enyaw

Well..based on 7 seats and the intended dates of travel the lowest fare is with Royal Jordanian, which is a consolidated fare meaning most agents can take a deposit to secure the seats giving you time to pay the fare in full but as you can see the return connections aren't that great which is the norm with RJ:-

1. RJ 112 V 27DEC LHRAMM HS7 1605 2315 O E TH

2. RJ 180 V 28DEC AMMBKK HS7 0150 1415 O E FR

3. RJ 181 S 15JAN BKKAMM HS7 2315 £0500 O E TU

4. RJ 111 S 16JAN AMMLHR HS7 1100 1445 O E WE

FQP 1-7 Fare 376.00 Taxes 137.20 3592.40 ADT

GRAND TOTAL INCLUDING TAXES **** GBP 3592.40 ADT

LAST DATE TO PURCHASE TICKET: 27DEC07

The lowest fare available from LGW is with Qatar but this fare is a Published fare meaning you'll have less time to pay for the tickets (notice last date to purchase ticket)otherwise the connections are great and the Airline is quality and if it saves you time/money flying from LGW i'd be booking this one:-

1. QR 76 L 27DEC LGWDOH HS7 0945 1930 O E TH

2. QR 612 L 27DEC DOHBKK HS7 2030 £0650 O E TH

3. QR 611 M 15JAN BKKDOH HS7 2000 2330 O E TU

4. QR 75 M 16JAN DOHLGW HS7 0210 0655 O E WE

>FQBBCQR

*** BEST BUY QUOTATION ***

LOWEST FARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS ITINERARY

FQG 1-7 Fare 388.00 Tax 125.80 3596.60 GBP

GRAND TOTAL INCLUDING TAXES **** GBP 3596.60

ADT LAST DATE TO PURCHASE TICKET: 11JUN07

The best fare for direct flights is with Thai and this is a consolidated fare:

1. TG 911 Q 27DEC LHRBKK HS7 1150 £0610 O E TH

2. TG 916 Q 15JAN BKKLHR HS7 1350 1935 O E TU

FQP 1-7 Fare 656.00 Tax 135.30 5539.10 ADT

GRAND TOTAL INCLUDING TAXES **** GBP 5539.10 ADT

LAST DATE TO PURCHASE TICKET: 27NOV07

hope this helps

It's getting close to the time I have to book flights, to save me having to search endless sites for a good price can anyone with recent experience give me advice on who to book with? Gatwick would be easier but Heathrow is ok. I don't mind going via somewhere, as long as it's not too many hours between flights. Thanks people.

If you give us your dates of travel then we can see what your best options are.

No, it didn't have to be an island, just a beach... Borneo is nice, low fares with Air Asia too, but I got dengue fever there! I didn't realize you could find something on Saumi in that price... seems like that's a good choice.

As ju jitsu says you wont get beach front for 10-15,000 but there are some good deals to be had like this one I just pulled up for example jeriya bungalows on bang po beach.

Samui's a good choice if your justing staying put for the duration.

1 Bedroomed Ac bungalows with living area, kitchen, cable t.v, porch.. etc

start at around 10-15000 baht per month.

^ agreed at least 1 day overstay doesn't incur a penalty.

Thanks for all the advice guys, although her English isn't bad, this is her first time flying to the UK and she's just a bit apprehensive about it, I am sure she'll be fine but she feels happier if there's Thai cabin crew.

I contacted Thai in the UK and they said if I went to their office in London, the price would be around £1000. On the web-site its THB51,000 compared to BA's 39,000. Eva Air was more expensive than BA and I can't pay with my Visa with Eva either.

Have been working on persuading her that BA will be fine, she seems to be coming round to the idea as I told her I'd put the money saved towards her birthday present

Thanks again

Lee

You really are better off getting a fare from within Thailand, the fare with Thai or Eva or whoever may be available at a discounted rate from within Thailand. So it would be an idea to get your GF to visit a few travel agents in Thailand before you go booking anything.

You need to book your flights with an airline consolidator for Thai airways in Thailand,

just wire the money over to her.

This is a nice place I stayed in one timeAree Bungalow on the sea front and they have a 2 bedroom bungalow there aswell.

Well, that solves that problem then. It's just a wonder why it cost so much through the GDS?

I have never found booking engines like Expedia and Travelocity to be all that reliable for international itineraries with a non-US origin. Sometimes the fares offered are right on the mark, and sometimes they are way out in left field.

The fare was spot on as per Galileo GDS,. which is one of the reservation systems where airlines make the fares available to the public. So as far as I know.... fark knows?

Well, that solves that problem then. It's just a wonder why it cost so much through the GDS?

You'll probably get a more reasonable price for the Thai flights from an agent or tour-op from within India.

I've been searching around on flights from Hyderabad to BKK. From the looks of things it appears that the choices fall into the following ranges:

1) Direct HYD -> BKK for about $1200

2) 19 - 25 hours travel time with layovers for $600

Anybody have any suggestions on a cheaper alternative? I go out to Hyderbad often on biz and figured it would be nice to take a long weekend but the total travel time from HYD to BKK rivals the total travel time flying from LHR.

