KhaoYai

I have to say that I gave them a try on recommendation and the fact that they'd been one of the most reliable during the height of the Pandemic. The queues at Manchester may well have in part, been connected to a bigger problem being experienced there at the moment but that doesn't explain the queues at Doha and Bangkok. My first trip with them will be my last. I couldn't see why they've won so many awards either. I've flown mostly with Etihad since they started in 2003 and in my opinion, Qatar can't hold a candle to them - its nothing to do with the Pandemic - I flew with Etihad last December without a single problem. Conversely, I wasn't put on a bus in Doha whereas I have often been in Abu Dhabi but that's because of the construction that's been going on there for the last few years. Unfortunately I couldn't use the business class lounge with Qatar whereas I have used the Etihad business class lounge at Abu Dhabi since 2008 - its excellent. The first class lounge at Abu Dhabi must be out of this world.

As I say, how many flights have you booked? Pre covid I almost always booked last minute due to the nature of my work and have always managed to get reasonably priced flights. I've often flown on half empty planes - especially at this time of year.

Its far more than simply a long wait for baggage. Many will be put off by having to apply to go on its own - also the fact that they have to book and pay for a hotel without knowing if their application will be approved. We may know that having all the correct documents will mean no problem getting approval - a 'normal' tourist is unlikely to.

How many flights have you booked? They don't - the price is decided by the amount of seats sold.

No it could not. I would remind you that I said that I and others that have connections to Thailand accept all the hoops and problems as we have no choice. The question is whether tourists will - and I doubt that very much. One thing I did notice was that there was a higher percentage of Thai's on my flights than usual. Probably visiting relatives now they don't have to quarantine on return. My experience this time was much worse than December/January - I would have thought things would have improved not got worse.

Where's the nasty insult? I'm not a fan of Arabs or their habits, is that illegal? is the whole purpose of your membership to disect people's posts and make negative comments?

Yes and yes.

Have you ever found the price to be the same or lower?

So I should have expected things to have deteriorated at the hotel? I should have known my PCR result would take 13 hours? Each time I went to reception there was at least one guest, sometimes more, asking where their results were. I met a group of young German girls in Bangkok who had no idea that the night clubs were closed - why would they? In my opinion Thailand is not ready for tourists to return yet - people go on holiday to have a good time, not to find half the place is closed. They have also had plenty of time (and complaints according to the TAT) to get the whole Test & Go thing working correctly- it doesn't and in fact applications have got much slower, not better.

As I have said, I only expected to be there for 6 hours. I wasn't expecting high quality but regarding the hotel, I was expecting the same service I experienced last time.

My post is about whether tourists will accept conditions at the moment and are an account of what I actually experienced on my trip.

Don't worry about it Richard - some of these people seem to think its my first trip when in fact I've been travelling this route and most of its variations for over 20 years. A result of that common Asean Now disease - skim reading. They also fail to note that I said I would accept these problems as I have little choice but to travel at the moment. The Thai government want to re-start the decimated tourist industry but their attitude to travellers still hasn't changed - like it or lump it - always been the same. Whether the problems are airline related or not - any government wanting to kick-start its tourisim sector would be well advised to monitor problems in all areas and do what they can to remedy those problems - again, like it or lump it.

They do not offer date changes free of charge if the fare on that day is different - which it usually is. I had to change my outbound at the last minute due to my daughter being taken in to hospital - it cost me £310.

Not on this occasion. I got to the bottom of the problem. Apparently the Thursday morning Qatar flight out of Manchester was grounded due to a technical fault - they left the passengers waiting firstly an hour at the gate then 5 hours on the plane before deciding it wasn't going (directly from the mouth of a passenger). They then sent most of the passengers to a hotel without their luggage but they failed to tell the baggage handlers that. The result was that their baggage was off-loaded and on to the carousel just before my flight arrived. With no passengers there to collect that baggage the handlers were unable to place the luggage from my flight on the carousel. I realised there was something wrong when I noticed the tags on the baggage going past me as I was waiting were lablelled MAN-DOH - the wrong way. It turned out those were the offloaded bags.

And add 6 hours to my journey? No thanks. Not true - note my comments about the Qatar business class check in.

I flew through Manchester/Abu Dhabi/Bangkok over the Christmas period - traditionally much busier than March and had no problems at all.

Well in 20 years of travelling mostly in economy, I haven't ever had to wait 2 hours for my bags. I also usually arrive at check in early and don't have to wait for hours to check in. When I fly with Etihad I am able to use business class check in - that wouldn't have made much difference this time. There were around 40 people queueing at Qatar business class - something I've never seen with Etihad.

I'm not going to mention the hotel name - after reading some of the defamation reports recently. However, its in Soi 3 and normally frequented by our Arab brethren. Normally I wouldn't even buy a cup of tea there but as I said, I only expected to be there for 6 hours - and I was on my first trip. On that occasion the car from the airport took me directly to the Piyavate Hospital for my PCR - the hotel has now changed their partner.

Firstly, please read my post correctly - I did say that the problems were not just down to one particular sector. I booked solo travel from the airport after reading about someone being required to quarantine after travelling from the airport with a passenger who subsequently tested positive. On my first trip back in December, the hotel complied with my request at no extra charge. I asked for the same this time and they failed to comply. Manchester, Doha and Suvarnabhumi are all 24 hour international airports - Suvarnabhumi is the only one I know of where all cafe's close around midnight - the others are also quieter than normal. Overall, please try to understand, I am asking if a 'normal tourist' would wish to accept travel like this.

1. Qatar fly through Doha. 2. I flew through Abu Dhabi in December and January with no problems at all.

You may note that firstly, I am not a newcomer and secondly, I booked a solo car on my first trip back and there was no problem.

You shouldn't need to do that:

I've travelled to Thailand for over 20 years and I can guarantee you, my experience was nothing to do with 'cheap seats'. At all 3 airports, both outbound and return, the queues at Qatar check in and baggage collection were very noticeable by their size. Yiu didn't need to ask which check in they were using - just head for the largest queue.

Given the purpose of my post, your comments have no validity at all.

Complete twoddle. I always travel economy - I couldn't visit 6 to 8 times per year if I didn't and as I already stated, it was the worst trip I've ever had (20 years and over 150 trips). My post, if you hadn't realised is asking if a 'normal' tourist would put up with the conditions as they are at the moment - that is what the Thai government are hoping but in my opinion they are peeing in the wind. I can alsOverall, you post seems to be more about bragging than comenting on the actual purpose of my post.o tell you that the queues at business class check in were comparibly large - something I've never experienced with Etihad. You may like to waste money but I don't - on my first trip back I waited just 6 hours for my PCR result, why would any sane person wish to pay 9 or 10,000 for 6 hours. Business class is a very nice experience but is it worth 3 times the price of an economy ticket - no way. You clearly haven't travelled enough to realise that like myself, the majority of travellers travel economy. Overall, you post seems to be more about bragging than comenting on the actual purpose of my post. Its a sad part of being an Asean Now member that posters often have to put up with comments from people bent on trying to be-little rather than on the actual content. I say trying because your post just made me laugh and also told me much about your personality. You may not realise this but most people reading your post will derive your bragging and boasting - they will not be impressed by your 'pralines and expresso', they are more likley to think you are a something that rhymes with hat.