Thai Airways TG407 is the daily afternoon flight from Bangkok, departing at 1.50pm and arriving into Singapore at 5.10pm, just in time to have lunch on board the flight and get into Singapore for dinner. It’s also a comfortable timing after checking out of your hotel to prepare for work the next day.
Check-in for Economy Class passengers is at Rows H and J for all flights.
My boarding pass for my flight back to Singapore.
Hmm, Gate D1A. Why does this sound strange.
Security clearance is one level up from the check-in floor, and immigration is back downstairs.
Gate D1A is on the left side of the transit area.
However, I headed down to enjoy my Royal Silk Lounge visit first.
Both my gate (D1A) and the Royal Silk Lounge are opposite each other, which is great.
Heading down to Gate D1A after my Royal Silk Lounge visit.
The escalator leads down to the waiting area. Boarding pass checks will be done during boarding – a reverse of the usual Suvarnabhumi Airport gate hold room flow.
Unfortunately, Gate D1A is a bus gate, which means I have to get on one of these to the aircraft.
Queuing for boarding pass checks before boarding the bus to Singapore.
The escalator after the counter leads to the exit to the bus stand.
Boarding my bus from Bangkok to Singapore.
The interior of the apron bus.
Heading to my plane, wherever it was.
The bus dropped all the passengers off at the domestic side (Concourse B) of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Guess the aircraft came from a domestic destination before this flight.
Disembarking from the apron bus.
The view of HS-TKE, a Boeing 777-300 on duty for my flight back to Singapore from the apron.
The stairs led to the actual aerobridge to link up to the aircraft.
Boarding my flight back to Singapore.
The Economy Class interior of Thai Airways’ Boeing 777-300.
The legroom of the Boeing 777-300 Economy Class. The legroom and general space felt tighter than the onward flight with the older Boeing 777- 200 though, but maybe it was just psychological with an aisle seat and the middle seat empty then, as compared with a window seat on a full row now.
The next batch of passengers coming on board with the next bus.
Once all the buses have arrived with all the passengers, the plane was ready to push back, delayed of course.
The safety video being played on pushback.
Departing back to Singapore from the domestic concourse.
Disconnecting the tug, with a Bangkok Airways A320 in the background.
The upcoming Midfield Satellite Concourse taking shape.
Taxiing to Runway 01L.
Due to the delay in departure probably caused by the bus-ing, the plane took off 40 minutes late.
Goodbye Bangkok.
The view of the SRT Eastern Line and Airport Rail Link from above.
The interactive mode of the entertainment system was switched on after the seat belt signs were turned off.
Flying out of mainland Thailand.
I got quite lucky during the meal service as the moment after my food was served, the seat belt signs were turned on due to impending turbulence. As such, I got my food before the meal service was suspended. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a drink to go along with the meal just yet, but still better than not getting food like the other rows in front of me.
The options were fish with fried rice (I think) or chicken curry with rice. I opted for the chicken curry.
The Best Economy Class Onboard Catering award held true to its word, with the moist chicken sitting nicely in a mild-spicy red curry. Airplane food usually use a sauce to go with a dry chicken.
Unfortunately, the entertainment system had to be rebooted due to a “technical issue” and would take around 30 minutes. Damn, that’s like almost the flight time left to Singapore.
Flying over Pengerang towards Batam for a landing from the south.
A pretty stormy weather in Singapore. Uh oh.
There was only a clear view of East Coast this evening.
Flying past National Service Resort & Country Club.
Flying past the future East Coast Integrated Depot for trains of the East West Line (EWL), Downtown Line (DTL) and Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), as well as a bus depot.
Flying past the existing Changi Depot for trains of the East West Line (EWL), which looks tiny now in comparison with the new depot beside it.
Flying over PIE into the airport compound.
Touched down in Singapore 32 minutes late.
Thankfully, it was a quick taxi to Terminal 1.
Turning into Gate C26.
A Garuda Indonesia Bombardier CRJ-1000 parked at a remote stand off Terminal 1 for the short but expensive hop to Belitung.
As this is an A380-capable gate, the third aerobridge was not in use for my flight.
Heading up the aerobridge to the terminal.
Looking back at HS-TKE with the impending storm approaching.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 737-800 parked at a remote stand off Terminal 1.
The Garuda Indonesia Bombardier CRJ-1000, the smallest commercial jet on scheduled services to Changi currently, in front of a Emirates A380, the biggest commercial jet.
Heading to arrival immigration.
Heading to the almost-fully-refreshed baggage reclaim area of Terminal 1.
Baggage reclaim for TG407 was at Belt 10, a new belt in the upsized arrival hall.
The new arrival hall is almost twice as big as before, with additional belts in the expanded area too.
Unfortunately for me, the dreaded lightning risk cartoon was played.
Ah crap.
There were some lucky passengers who got their luggage first with their luggage containers probably cleared before the lightning warning came on, and unlucky ones who had the baggage containers loaded further into the plane (ie. me) had to stand around for about 30 minutes to wait for the lightning warning to clear. Sounds like NS.
Thankfully, the delay wasn’t long enough for Changi Airport to come out with snacks and drinks, and I was on my way out through customs with my bags within 30 minutes. (If Changi Airport comes out with snacks and drinks, that’s pretty much game over and the wait would be “till further notice”.)
Overall, not the smoothest flight out there with delays due to both natural and technological causes, but a comfortable way to travel nonetheless.