I can see your problem, the direct HYD-BKK flights which just takes 3.5 hours and are operated by Thai Airways are ideal:

1. TG 330 Q 15JUN HYDBKK HS1 2355 £0500 O FR

2. TG 329 Q 18JUN BKKHYD HS1 2050 2250 O E MO

but like you say are over $1200.00 which is a total rip off for a 3.5 hour flight!

I've been having a look at your options and it seems flying via Mumbai offers the best connections v's price.

1. AI 818 L 15JUN HYDBOM SS1 2110 2225 S FR

2. AI 6318 G 15JUN BOMBKK SS1 2325 £0515 S FR

OPERATED BY THAI AIRWAYS INTL

3. AI 359 L 18JUN BKKBOM SS1 1930 2200 S MO

4. AI 820 B 19JUN BOMHYD SS1 0045 0200 S TU

With this option your flying time from HYD-BKK takes a total of 5.15 and connections aren't bad, and at half the price about US$650.

The cheapest options are via Colombo with Srilankan airlines:

1. UL 176 L 15JUN HYDCMB HS1 1025 1225 O E FR

2. UL 422 L 16JUN CMBBKK HS1 0720 1220 O E SA

3. UL 423 L 25JUN BKKCMB HS1 2110 2255 O E MO

4. UL 175 L 26JUN CMBHYD HS1 1800 2000 O E TU

on this option you'd need to spend a night in Colombo in both directions which would not be worth it for just a few nights but i'd consider it for stays of a week or more as this fare is less than $400.

Thai airways have a special on for royal silk (which I presume is business class)

an LHR-BKK-RT is £1520 tax is £174. Travel must between now and Jun25.

Too much, not worth the bother unless you have heaps of dosh to throw away.

Yeah, considering most of the time your asleep eh?!

Hi wayne, I just missed your post (btw I am from Walkden near swinton m/c) nice to meet you.

I have just (before I read your post) with south all travel my itinerary is

10/12/07 to 14/01/08

(L) M/C 20.15 (A) D/H 6.05 (L) D/H 8.13 (A) BKK 18.50

(L) BKK 7.50 (A) D/H 11.20 (L) D/H (A) M/C 18.15

I got this for £505 so I am happy with that (as you can guess)

My only problem is that I have never overstayed before (this time about 7 days, I am to excited to work it out yet) so any advice on what I should do (pay on arrival pay later etc) would help.

Thanks to everyone (to happy to type now )

Steve

Well bowl me over... I'm from the same neck of the woods and it's nice to meet you also mate I can sometimes be found in Bongs.

Well it's good to see you've got your flights sorted and as for your visa you used to be able extend your 30 day visa on arrival in immigration in bangkok or there's one in Pattaya aswell on soi 8... I believe you only get 7 days extension these days if at all? Maybe someone can confirm? It used to cost 1900bht.

Cheers Wayne.

Some real expertize here on travel period and fares shopping - and I'd like to tap it too, if possible.

I need to go out from BKK to Paris and return in a month or so. Would like to go mid-June or thereabouts. I live in Chiang Mai, but only recently so.

Would appreciate any advice, for example if I'm better off looking directly on airlines' websites, or going to a local agent, or is there a thai consolidator-type site (in other direction I used to look at opodo)?

I'm expecting to go economy - unless there's an outstanding deal on a better level of travel.

Thanks

You can still use Opodo in thailand as the fares on there are published fares with a small booking or ticketing fee on top of around £15, so get a fare off opodo and compare it with an agency in chiang mai, but yeah it would normally be cheaper to book with a consolidater in thailand but since your returning in july which is probably high season in france availability may be such that a published fare is cheaper anyway?

Thanks for all the info guys. I usually fly with KLM but expensive at around xmas time (I think that is when I wil be going ) southall travel are quoting (online) £300 + tax for November (Qatar) and from 14 December to 13 January £335+tax (Etihad).

Think I will phone them in the morning.

Thanks again you clever lot.

Now all I need is a flight to Udon Thani (watch for my new thread when I confirm my Int flight) .

Steve

If you've been quoted a flight for £335+tax going on them specified dates I'd rip their arm off!

Let's assume that fare's not available for the dates you need (out mid dec back mid jan) which it isnt is it and since i'm in work and it's quiet and i'm bored i've just been looking around and there's a published fare for £367 again with qatar but it's departing 11Dec and back 14Jan

1. QR 42 K 11DEC MANDOH HS1 0920 1910 O E TU

2. QR 612 K 11DEC DOHBKK HS1 2030 £0650 O E TU

3. QR 611 Q 14JAN BKKDOH HS1 2000 2330 O E MO

4. QR 41 Q 15JAN DOHMAN HS1 0220 0715 O E TU

>FQBBCQR

*** BEST BUY QUOTATION ***

LOWEST FARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS ITINERARY

*** NO REBOOK REQUIRED ***

PSGR QUOTE BASIS FARE TAXES TOTAL PSG DES

FQG 1 KLPXRT| GBP 367.00 126.50 493.50 AD

GUARANTEED

GRAND TOTAL INCLUDING TAXES **** GBP 493.50

Give southall a bell and see if they can knock anymore off.

