Thailand flight benchmarking

EveryWhere

stevie11 wrote: »

Everywhere....

You are welcome to ignore me.It's in the Settings under your Profile. Goodbye. I know the OP won't, since I am the only one making any sense on this thread and you are falling over your tongue trying to take back statements you made earlier.
If the person making the most sensible suggestions is a troll in your eyes, then what are you?

Voyager2002

EveryWhere wrote: »

You don't want to have two separate bookings, regardless of your wild suggestions.

The OP has made it clear that they want to fly directly to and fro USM. It's a two week holiday, so your suggestion that they should visit BKK four times and USM twice in that time period is a less than inviting one....added to that you are also suggesting another stopover on the way.

So your suggestion for their fourteen day holiday would be
UK-Transit City- BKK
BKK-USM
USM-BKK
BKK-Transit City- UK.

Longer travel times means less holiday. Going through formalities in BKK on the way back means less holiday. Travelling back and forth from BKK at your suggestion for the last day costs money and holiday time. All false economies.

Against, on a single PNR;

UK-BKK
BKK-USM
USM-Transit BKK- UK.

You are absolutely right (apart from the four visits to Bangkok: most people would say that if you arrive somewhere and then leave that is a single visit) but obviously this convenience comes at a price. Increased travel time to/from Thailand and the need to check in luggage an extra time might substantially reduce the total cost. Obviously the OP might well decide that convenience is more important than cash, in which case we could perhaps discuss the merits of business class (which is, incidentally, very good value on Eva Air).

EveryWhere

Bodders11 wrote: »

Thanks Voyager and Stevie.

How can I guarantee they are on the same PNR? When I click on the deal, it doesn't provide any terms or conditions unless I proceed with the booking. Presumably, this is one of the risks?

As suggested, give them a call beforehand, but it seems likely that it will be under a single PNR, since the trip is bookable direct with EVA Air via their website at £670.

Book with the airline and you will have more flexibility in the case of needing to change dates etc
If you book with eDreams/Opodo the fare conditions are the same, but you will need to try to get hold of them and they will add their own admin charges. So be careful to read the T&C if you choose to book with them.
All is fine if you don't actually need to ever contact them after purchase.

If you choose to buy a cheaper indirect LON to BKK option on separate PNR, you might end up paying as little as, £530 if you couple a cheap and nasty Air China flight with the Bangkok Airways sectors.

But certainly not worth the extra hassle, loss of time and discomfort. £606 is a good price, but choose good flight times. You don't need to be heading for the airport at the crack of dawn. So choose flight times around lunchtime.

EveryWhere

Voyager2002 wrote: »

You are absolutely right (apart from the four visits to Bangkok: most people would say that if you arrive somewhere and then leave that is a single visit) but obviously this convenience comes at a price. Increased travel time to/from Thailand and the need to check in luggage an extra time might substantially reduce the total cost. Obviously the OP might well decide that convenience is more important than cash, in which case we could perhaps discuss the merits of business class (which is, incidentally, very good value on Eva Air).

You were almost doing ok, until you mentioned BC...as if the whole thing is a joke to you.

One again, any savings you suggest will be negligible. Lets say they get a good price with a middle eastern airline for around £380. Add a couple of hundred for the PG flights and you are already at £580.

So where is the saving?

You have really let yourself down on this thread. Usually your advice is worth the read for most. But this must really be your worst.

First visit is when you arrive(1), then they leave to enjoy BKK. Then they would have to return for the USM flight, so that is two visits thus far. Then they return from USM to BKK(3) and have to stay overnight. Then they return to BKK(4) from their overnight stay elsewhere.
So four separate visits to BKK.
Then having to go through bag offloading and Immigration formalities in BKK

This to save £26?

This is why, instead of arguing, you should think about why I am choosing to disagree with you.
It's never personal and always on-topic. It someone gets it wrong it's on at least one of us to give the right answer.

EveryWhere

Just noticed a mistake in what I wrote in post #34. Edited to state that the eDreams/Opodo booking will be under a single PNR, as you can book it as such directly on the EVA website.

Bodders11

Thanks, EveryWhere.

PompeyPete

If I wasnt that fussed about missing my connecting International exit flight then I'd happily go for the short layover in Bangkok.

But if I wanted to make sure I caught that International flight then no way. Delays, cancellations, last minute schedule changes, weather, traffic chaos, could all !!!!-up the Domestic flight...why risk it?

Far better to have a relaxing final night in Bangkok.

EveryWhere

PompeyPete wrote: »

If I wasnt that fussed about missing my connecting International exit flight then I'd happily go for the short layover in Bangkok.

But if I wanted to make sure I caught that International flight then no way. Delays, cancellations, last minute schedule changes, weather, traffic chaos, could all !!!!-up the Domestic flight...why risk it?

Far better to have a relaxing final night in Bangkok.

Is there something wrong with you? Are you really not getting it?

The difference here is that you likely flew Air Asia from Surat Thani and there was no connection anyway or yours was with Bangkok Airways, but was not subject to an interline agreement.

This is a through ticket with where you check in and go through International Immigration formalities at USM....and then you are simply in transit at BKK.


So this nonsense about overnighting in Bangkok is not at all helpful in the case of the OP. repeating it doesn't give it more credibility.
Otherwise why don't we plan to overnight at every transit stop of an indirect flight? Let's overnight in Doha, Dubai, Muscat, AMS.....
It's just nonsense.
You advice only makes sense if there is no interline agreement and you want to have ample space between unconnected flights.....but these are connected..

PompeyPete

Everywhere. So if the Domestic flight to Bangkok is cancelled last minute, or delayed by a couple of hours, then what happens to the international departure that you didn't want to miss....coz you've missed it.

You come across as a single bloke who has just yourself to think about.

Voyager2002

PompeyPete wrote: »

If I wasnt that fussed about missing my connecting International exit flight then I'd happily go for the short layover in Bangkok.

But if I wanted to make sure I caught that International flight then no way. Delays, cancellations, last minute schedule changes, weather, traffic chaos, could all !!!!-up the Domestic flight...why risk it?

Far better to have a relaxing final night in Bangkok.

There was a post on here within the last couple of weeks from someone who had precisely that experience...

His domestic flight was cancelled; he took the next practicable departure; he narrowly missed his BA flight back to London. Since all his flights were on a single PNR he was placed on a flight operated by another airline, but was furious because he had not had the experience of flying BA, and of course was rather late back home.