Thai Airways 787-9 Business Class Review: faultless flight from MEL to BKK

thetravellingturtle22, ,

TG Boeing 787-9

MEL-BKK 1.30pm – 8pm

Overview of Thai Airways 787-9 business class

clean and familiar dreamliner setup with friendly crew – don’t forget the signature thai milk tea

Highlights: friendly crew, clean and new hard product, multi-course based meal service and the refreshing thai milk tea with jelly cubes

Lowlights: not many – nitpicking, but the AirNZ lounge in Melbourne Airport (MEL) isn’t great

Expect to pay: about $2.4k one way or 90K Aeroplan points

Overall: we really lucked out with a last minute aircraft swap from the usual, older 350-900 that services this route and were treated to the very rare Thai Airways 787 (apparently they only have 3 in their fleet at the time of writing!). This took the experience to another level, with an aircraft that looked and felt brand new. Food and service were also great, an expansive in-flight entertainment selection and special shoutout to the amenity kit with its decent sized and fancy toothpaste! Weird thing to call out I know, but it’s such a simple differentiator to the tiny Colgate tubes and makes it feel just a bit more special! Overall, we thought this was great value compared to other carriers (*cough* Singapore Airlines *cough*), particularly as one of the few non-stop options from Melbourne to Bangkok.

Jump to ⬇️

  1. the AirNZ lounge @ melbourne airport
  2. the hard product
  3. the food & beverage
  4. final notes

the AirNZ lounge @ melbourne airport

If you’re flying business class on Thai Airways from Melbourne Airport, you’ll have access to the two Star Alliance lounges onsite – SilverKris and Air New Zealand. However on that day the SilverKris lounge was not open due to maintenance / cleaning, so we headed to the AirNZ lounge located in the underbelly of Melbourne’s international terminal.

Spoiler alert: nothing to write home about here. I was really looking forward to some noodles and dumplings for lunch in the SilverKris lounge but alas, this was not to be and so AirNZ cold sandwiches and the remnants of the breakfast changover (scrambled eggs and sausages) it was. I’m also not a huge fan of the AirNZ interior design either – it’s all clinical white benches and black plastic finishes, reminding you of that terrible work conference you can’t get away fast enough from.

Interior view of a lounge with modern decor, featuring a bar area, seating arrangements, and a large screen displaying visuals. A few people are seen relaxing and enjoying refreshments.
Interior view of a lounge area with modern furniture, including artistic hanging decorations, and a guest using a mobile device in the background.
Interior view of the AirNZ lounge at Melbourne Airport, featuring modern seating arrangements and a bar area with an illuminated backdrop.
View of Qantas airplanes and airport service vehicles at a rainy airport terminal.
Interior view of a modern lounge featuring grey leather armchairs, small white tables, and decorative plants along the walls, with a television screen in the background.

The food selection also matched the decor (function over form), with a selection of sandwiches, salads, nibbly bits and one hot offering – a lamb tagine with a cous cous.

A display of various food items in a buffet setting, including orange cake, pumpkin and feta sandwiches, chilli egg and mustard sandwiches, sweet chilli chicken wraps, and pastrami sliders on a black serving tray.
A display of assorted pastries and snacks in a lounge setting, including muffins, crackers, and various accompaniments, organized neatly on black trays.
A display of snacks at an airport lounge, featuring jars of pretzels, Japanese rice crackers, double chocolate cookies, and cherry oat biscuits alongside a selection of wholemeal bread and fresh fruit including apples and pears.
A buffet display featuring two salad dishes: a chilli dill cauliflower and chickpea salad alongside a garden salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and carrots.
Close-up view of a dish containing saffron rice with garnishes in a stainless steel serving container, partially opened.
A close-up image of a covered serving dish containing lamb tagine with assorted vegetables, garnished with herbs, displayed on a dining table.
A plate of breakfast items featuring scrambled eggs, a sausage, a sandwich with visible fillings, an assortment of olives, red peppers, and a small sesame seed bun, accompanied by a black cup of tea and a glass of water.
At least I didn’t stuff myself this time before a flight!

