Flip-flops on aircraft? If foreigners can why can't we, moans Thai passenger

[The manic]

17 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Many thanks for confirming your zero tolerance for those with disabilities.

He was referring to the lard buckets and wheezing fat mountains. But as you are someone who is in such a tiny minority you do not determine the conditions or standards of flights or flight security.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

 

So how do you chaps manage to cope with the over-fussy miserable jobsworths at Security who insist on you removing your shoes before being screened - which more often than not means that you have to balance on 1 foot and then the other to unlace each shoe and then repeat this ritual in order to lace your shoes back on afterwards, because there is no bloody place for you to perch your bum on?

 

Some of us - myself included - have a physical disability which makes it impossible for us to balance on 1 foot, And that is the main reason why I always wear sandals when flying - and intend to continue doing so, thank you very much, whether you chaps like it or not.

 

That said I am prepared to - and do - make the effort to attire myself in a buttoned shirt and long trousers.

Well the first thing I do after finding myself in the queue behind any sort of serial moaner is quickly skip to another queue.

[renaissanc]

6 hours ago, sirineou said:

Only while on duty, 

I get staff tickets on Qatar Airways and Emirates as a parent. I have to dress very smartly when I travel with a staff ticket, even though I don't work for the airlines. THAI has the same rules.

[NanLaew]

54 minutes ago, Katipo said:

Indirect flights are typically cheaper to make them more attractive. ...

Oh really?

 

Quote

... Otherwise why would one fly for 16 hours to Frankfurt on an indirect flight when you can fly direct in less than 11?

 

Because the shopping is better at Changi, Dubai & Schiphol?

Edited September 19, 2017 by NanLaew

[The manic]

3 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

I remember when flip-flops used to be called "shower shoes". AFAIC, the only place they should be worn is ... wait for it ... in the shower.

 

Certainly not on the street and while traveling on aircraft, no matter who one is or what kind of ticket one has. 

 

Yes they are truly dreadful items of footwear which expose people to the wearers dirty, unhygenic  ugly feet. The Aussies call them thongs!

[The manic]

1 hour ago, Argus Tuft said:

 

Have not been asked to remove my shoes for many years.  Belt off is enough.
12 international flights last 2 weeks and not once did I have to take my shoes off.
Might want to look at your shoes...

Have people not heard of the shoe bomber?

[off road pat]

4 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Thai Air is more expensive than some airlines. Emirates is also more expensive than some other airlines. So is Cathay. So what ? They price what they think they can get away with and if you don't like it you are free to look at other airlines.
I've flown on numerous carriers over the last 14 years. Gulf Air, Emirates, Thai, Air India, Philippines Air, Korean Air, China Air as well as a few on the "lower end" of the scale (Egypt Air, Ariana Air and some dubious charter airlines).
Some airlines have newer, nicer planes. Maybe better seats, facilities amenities. Some airlines are subsidized by their host country. Some aren't. Some have higher overhead. Some want higher profit margins.
No "farang" is also paying "the airfare for the Thai". That's just straight out BS and pathetic to even think that.  

When I book flights I usually do it myself over the internet. I've used other websites like Kayak, Cheap Flights, Expedia and so on, until I noticed that on some of those sites you can end up paying 50% (or more) for a flight than if you booked it through the airline's website directly. (It has a lot to do with whether or not the ticket site/agency has any deals in place with the airline you want to fly on). I recall trying to book a flight to Canada once and Expedia and Kayak were quoting me a price that was $1,200 US over what the exact same flight was priced at on the airline's website (and yes, I checked, double-checked and triple checked to make sure I had the same flights to the same locations on the same dates and even checked that it was the same plane/configuration).

 

I've also used one of those little travel agencies like the ones you see all over the place in the cities in Thailand. I remember having a problem booking a flight online (when I was in Afghanistan) so I contacted the "boss" at SaveFlights and gave (him ?) my details and (he ?) was able to make the booking for me. (And no, I didn't get charged double what a local would have paid for the same flight. I know because I already knew what price the airline was charging for that flight before I contacted the  travel agency).

On a couple other occasions the boss offered cheaper alternatives and explained that because they didn't have any arrangements with my preferred airline(s) they couldn't get me a cheaper ticket. (Though there was the one time when he did get me a cheaper flight, but I ended up with a 22 hour layover in Manila because the flight from Thailand landed 2 hours after the flight to Vancouver had departed. Sometimes "cheaper flight" doesn't mean "cheaper trip !)

Ticket prices can also vary depending on the origin/destination of the flight as well. For example, in 2008 I booked a Business Class, round trip ticket on Philippines Air from Bangkok to Vancouver (via Manila of course). I then booked another Business Class ticket on the same airline, but from Vancouver to Bangkok (via Manila). One ticket was for me to fly to Canada (and back), the other ticket was for my father to fly to Thailand (and then back to Canada).
Guess whose ticket was $300 more expensive ?

The one that originated in Canada. Same route. Same seats (we even sat together on the flights back to Bangkok). Try as I might, I could not get rid of that $300 difference. Apparently, landing fees in Canada are higher (no surprise) as well as assorted taxes (no surprise) and cost of fuel (etc, etc) so tickets that originate from there are more expensive (at least they were back in 2008).

Another thing to keep in mind if you are shopping for flights online using sites like Expedia or Kayak (or any other similar site). 
Clear your browser history/cache before searching !!

Many websites leave "cookies" on your computer and those "cookies" contain information the website can use when you visit it again. If the site(s) see you've been shopping for flights (say from Bangkok to Berlin) it is possible that any prices you see will be higher than normal.

