hermespan

Yes, that's why I am flying with them. Telephone staff assured ne that there is no limit.

Presumably if restaurants COULD do this yield management they would.

But no, I used to be a window cleaner owner-operator in the retail market. I never added surcharges for paper towels, a parking surcharge, a surcharge for smokers, etc etc - I just looked at it, did a mental calculation (ballpark) and gave the prosoective customer a price because I hate complications in pricing. I like an all-inclusive price, otherwise service becomes like an Indian low-end prostitute, every two minutes, 'Oh, you want me to remove my clothes, that'll be X rupees extra', 'You want to be able to kiss me, that'll be X rupees extra'.

"Just give me a simple price, sister!"

Faster responses here than by calling Thai in BKK!!!

When an AA flight had some fluid leak enroute to Malaysia from Indonesia they offered to replace the bag even though there was no permanent damage. But I had no purchase of the bag receipt (maybe they would have taken my word for it, maybe I could have even made a profit on my knock-off bag from Hanoi).

What annoyed me was I didn't want a cheque in the mail or whatever presumably cumbersome solution they had in mind. I suggested a free AA ticket. The ticket person had me sign a form where I made my notations but they wrote on top or checked a box that I rejected their offer. They weren't listening. Even though I was willing to negiotiate they never got back to me despite my being flexible about a partial or full discount on future flights. Maybe it had something to do with various AA jurisdictions/separate corporations, but I found the whole experience very un customer service, cookie-cutter, no flexibility.

Ah, the days of Northwest Airlines sleeping in an entire empty row across the Pacific, paying $899 return, no add-on fees, miss your flight? No problem, we'll send you on a different airline tomorrow, for he same price. Nineties - those were the days my friend! Or eighties, flying on second-hand tickets bought in the Bargain Finder. And standby tickets. And airlines putting you up in Tokyo or Seoul because they couldn't guarantee a X hour connection. Meals included. And no six times inspection of your passport.

Airline nostalgiac

Cheapest tickets at regular price compared to all the others.

Prop plane - scared the begeezus out of me.

Cambodia iffice of Thai Air is very helpful but in this experience at least not as competent as BKK staff. I had resigned myself to paying a substantial fee (I forget if it was THB1000 or 2000 on the second level up economy ticket) to be able to change my departure date. BKK phone operator pointed out that as long as you change FORWARD instead of back, and as BKK-PNH is rarely fully booked to just book on the first date I think I might travel and then call 6 hours or more in advance to change. Brilliant - she saved me some money! That level of ticket (costs about THB1000 more) is good fir six months, so plenty if wiggle room for my ourposes. And changing return date is free. Told even refundable for a $50 fee. Told it takes 30-45 days.

SO, let's change this thread to what's GOOD about Thai Airways? Off the top of my head, excess baggage is more likely to be overlooked fee-wise, multiple departure and arrival times are more convenient sometimes. In fact, I welcome someone with more free time on his hands to draw up a list of the pros and cons of various airlines in Thailand. One has prettier stewardesses. Another has cheaper last minute fares. Yet another more legroom. Whatever.

Android on internet explorer has no 'select' button so effectively is useless (works fine with M0zilla Firefox)

The Android app also is useless. The app has all sorts of fascinating information but it is not obvious to me how to do the esoteric function of booking a flight. No such option unless it's hidden somewhere. And it is not a third party app but offered for free by Thai Ait itself.

What's more after 15 (?) minutes on hold I advised the booking clerk of these technical problems and she switched me to yet another tacky music lineup where SHE put me on hold. I was expecting her to say ' Are you calling from a mobile phone Sir? We are a landline, and as you are spending your time trying to improve our customer service, let ys call you back. What's your number?' I gave up after another ten minutes on hold.

It's like calling a gov't department instead of a customer-first business. Maybe its because of the ownership (the state, the airforce...? ) In Canada I always avoided the national carrier Air Canada, preferring Canadian Pacific until they went out of business. I don't get how taxpayer's money can create services like airlines that 'compete' in the marketplace.

That was the third rate, to clarify...

USD to THB

banknotes 100

1. airport SCB - arrival, immediately after Immigration but before Customs, around 10:15.... 30.49

2. airport K, near City link, before 1pm..... 31.81

3. Sukhumvit K - 2;23 pm........ 30.98

14:23 August 29

K Bank

Sukhumvit close to MRT

south side

An hour later in town. K Bank 30.98

Maybe volatility is due of US. world policeman war drums again (Syria)

Hong Kong airport stored luggage could care less about electronics. Technically it is forbidden, and they did scan but I speak from experience that I left my laptop for three nights. Ditto Singapore. Maybe airports with privately operated storage services go by market demand instrad of impractical state agendas. Funny, free market USA and Thailand are more controlling than communist nations and so-called dictatorship of Singapore.

Arriving from another nation I wanted to change money. I was reluctant to exchange at the airport suspecting poorer FXS rates than in city. But my fear was assuaged when I observed sn SCB sign reading that all banks af aurport have the same rates of FXS. I got my THB fiat currency notes buying rate of 30.49 Half an hour later K Bank posted rate was 31.81

I can think of several possibilities...

1. In the spirit of banksters the sign at SCB. was deliberately misleading - the fact is that all SCB FXS booths at the airport are the same, but competitors might be different (from K Bank and from each other)

2. Poor translation skills employed

3. FXS rate jumped 2% in less than 30 minutes.

An a related note J asked (because I am very poor at math ) an FXS clerk what was the % difference between rate for TCs vs. cash. She didn't understand the question. BTW, it is somewhere between 4-5% accorfing to mh rough calculation (although because of the TC fee per TC. that changes it)

I also had to fight with her to get the SCB clerk to watch. (four eyes at once) the finsl counting of thd money.

