesn't exist! Great work Sydney customer service!

I have tried calling the Bangkok call Centre 3 times. Supposively open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. When i call I get a long message in Thai. It then says for English press 9. I press 9, then get a long message in Thai then it disconnects.

I will keep trying but the way things are going Thai Airways will be added to my No Fly List:

1. Malaysia Airlines - had same issue getting refund for a flight they cancelled - Business class ticket only a few hundred dollars, from KL to Bali. Never got a refund. Long long story, many calls, long waits in queue, many emails. Waste of time. BANNED. 
2. British Airlines - attrocious service and food (but have not flown with them for over 20 years). Got snapped at by one of the fat pasty English bitches for asking for a 2nd drink during the meal from London to Singapore.
3. United Airlines - flown them 4 times Business Class between Sydney and US. Business Class only has cranky, old American bitches and terrible food! Never again.
4. Thai Airways TBC

Thai Air are completely useless. I flew with them several times ex Syd because of special deals through Malai Travel  but one flight had a broken seat. No acknowledgement from staff and sought compensation/apology via letters/email/phone & online shaming. Nothing. One flight entertainment system broken. Same deal. Ladt time the plane broke down in Sydney but nobody told us for three hours until a softly spoken middle aged man  came out and told us it was cancelled  only those closest could understand him. Next day we returned and they had no plan or system at all. I worked with a British guy to separate passengers into destinations (London, Frankfurt & Singapore) and we worked with a lone Thai woman to get people on other flights. I ended up on Singapore Air. Will never fly Thai again. (And their whisky is awful).

 

Edited March 30 by mikel

[sydney69er 1,091]

4 minutes ago, mikel said:

Will never fly Thai again. (And their whisky is awful).

Think they'll definitely make it to my No Fly list!

 

4 minutes ago, mikel said:

I worked with a British guy to separate passengers into destinations

I could just imagine the Thai employess having no idea what to do! many airlines just go into melt down when a flight is cancelled.

[sydney69er 1,091]

I finally got thru to Thai Airways customer support. Went through the same number. pressed 9 for English but listened to the Thai (I know next to no Thai but I do know numbers) I heard neung, then later heard Song, so presume they were giving me options to press. 1 for x, 2 for y. I pressed 1 and got on hold music. Within 1 minute someone answered in Thai, I asked if they could speak English They just said hold on. More on hold music. 30 seconds later girl answers in English. Took minutes to read out my flight confirmation number, her mistaking every letter for a number and every number for a letter. 'Reference number is '3'  she says did you say P, no 3, the number, Sam. Oh Sam OK sir. Then next letter is F. She said did you say S? on and on through 5 digits. I even used the Phoenetic Alaphet which is standard in aviation industry. F is for Foxtrot. She had no idea what I was saying. She finally repeated back and found my flight details. She then said she would check my flight conditions. On hold for 2 minutes.

Came back and said I could cancel but cancel fee 6000 Thb = A$250 Aussie dollars (fuck that's 3 STs!). OK. Think the flight was only about $750 so atleast will get $500 back. Better than nothing. She then says it will take up to 180 to get the refund. 6 months seriously? How can they bill your card in seconds, but refunds take 6 months? Things that make you go hmmmmm.

Last year I had ANA cancel a flight in Japan, was due to Thyphon. Called their call centre. Did take 15 minutes to get through but that day many flights had been canceled. They gave me options to either reschedule, get a credit or get refund. I went for refund. Money was back on my credit card next day. No fee. I guess it is different as ANA cancelled that flight, and I cancelled this flight but seriously, it has been a mission to contact them, zero responses to emails. I'm done.

Thai Aiways. BANNED. You are on the No Fly List!

Makes me remember, more than 20 years ago, I was at Lumphini Stadium to watch Thai kick boxing. Sat next to an American guy who lived in Bangkok. He was telling me all the stuff the Thai Governement own, told me back then Thai Airways was actually owned by the Thai Miliatry. Any profilts went to feed their Generals. hahahahaha. TIT.

[Victortheo 109]

Sympathies..

Cancellation on Thai has been a challenge ever since they went into a "bankruptcy process" apparently..( or so they say). changes are possible online depending on class of ticket bought. 

Certainly flying older planes these days ( typically their workhorses are 777 and Airbus 320/330- based on range/volume -but still the most convenient non stop to BKK within Asia. I do think there focus is really Asia and select Europe destinations where they will occasionally fly the dreamliners etc. And Service also is ok..