Thanks for all the info guys. I usually fly with KLM but expensive at around xmas time (I think that is when I wil be going ) southall travel are quoting (online) £300 + tax for November (Qatar) and from 14 December to 13 January £335+tax (Etihad).

Think I will phone them in the morning.

Thanks again you clever lot.

Now all I need is a flight to Udon Thani (watch for my new thread when I confirm my Int flight) .

Steve

If you've been quoted a flight for £335+tax going on them specified dates I'd rip their arm off!

Emirates in Economy seats 10 people per row. Sardines in a 3-4-3 configuration. They have good AV which makes up for the tight fit.

:D

?

I've flown with Emirates on a couple of occassions now and have been impressed with their all-round service and inparticular their great inflight entertainment (on-demand). I've also flown BA, EVA & Thai direct and thought Eva were much better than the other two as they had newer planes.

How do Qatar & Etihad compare to Emirates in terms of overall service and specific points.

Would appreciate comments

Thanks

Emirates, Ethiad and Qatar are all very similar in every way. Emirates are more established meaning more flights (which is important if your a frequent flyer wanting to build up airmiles) but ethiad and qatar are more modern with newer aircaft and the same seat back entertainment systems you get with emirates.

Fares tend to come out around 11 months prior to departure date, so if your intended date of travel was in december it's best to book it in january to get the lower fares (although airlines tend to run specials now and again) if you post your travel dates and where you want to fly from then we can see what your best options are.

Thanks for the replies,

I want to depart from Manchester UK and my final destination is Udon Thani via Bangkok, I don't mind spending the night in Bangkok but would rather not.

I want to stay for about 1 month (about 28 days) hope you have some ideas, thanks again

Steve

When are you planning on traveling steve?

My ideal time for visiting would be December to January, my second choice would be November but having said that my first choice would be tomorrow.

The thing is, at the moment I am off work (on the sick for the foreseeable future).

I am suffering physiotherapy (hydro) at the moment, and in reality my trip would have to be when this is completed, having said that if the flight was cheap enough tomorrow I would walk my injury off

So in summation ,I would like to fly whenever, (any time any date) using the cheapest flights so my travel time would be dictated by the airline (beggars can’t be choosers). (my visit would be for 1 month)

I am just going to check out the links given by Mahout Angrit.

Thanks guys (for the responses)

Steve

Out of Manchester the Lowest fare on offer is usually Qatar at £305, airport tax is £130.40 to get this fare your outbound travel date needs to be between now and the 30th Jun and then between 20Aug - 13Dec. I've just checked availability and if you can stay longer than a month then you can get this fare staying over christmas and new year by departing on the 06Dec and Back on 29Jan otherwise if you can't stay for longer than a month then your best bet is to depart in Nov to get the best price.

QR 42 V 17NOV MANDOH HS1 0920 1910 O E SA

QR 612 V 17NOV DOHBKK HS1 2030 £0650 O E SA

QR 611 V 17DEC BKKDOH HS1 2000 2330 O E MO

QR 41 V 18DEC DOHMAN HS1 0220 0715 O E TU

So this ticket would cost £435.40 all in, it has a maximum stay of 60 days.

Fares tend to come out around 11 months prior to departure date, so if your intended date of travel was in december it's best to book it in january to get the lower fares (although airlines tend to run specials now and again) if you post your travel dates and where you want to fly from then we can see what your best options are.

Thanks for the replies,

I want to depart from Manchester UK and my final destination is Udon Thani via Bangkok, I don't mind spending the night in Bangkok but would rather not.

I want to stay for about 1 month (about 28 days) hope you have some ideas, thanks again

Steve

When are you planning on traveling steve?

Fares tend to come out around 11 months prior to departure date, so if your intended date of travel was in december it's best to book it in january to get the lower fares (although airlines tend to run specials now and again) if you post your travel dates and where you want to fly from then we can see what your best options are.

As has been mentioned , the worst thing about this sort of of thing is that the shortfall

will be taken out of the staff's wages. One unpaid bill can wipe out a day or two's basic

earnings.

I remember one time in a Bar in Pattaya a girl in sheds of tears after failing to notice the bin she just checked was missing most of it's bills, the lads had been drinking all day and when it came to settling up the bill they had pocketed most of it leaving it massively short. The low lifes.. they would of saved themselves just a few quid each but the bar girl would of lost out on the best part of a months wages.

I once saw an Irish fella in rosey o'gradys in Pattaya order his food pay his bill and then sneek out without eating it?!