I wish U.S. airlines invested in upgrading their amenity kits to compete with many of the foreign carrier ones I’ve scored in my Amenity Kit Reviews series. Here’s another great one featuring Thai Airways’ Royal First Class offering. For a better description of each category, and the 7-point scale for scoring, please review my introductory post here.
Bag/Container: One word: Rimowa. Score: 7. If you’re unfamiliar, Rimowa is a leading manufacturer of luggage and this kit’s unique design matches the aestheticism of their full-sized luggage with a hard plastic wide-ribbed zipper case. As pictured above, it extends when opened and contains two mesh side pockets. A descriptive product information card about the company and its unique polycarbonate luggage was included. Nothing can compare to this bag, in my opinion, so again… Score: 7
Skin Care: Thai partnered with La Maxima of Paris to provide the kit’s skin care items. The body lotion is fantastic and absorbs immediately without leaving an oily after feel. I can’t determine the scent, but it’s light and pleasant. The flavorless lip balm is effective. I love facial mist for incredibly dehydrating airline cabins and this one carries the same unidentifiable scent as the lotion. Also included is a refreshing small bottle of eau de cologne. Additional skin care items are available in the lavatories. Score: 7
Oral Care: Partnering with another European manufacturer, Thai offers Fluocaril oral care products. A full-sized toothbrush with a cover is included and the toothpaste, while effective (is there an ineffective toothpaste?), was of the “regular†flavor. I would love to see some type of mint paste more often in these kits. No breath mints, but this is the first time I’ve seen a container of breath spray. Pretty nice and thankfully it is mint-flavored. Even with my dislike of the toothpaste, I’m giving a near perfect rating. Score: 6
Comfort Items: Truth be told, I didn’t actually fly with Thai and receive this amenity kit (eBay!) and the carrier offers Royal First passengers eyeshades, slippers and pajamas separately. I trust they are top notch and look forward to adding them to my collection soon. In the lavatories, as noted on their website, soft linen towels are an option over paper towels – a nice luxury. The kit does include a flip-comb/brush combo, which I’m sure works just fine if you have hair (I buzzcut what I have left… ha!). You can criticize me here given the fact I didn’t first-hand review most anything in this category, but feel comfortable with giving them a near perfect score with the option to adjust it when I actually travel Royal First. Score: 6
Intangibles: Had I actually flown and received this incredible kit and additional comfort items, I’m certain my impression would be nothing but top notch. I actually like it when the airline incorporates their logo on the kit and feel the Rimowa logo adds to its elite and exclusive feel given their position in the industry.  Score: 7
Total score & comments:
As I would have expected with a non-U.S. airline First Class amenity kit, this one far exceeds what you’d find on American, United or Delta. It definitely deserves the top score of any I’ve reviewed to-date. As Thai is in my alliance of choice – Star Alliance – I’m certain I’ll one day receive one as a passenger. In the meantime, well done Thai Airways, the final score of 6.50 is well deserved.
Darren! Don’t buy amenity kits on eBay! 😉
I have two unopened TG F Rimowa amenity kits gathering dust in my closet. Ask your readers next time! 🙂
I know who to come to first, then! 🙂
@Matthew: lol
@Darren: Which route did you receive this amenity kit on?
I bought this one off eBay.
Received this kit on a FRA-BKK flight earlier this year. While the kit is nice, I can honestly say the purple pajamas and eyeshade were underwhelming. On my flight, virtually all the F passengers handed back their pajamas to the flight attendants prior to landing. Now, on the other hand, the LX and LH pajamas from my F flights on the same trip were quite nice, I was happy to bring them home!
Thanks for the info about TG’s PJs. Sad to hear they’re sub par.
Wow, you actually bought this off from ebay ? They are rare and if there are, it cost $30+ from what I have seen constantly !