 

[whiteshirt 4,374]

2 hours ago, sydney69er said:

I finally got thru to Thai Airways customer support. Went through the same number. pressed 9 for English but listened to the Thai (I know next to no Thai but I do know numbers) I heard neung, then later heard Song, so presume they were giving me options to press. 1 for x, 2 for y. I pressed 1 and got on hold music. Within 1 minute someone answered in Thai, I asked if they could speak English They just said hold on. More on hold music. 30 seconds later girl answers in English. Took minutes to read out my flight confirmation number, her mistaking every letter for a number and every number for a letter. 'Reference number is '3'  she says did you say P, no 3, the number, Sam. Oh Sam OK sir. Then next letter is F. She said did you say S? on and on through 5 digits. I even used the Phoenetic Alaphet which is standard in aviation industry. F is for Foxtrot. She had no idea what I was saying. She finally repeated back and found my flight details. She then said she would check my flight conditions. On hold for 2 minutes.

Came back and said I could cancel but cancel fee 6000 Thb = A$250 Aussie dollars (fuck that's 3 STs!). OK. Think the flight was only about $750 so atleast will get $500 back. Better than nothing. She then says it will take up to 180 to get the refund. 6 months seriously? How can they bill your card in seconds, but refunds take 6 months? Things that make you go hmmmmm.

Last year I had ANA cancel a flight in Japan, was due to Thyphon. Called their call centre. Did take 15 minutes to get through but that day many flights had been canceled. They gave me options to either reschedule, get a credit or get refund. I went for refund. Money was back on my credit card next day. No fee. I guess it is different as ANA cancelled that flight, and I cancelled this flight but seriously, it has been a mission to contact them, zero responses to emails. I'm done.

Thai Aiways. BANNED. You are on the No Fly List!

Makes me remember, more than 20 years ago, I was at Lumphini Stadium to watch Thai kick boxing. Sat next to an American guy who lived in Bangkok. He was telling me all the stuff the Thai Governement own, told me back then Thai Airways was actually owned by the Thai Miliatry. Any profilts went to feed their Generals. hahahahaha. TIT.

Just a drama you don’t need after cancelling your trip mate … hope you can get back soon 

[Long John 1,164]

My trip in Sept last year had a return flight BKK to Melb by Thai Air.

Turned up at 9.30 pm for a 12.05 am flight. Seareched the board. Nothing there. Went to their ticketing office and asked what what was going on.

Oh no, that flight has been changed to 8.00am

I had to rebook for the following day. Cost me taxi fares, another night in the hotel etc etc. Total of about $250.00 with all the screwing around. Would have found out if they had the courtesy to notify me of the flight change, but no. Did not do it.

I had booked about 3 months prior so they had time.

Sent them an email asking for compensation but you can guess what happened about that!

[sydney69er 1,091]

4 hours ago, Long John said:

Total of about $250.00 with all the screwing around. Would have found out if they had the courtesy to notify me of the flight change, but no. Did not do it.

Crazy stuff! Atrocious service.

I booked my flight in November for an April departure. In January I got an email from Thai Airways titled Seat Change. The wording in the email:

Dear Valued Customer,

Due to operation reason THAI would like to inform that your seat has been changed from 51K to 51K on TG475. WTF? That doesn't look like a seat change. Then 3 days later I got an email titled with my name and reference number - totally different email format, with the message: DEAR CUSTOMER, WITH REGARDS TO YOUR FLIGHT TG475. WE REGRET HAVING TO INFORM YOU THAT THE AIRCRAFT IS CHANGED DUE TO TECHNICAL REASON. YOUR SEAT ASSIGNMENT IS CHANGE FROM 50A TO 52A. I changed from a Valued Customer to just Customer. Not sure how my seat changed from 51K to 50A...then to change to 52A? Makes no sense, and this is about 4 months before the flight. Do they know about technical issues with the plane so far in advance? Makes no sense. Thai Airways - TIT

[Ross77 195]

12 minutes ago, sydney69er said:

Crazy stuff! Atrocious service.

I booked my flight in November for an April departure. In January I got an email from Thai Airways titled Seat Change. The wording in the email:

Dear Valued Customer,

Due to operation reason THAI would like to inform that your seat has been changed from 51K to 51K on TG475. WTF? That doesn't look like a seat change. Then 3 days later I got an email titled with my name and reference number - totally different email format, with the message: DEAR CUSTOMER, WITH REGARDS TO YOUR FLIGHT TG475. WE REGRET HAVING TO INFORM YOU THAT THE AIRCRAFT IS CHANGED DUE TO TECHNICAL REASON. YOUR SEAT ASSIGNMENT IS CHANGE FROM 50A TO 52A. I changed from a Valued Customer to just Customer. Not sure how my seat changed from 51K to 50A...then to change to 52A? Makes no sense, and this is about 4 months before the flight. Do they know about technical issues with the plane so far in advance? Makes no sense. Thai Airways - TIT

Wow! This should be displayed on Ripley's Believe It or Not.

[Rodrigo 1,024]

Call CAAT in Thailand. Civil aviation authority of Thailand. 
02568-8800 and ask for the department that handles airline complaints. 
complain to them.