SCB, don't give me this wai b.s., be businesslike snd count the cash as we both look on in plain view instead of looking away. At my vank in Canada they count slowly and in piles ov thousands (or hundreds) and in full view.

What is this laziness, classism or a bizarre 'what you don't TRUST us?' unorifessional practice?

Worth THB1000 to me if highrises and multiple neon signs (Bangkok af night) kn distancd if even closeup. Finders fee if location used for night shoot. PM me for details.

It's a serious question. There appears to be no advantage to book ahead on Thai.

I have no issues with Thai Air.

With discount airline Air Asia and presumably others, there is a huge financial incentive (reduced price) to book far in advance. With boutique airline BKK Airways it is a lot cheaper to book a return ticket than a one way, and perhaps booking in advance saves also (not sure).

But I just discovered something weird with Thai Airways. It appears that there is no incentive to book in advance. In fact there is a DISincentive. If I book now, booking the flight that is flexible, refundable for THB2000 I think it is, it allows me to change dates (free for returning) it will cost me money to change my mind - $50 to change departure date.

I just did a test, seeing what it would cost if I booked for the next day now. NOT more expensive. So what's the point of booking in advance with Thai unless it's some super popular route where it's difficult to get a seat? Seems like a strange business strategy.

I accept that different fare levels have different restrictions. But going online I see a switch in policy from one page to the other. Exact words on website...

Lowest price Thai Saver Plus reads "flight/date change with fee, non-refundable"

Higher price Thai flexi saver reads " flight/date changeable, refundable" the insinuation by contrast that there us no fee to change with flexi saver. But when I get further along about to purchase the website terms read that there us a fee to change flexi saver.

Error, incompetence or fraud?

No more $12.95 buffets, kids half price, 6-9 pm

Instead everyone dining in the restaurant is paying a different price

There are 63 different prices depending on whether you use chopsticks or fork and spoon, whether you need a high chair for your child or sit at the counter, made your reservation 3 days in advance or just dropped in, paid cash or by credit card, dined at 6pm or 7:30 pm. have a loyalty card or not.

And when the bill comes not only is tax added, but so are multiple fees: the cleaner's fee, refridgerator maintenance, waitress surcharge and food poisoning insurance.

Argh...

Oops. didn't scroll down. It's because the more expensive flight starts earlier.

I am guessing it is because they can get more going out than coming back on a one-way. Why, I have absolutely no idea.

I see reading Bangkok Air's website that there are multiple ways of paying for airline ticjets on my favourite regional airline from one's KRUNG THAI BANK account. SCB. equivalent service is for two crap airlines I seldom use - Nok and Air Asia.

This is a very useful thread. Thanks to all contributors.

I need to buy a ticket for someone else and am concerned about some screwaround like they give the passenger the refund or credit not me, if he doesn't fly.

I checked BKK Air and their site 'details' the differences between various fares except where it really matters. OK, so fare changes and fare refunds are permitted for a fee. That's vague. I want to know precisely how much and when do I get it.

I suppose I could call their office but where I am they close at night. Hard to book a ticket with eyes wide open if one does not have all the facts.

But I prefer to live on the run or at least living as an expat overseas, than confront the state. I enjoy life too much to waste it tilting at windmills. As long as if keeps its hands out of my wallet and out of my pants I simply ignore it. The person with the passport problem is apolitical, at least publically.

jrtmedic wrote: "Maybe someone will facilitate your travel to Siberia ! "

Firstly, l don't take anarchist political theory entirely seriously as on an anarchist commune it's hard to get good Chinese take-out, but I am fed up with monopoly capitalism, that!s for sure. In your jest you spoke a kind of truth. When the Bolsheviks of the revolutionary Soviet Union took power entirely from a coalition of socialists. anarchists and classical liberals, their opponents were not usually sent to Siberia. They were shot.

What is the best way to prevent being shot? Perhaps is not being trackable and being armed. I am not talking about aggression, only defence against the violence by the state: its imprisonment, fines, seizure of travel documents etc. I say the police and other armed agents of the state (including Immigration officers) are no different morally than terrorists..

You are confusing my anarchist principles with his being the holder of a crappy passport and perhaps having issues back home. Two different persons.

Let me be clear on this - I have no reason to believe the person whose passport needs to be replaced has any criminal past or present. If I understood correctly he is on some blacklist of some sort (shit list, no fly list. shit attracts flies list I don't know). So, when he tried to renew it his Embassy told him that he would have to go home to do it, presumably on his current piece of toilet paper duration of validity not yet expired yet one.

So, imagine you are Australian or from some other overseas bully nation and you have no desire to go 'home'. But you don't have the funds to get an investment citizenship in Uruguay. You don't have the time to convert to Judaism and get that pariah passport. You just want to be left alone and continue to sojourn in Asia. But your passport is not so presentable? And 'your' gov't is not being co-operative. What to do?

BTW, on a related note, as an anarchist I oppose the very existence of passports, the coercive power of the state, and its assumption of the monopoly on violence that is its foundation. My passport reads that it isn't my own property so I travel at the mercy of Big Brother. But the legitimacy of the State is not the subject of thus thread. I'll leave that to a more philosophical one on the writings of Emma Goldman and Albert J. Knock, anarco-syndicalists and anarco-capitalists perhaps respectively.