Some airlines allow passengers to select their onboard meal in advance through a dedicated webpage. The most famous airline to offer this is Singapore Airlines, with its Book the Cook service.
Another South East Asian airline that also allows some passengers to select meals in advance is Thai Airways. While the service is limited to specific classes of service or passengers with a particular status, and is exclusive to flights departing from Bangkok, it’s still something to consider if you have an upcoming flight.
Let’s take a look at how to pre-select your meal on Thai Airways flights.
On Which Flights Can You Pre-Select Meals with Thai Airways?
Select passengers booked on a Thai Airways flight departing from Bangkok can pre-select their meals. The selection must be done at least 72 hours prior to departure, and must either be done on the Thai Airways website or by calling the airline.
If you’re travelling with Thai Airways bound for Bangkok, unfortunately, you won’t be able to pre-select your meal.
Passengers travelling in Royal First Class or Royal Silk Class (business class) are eligible to choose their onboard meal in advance.
If you’re travelling in economy, you have to hold Royal Orchid Plus Platinum or Gold status in order to select your meal in advance. If you don’t have status and you’re travelling in economy, you aren’t able to select your meal in advance.
If you’re eligible, you’ll likely receive an email reminder in the week leading up to your flight. The email will also contain a link which you can click on to get to the landing page.
Which Meals Are Available for Pre-Selection with Thai Airways?
The menus for each class of service are available on the Thai Airways website. Menus for the next three months are posted, which means you can check which meals are being offered in the months leading up to your trip.
The menus are different for First Class, business class, and economy class passengers.
In First Class, you can expect to find the best options, which might include wagyu beef tenderloin, Canadian lobster with hollandaise sauce, or Hokkaido scallops and tiger prawns.
You’ll want to take note of any restrictions that are listed below the item, such as only being available on a specific flight. For example, the majority of meals available for pre-selection appear to be only available on flight TG 910 from Bangkok to London, and not to Tokyo or Osaka.
In business class, the options aren’t quite as elaborate, and feature such choices as tiger prawn Panaeng curry, southern-style snapper cumin curry, or braised beef cheek.
In economy class, the selection doesn’t quite look as appetizing, but still features options such as chicken green curry, tomato sauce fish fillet, or sweet chilli fried fish.
In all classes of service, you’ll find Thai, other Asian, and Western options, including at least one choice for vegetarians.
It’s worth noting that if you’re on a morning flight, you’ll only be able to choose from the breakfast options. In First Class, this means that you can only choose from items such as a Western egg dish, a sweet breakfast, or a royal boiled rice set.
The menu is the same for lunch and dinner service, so as long as you’re not departing in the morning, you’ll be able to choose from the best options.
It’s nice to have a range of choices in all classes of service, as some passengers might not be prone to selecting a Thai meal. However, the menu options aren’t nearly as diverse as those offered through Singapore Airlines’s Book the Cook service, especially for flights departing from Singapore.
How to Pre-Select Meals with Thai Airways
When it comes time to make your choice, the process is relatively simple. Thai Airways’s website is very dated and text-based, so don’t be surprised if you run into an error or two along the way.
When you get to the landing page, simply input your booking reference or ticket number and your last name.
The next page will show a list of flights on the reservation, including any that are eligible for meal selection.
Click on the flight that’s eligible, and a list of options will be displayed.
Clicking on any of the options will bring up a longer description of what’s on offer, so you may want to take a thorough read of all choices before deciding on one.
Once you’ve made your selection, click on “Confirm”, and you’ll see a confirmation of your choice.
If you change your mind, you have up to 72 hours prior to departure to make any amendments. After that, it’s a done deal, and you aren’t able to make any further changes.
Overall, choosing your meal with Thai Airways is an easy process, and with the thorough descriptions of each item, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect.
For more flexibility, it would be great to see all meals available to eligible passengers, as the airline’s best products likely don’t come in the form of breakfast.
Conclusion
Passengers departing from Bangkok on Thai Airways flights are able to select their meal up to 72 hours prior to their flight. This service is limited to travellers in Royal First Class, Royal Silk Class, and select passengers with Royal Orchid Plus Platinum and Gold status.
There is a range of options available in each class of service, and the quality increases as you move to a higher cabin. The process of selecting a meal is straightforward, and there are good descriptions of each available item.
While Thai Airways may not have as extensive of a menu as Singapore Airlines’s Book the Cook service, at least you’re able to choose something in advance that you might be excited about. If you have an upcoming flight with Thai Airways out of Bangkok, be sure to check out the menu to secure your meal before you depart.