I have to correct something you wrote on the last paragraph, non-US airline F amenity kit only extend to Asian airlines, not anywhere else. Not sure if you had flown on any European airlines, they are just like the US airlines ! For example, LH F, if you are in A380 F or new F on the 744, you got the Porshe design kit (I can’t see what is so special about Porshe design, it looks no different than other airlines amenity kis !) And more importantly inside the bag, other than the usual items, it only has hand cream tube, not even lipbalm ! It does also come with a Porshe design Eau de toilette, but no, it is not like SQ that has a Ferragamo big bottle, or OZ Bvlgari travel size bottle, or even the mini bottle you saw in the TG Rimowa kit, it is only those samples 0.04oz/1.2ml hand out in the perfume counter to anyone at a department store !
If you are on a daytime LH flight in F (even if it is more than 10 hours), or old F, you only get the Bogner kit, that kit looks like even worse than many carriers C kit !
LX is not any better. Yes, they have LaPrarie in F, but inside the kit itself, it only have those tubes so small like for one time use only ! (5ml/0.17oz) You would think they can afford bigger tubes in F right ? As even with NZ in C, they are now using LaPrarie as well, and giving those same tubes that in LX F kit ! The LX F kit is made by Bally, but from what I saw and feel the bag, onece again no difference than any other amenity kit bag, just put the logo that’s all.
@ORDnHKG: Guilty as charged… I won’t tell you what I paid for this kit, but it was well above $30.
I actually do have a new LX First kit that I need to review, so will try to focus on those outside of Asia now. Also have an Aerolineas Argentias kit upcoming, as well. I’ll still maintain they’re better than U.S. carriers. 😉 We’ll see.
When I flew Thai First Class in June 2011, I was given blue Alain Delon pyjamas which were very acceptable. The slippers were too small for my UK size 10 broad feet. In the First Class bathroom were sachets of antiseptic hand wash and high quality toothbrush/toothpaste sets. Eyeshades were of average quality for First Class and had to be requested, as did earplugs.
@LondonNick: Thanks for the detailed info about the lavatory amenities!
I’ve been watching some of these on eBay, the price they go for is insane! There was a raging debate on another forum about whether it’s wrong to pinch a business or first class amenity kit when you pass through the cabin disembarking. Considering some of these kits are going for upwards of Aus$100, I can see why people would! (not condoning it by the way…)
Flying TG in October this year. Anyone know if they are still the same? Do they give these out on the shorter flights, say HKG-BKK?
No, TG had already discontinued Rimowa kit since the beginning of March, it replaced with Tumi, which is a black common nylon bag, nothing compare to Rimowa. Also, TG don’t give amenity kit for HKG-BKK (they don’t even have slippers in F for this route !), you have to be at least on something like PEK-BKK or NRT-BKK to get a kit.
Interesting to read that the Rimowa TG kits are rare and in demand, I have been given them away like anything (still have a purple, grey and blue one at home though, must find the contains in my bathroom cabinet). Am on a trip as we speak flying 4 sectors in F with TG and I actually like the new Tumi kit, it is sturdy and more friendlyre-usable and sports Hermes lotion and Eau de Cologne, as well as neutrogena lipbalm, a refreshing face spray and usual earplugs, toothbrush and eye shades. The pyjama they hand out now are no longer the purple ones but rather classy light blue (Alain Delon as mentioned by another reader), top is button up with Thai logo embroidered. In the restrooms they have two choices of Bulgari Eau de Cologne spray, very nice.
@Ken: The new Tumi kit is indeed quite nice. Say, I had a reader email me yesterday looking for a Rimowa kit. May I connect you two via email?
Do you still have one for sale?
Thanks
@SOBHI: No, I’m sorry I don’t. You may want to check eBay from time to time.
I can vouch for the slippers and sleeper suits in First as well!
can some one tell me where can I buy this first class kits cos I want to supply the others airlines,tqvm
@Tony: There’s definitely a huge amount of amenity kits selling on eBay.
Fly BR in C, you don’t even need to worry about to fly paid F or using miles in F to get one of these kits on ebay. BR has the Rimowa kits for all long haul flights in Royal Laurel, BR is quite “cheap” compare to other competitive airlines long haul C class. If not, just fly F with TG intra asia routes like PEK/NRT-BKK, you would still get the Rimowas.
I didn’t know they had been around so long. Would love one of these!