HS-TGM – first and last visit to LAX (?)

I was going out for some grocery shopping yesterday (Dec 22, 2014) morning, but first I thought I’d check to see if anything “interesting” might be heading towards LAX…and to my surprise I see “THA” on Flightradar24…and it’s a 747…?! …what the…

Timing was perfect, the day was beautiful and I hurried away to “catch” it…
Thai Airways International have never, to my knowledge, used jumbos to LAX – they used to fly the beautiful Airbus 340-500, until they stopped and started using the less exciting Boeing 777. But typical arrival is in the late afternoon, not morning…so it was a very unusual visit…

I didn’t have to wait long until it appeared in the sky…and my position was perfect. I got it and I got it good…no picts on Planespotter will outshine the ones I got (especially not after my processing…most folks don’t know how to process images…)

But I wondered, what was the story with this unexpected arrival? – FlightAware would probably be able to tell…yes…this plane had never been here – this was the first and only visit and the final destination was…the Mojave Desert…Quite possibly, I visited the last arrival it would ever make to Southern California…and now, it’s destined to sit out there in the scorching sun…

I will post picts on flickr in time…
Since we don’t get to see the A380 (used by Thai Airways Intl.) here at LAX and I had never seen a Thai jumbo, this was a special treat…and what a coincidence it was…a random check on Flightradar24…

(…and why did they choose to make a two hour stop at LAX instead of going directly to the Mojave site…)

Probably customs.

Or Immigration.

or maybe the relief F/O had to stop to use the toilet.

…he he he…yeah…I was thinking maybe Thai Air had some business with their local office (in LA) perhaps, or…the plane had some passengers (“insiders”) that took advantage of the opportunity…

anyway…

I’d like to know if Thai Air International has ever visited LAX with a 747 before – in current livery that is…I’m thinking they have not, until someone proves me wrong…Thai Air International aircraft are some of the most stylish in the entire industry as far as I’m concerned…truly regal…