THAI’s goes into retro mode

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Thai Airways International’s Royal Orchid Holidays sells a “retro flight” to Hong Kong, 1 May to commemorate the airline’s very first commercial flight that landed in Hong Kong, 1 May 1960.

About 300 passengers will be on board to enjoy a retrofit flight that includes pilots and cabin crews dressed in the original-style uniforms. Passengers are being encouraged to dress in the 60’s style, an era of rock and roll, the Beatles, Rolling Stones flower power and ban-the-bomb activists.

ROH sells a three day/two night package, 1 to 3 May. On the evening of the first day passengers join a 50th anniversary celebration dinner, while on the next morning, ROH guests visit Lantau Island, the Giant Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The rest of the  trip is free-time before departure late afternoon, 3 May.

Based on double occupancy, the retro trip costs Bt19,765 staying at Kimberly Hotel; Bt20,010 at the Royal Pacific; Bt23,490 at Prince Hong Kong or Gateway Hong Kong. The price includes roundtrip airfare on economy class (additional Bt12,175 for travel on business class and Bt20,450,first class), accommodation with daily breakfast, tours, airport transfers, airport taxes and fuel surcharge.

THAI’s first flight, 1 May, used a propeller-driven Douglas DC-6B with a full load of 60 passengers that departed Don Mueang Airport and landed at Hong Kong Kai Tak airport. The flight continued to Taipei and Tokyo. During its first year THAI’s linked Bangkok with 11 Asian destinations and using three DC-6B aircraft that were leased from SAS.