The drinks selection was adequate, with a self-pour selection of spirits, beers and wines, juices, soft drinks and teas. Would’ve been cool to see a few some of New Zealand’s many amazing craft beers or amazing wines on offer but again – things here seem to be function over form. At least there was a barista on-site! …at the risk of sounding like a negative nelly, unfortunately it was a pretty average coffee. This didn’t dampen the mood however – you’ll find no complaints here when getting to fly upfront on the way to holidays!

the hard product

Thai Airways 787 immediately sets the holiday vibes with its signature purple orchid scent, purple seats and mood lighting in the business class cabin upon entry. It’s a fresh business class cabin with 30 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration – the light grey secondary colour palette makes it feel a bit futuristic and more modern. The seat width is approx 53cm and the fully lie flat bed stretches to a generous 198cm. The screen is a decent 16 inches with an extra remote and AKG noise cancelling headphones, and an adequate amount of storage provided (however nothing beats Singapore Airlines long haul on this front!). I loved the lack of overhead compartments in the middle, making the cabin feel even bigger and more airy for the 9.5 hour journey from Melbourne to Bangkok.

A hand holding a pair of black AKG noise-cancelling headphones, with a purple drink and the airplane's entertainment screen in the background.
A hand holding a touchpad remote control displaying the 'Swipe to Navigate' message for in-flight entertainment on a business class seat.

Closeups of all the hidey holes, buttons, charging points etc for all you AV geeks out there…

Close-up of the control panel for a business class seat on a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9, featuring buttons for seat adjustment and a sleek design.
Interior close-up of the business class seat storage area on a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9, featuring charging ports and space for personal items.
Interior view of Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 business class cabin, showcasing the privacy partitions and seating arrangement.
Close-up of the seat control panel in Thai Airways business class, featuring icons for seat adjustments, lighting, and other functions.
Close-up of the business class seat in a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9, featuring a purple headrest and power outlet beside the seat.
Interior view of Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 business class cabin, showcasing the seating arrangement and in-flight entertainment system.
Close-up of a seat pocket and armrest in a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 business class cabin.
Interior view of a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 business class seat with a passenger's feet resting on the footrest and a glass of water on the fold-out table. A screen displays a passenger announcement message.
Interior close-up of Thai Airways 787-9 business class seat featuring a USB charging port and power outlet.
Close-up of a charging station in a Thai Airways business class seat, featuring USB and power outlets.

The amenity kit was excellent – a soft and stylish Jim Thompson pouch containing socks, toothbrush, Marvis toothpaste, Herb handcream, lipbalm, freshening spray and a shoehorn. No bloatware here! (Yes I’m middle aged and love a shoehorn).

A beautifully patterned amenities pouch by Jim Thompson, featuring a mix of blue and white designs. It is held against a backdrop of an airplane's interior, showcasing the sleek, modern design elements of the cabin.

Thai Airways amenity kit featuring socks, a shoehorn, hand cream, lip balm, and toothpaste on a cabin table.

the food & beverage

We were welcomed with the signature Thai Airways pre-departure drink the “Violet Breeze” – a mixture of lime juice and pressed butterfly pea blossom, giving the drink its deep purple colour. This was cold and refreshing – an excellent way to kick off the adventure! A nut and dried fruit mix was also served alongside to nibble on while boarding wrapped up.

Interior view of Thai Airways 787-9 business class, featuring a personal screen displaying 'Bienvenue' and a purple drink in a glass.

A bowl of mixed nuts served in a dish labeled 'Thai Royal Silk' on an airplane tray, with a screen displaying a paused video in the background.

The beverage menu was fairly limited but decent – with Piper-Heidsieck Brut and a Laurent-Perrier Brut to choose from for bubbles, three red wine and three white wine options, and a small selection of cocktails, beers, spirits and tea / coffee. I enjoyed reading the wine descriptions and time taken to write food pairings – a nice touch for the wine enthusiasts!

Champagne menu showing Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut with a bottle image and details about its characteristics, grape varieties, wine making process, and food pairing suggestions.

Wine menu featuring champagne and red wine options in Thai Airways business class with a background of in-flight entertainment.

Close-up of Thai Airways business class menu showing white wine selection and drink options.

There were two meal services offered on this 9.5 hour trip from Melbourne to Bangkok – a five course lunch shortly after takeoff, and a smaller meal just prior to landing.

Menu for Thai Airways business class, detailing two meal services: first serving includes amuse bouche, starters, mains with salmon, beef, and pork options, and sweets; second serving features assorted fruits and two main course options.

First service offered an amuse bouche to start (a classy touch) comprising a pan seared scallop skewer and crouton topped with brie and quince. Both were delicious, and I was surprised how juicy and soft the scallop was. I was still going on the nuts and had a bubbly on the go too, so already glad I hadn’t overindulged in the lounge beforehand!

A plate with an amuse-bouche featuring a small piece of bread topped with cheese and a chocolate garnish, alongside a scallop skewer and pickled vegetables, placed on a tray with 'THAI ROYAL SILK' branding in a business class setting.

Business class dining experience on a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9, featuring a screen displaying 'How To Be Single,' a glass of champagne, and an appetizer plate with various treats.
Triple parked as per usual

Next up, a starter of smoked duck with a celeriac and apple remoulade and small salad. The duck was tender and flavourful, nicely offset with crunchy green beans and rounded out with the creaminess of the remoulade. The bread basket also came around during starters and it would’ve been rude to pass up garlic bread!

A beautifully presented plate of sliced meats and vegetables, accompanied by garlic bread and a small serving of sauce. A television screen can be seen in the background, displaying a scene from a program.

There were three choices for mains, ranging from a salmon curry, beef cheeks and pork belly. I’m not entirely sure what the offer was for vegetarians but presumably there was one! I chose the salmon with chu chee curry sauce, which came with a Thai omelette and stir fried bok choy. While the presentation was simple, this was delicious – the curry sauce was thick and tasty, the salmon cooked fairly well (a bit overcooked for my liking but a personal preference) and the omelette and bok choy nice accompaniments.

A plated meal on a Thai Airways flight featuring a portion of rice, chicken, and a side of sautéed greens, accompanied by a small dish of butter and a container of soy sauce.

A view of a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 business class seat with an entertainment screen showing a movie, a tray with leftover food, and a glass of champagne.
Happy place

The meal was then finished off with the final two sweet courses – a selection of cheeses, and a white chocolate and passionfruit mousse with raspberry coulis. I thought these were both delicious and also perfectly apportioned – not too much food that you can’t finish it and feel terrible for the wastage! I also opted for a single malt to accompany dessert – they only had one choice but it was great, a Glenfiddich 12 year old. Everytime I get to do this, I pinch myself – what a lucky duck to get to experience flying like this!

A close-up of a cheese platter in business class featuring various cheeses, dried fruits, and grapes, with a glass of champagne and an entertainment screen in the background.

A dessert served in a white bowl with the Thai Airways logo, featuring a creamy mousse or panna cotta topped with berry sauce, accompanied by a glass of spirits, on a dining tray in a business class setting.

Well and truly sated, it was time for another movie (Dune 2) and a nap. The well paced and leisurely five course meal meant by this stage we were well into the flight and time was flying by! At this stage, the crew dimmed the lights to transition into evening time, and the Thai purple mood lighting fell over the cabin. In any other context such lighting would feel a bit “R18+ back of a weird limo party you don’t know how you ended up in” but on flight it somehow feels soothing.

Interior view of a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 business class cabin, featuring purple mood lighting, personal screens, and refreshments.
Interior view of Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 business class cabin with purple mood lighting and seating arrangements.
Close-up of a cabin in a Thai Airways Boeing 787-9 featuring a movie screen displaying a scene with a male character, surrounded by purple mood lighting.

I was already having an incredible time and we were yet to hit the peak! During movie time the crew then came around with their signature Thai milk tea, complete with black jelly cubes – and some local chocolate. The tea was AMAZING – perfectly balanced, with soft jelly and nice and cold with just the right amount of ice in it. A real surprise and delight moment I won’t forget anytime soon. Thank you Thai Airways!

A glass of Thai milk tea with jelly cubes served on a plate in the business class cabin of a Thai Airways flight, with ambient lighting and a seat in the background.

A hand holding a box of KanVela Craft Chocolate with colorful artwork showcasing Thailand's landscapes, accompanied by an informational card highlighting the chocolate's origin and Thai Airways' support for local farmers.

After a wee nap it was time for the second meal and to start preparing for descent. The second meal was again, very generous and comprised four components (single tray) – fruits, a main selection (bbq pork fried rice, bolognese or roast duck bao buns), a bread roll and a banana cake to finish. I chose the fried rice and it was tasty enough – nice touch as well serving it with fresh cut chilli and soy sauce. Paired with a lovely Gamay!

A tray of Thai Airways business class meal featuring fried rice with vegetables, a dessert of panna cotta, and fresh fruit including strawberries and kiwi, alongside a glass of red wine, set against an in-flight entertainment screen.

final notes

What a wonderful flight and experience – I love these daytime business class flights as it means you really get to savour every moment whilst (mostly) awake. We landed in Bangkok a little ahead of time, feeling refreshed, full (no need to go hunting for dinner upon landing!) and perfectly setup for a great holiday ahead. I know the experience would have been quite different with the usual older aircraft normally flying this route so this was a big win – but with such great food and service, I’d happily fly Thai again!

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