(This info came from a well known travel website that apparently discovered and tested this a few years ago. Clearing the cache and deleting the cookies resulted in being shown cheaper prices for the same flights they'd just looked at minutes earlier.)

 

That is another reason why I often buy my tickets directly from the airline site instead of through a ticketing agency. I'll use the ticket sites to see which airlines have flights on the routes/dates I want, then go to those airline's websites and look at their prices to see which is the better deal.
(Doing that is also how I ended up flying (a lot) of Business Class flights on Gulf Air from Dubai to Bangkok (via Bahrain) for $200(+/-) more than flying Economy Class on Emirates or Thai. The extra $200 was so worth it and I still arrived at the same time as I would have if I'd taken Emirates/Thai as that flight left hours later than the Gulf flight.)

(Note - at the time Emirates and Thai had a code share agreement. I had flown Emirates Business Class once and it was awesome so on another trip I booked Emirates Business Class again. However, it was a Thai "code share" flight operated by Thai Air. Emirates wouldn't let me use the Emirates Business Class Check in or the Emirates Business Class lounge because the flight was "operated" by Thai Air. (Was a little p/o'd by that as their Business Class check-in and Lounge was one of the reasons I went with Emirates. That was also the last time I flew with them actually.) Still, it was Thai Royal Silk Class and was also an awesome flight (though if I recall, had I booked through Thai Air it would have been more expensive).

Another thing to watch for. In most cases when you are entering dates for your flights, those dates are "flexible". However, many sites have the option of selecting (or deselecting) something like "Fixed Dates" or "I must fly on these dates" and so on. Telling them that you have to fly on a specific date(s) can result in a huge increase in ticket price. In some cases, double the cost (or more) !

I flew another Philippine Air flight to Canada in 2010 for a (very) short trip. I was going to arrive on a Sunday afternoon, take care of some personal business on Monday morning and fly out again that night. 
I could not get their system to accept those dates unless I selected "Must fly on these dates" (or whatever it is on their site, can't remember off hand). I even played with the dates (a lot) and found there was no problem with seat availability on the dates I wanted, unless I selected "Flexible dates". However, when I selected "Must Fly", the price of the ticket almost doubled !! No explanation why ! The seats were available on every flight I looked at, and if I selected fixed dates, the price doubled !
(I ended up flying in on the Sunday, doing my business on the Monday morning, flying to Calgary that afternoon, back to Vancouver on Wednesday morning and then out on Wednesday evening. Still ended up cheaper than paying double the ticket price !)
It seems some airlines, for some reason, don't like the idea of people flying in and back out within 24 hours. Not sure why but they seem to expect at least 3 days between arrival and departure (Maybe it's just Philippine Air or maybe it's just on long haul flights or just into/out of certain destinations. I couldn't tell because I couldn't find anything anywhere that said there had to be at
least 3 days between the flights.)

 

Oh and most airlines also have dress codes not just for employees, but for regular passengers (and more so for those in Business/First class and the associated lounges as well). Employees (and their families) are probably flying on discounted (or upgraded) tickets and are expected to dress appropriately as they are considered (in a way) to be representing the airline, especially if they are travelling in (for example) the Business or First Class cabins.  

 

 

Thank you for all the interesting and useful information, (I'm in the process of looking for a good (and cheap) flight from Europe to Bangkok) I have been travelling for 30 years now and some things you wrote I didn't knew ! THX and safe travels !

Best regards.

[baboon]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

 

 

 

So how do you chaps manage to cope with the over-fussy miserable jobsworths at Security who insist on you removing your shoes before being screened - which more often than not means that you have to balance on 1 foot and then the other to unlace each shoe and then repeat this ritual in order to lace your shoes back on afterwards, because there is no bloody place for you to perch your bum on?

 

Some of us - myself included - have a physical disability which makes it impossible for us to balance on 1 foot, And that is the main reason why I always wear sandals when flying - and intend to continue doing so, thank you very much, whether you chaps like it or not.

 

That said I am prepared to - and do - make the effort to attire myself in a buttoned shirt and long trousers.

I have gone through security a few times with gout. I tell the staff I cannot take my shoes off because I will not be able to get them back on again and they have always been fine. Just explain your difficulties and I am sure they will make allowances. 

Edited September 19, 2017 by baboon

[The manic]

Just now, baboon said:

I have gone through security a few times with gout. I tell the staff I cannot take my shoes off because I will not be able to get them back on again and they have always been fine. Just explain your difficulties and I am sure they will make allowed especially. 

If you really had gout you would be in too much pain to wear shoes, walk or travel.

[johnarth]

I was shocked to find that Thai Airways is dearer than Qantas, I'm in a wheelchair and to go Thai to Aust. have to go along way along a passage then take a bus ride. Qantas is usually at the first gate from lounge

[Argus Tuft]

7 minutes ago, The manic said:

Have people not heard of the shoe bomber?

Yes, of course

But still have not been asked to take my shoes off in a long time.

[baboon]

1 minute ago, The manic said:

If you really had gout you would be in too much pain to wear shoes, walk or travel.

Nope, there are varying degrees. As said, I have hobbled through on a stick and there hasn't been a problem.

[dapperdan]

No one should be allowed to wear flip flops, in the airport or on a plane. That's disgusting the floor is dirty and so is the carpeting and there are liability issues such as stepping on broken glass or something like that. Women seem to wear thong shoes  that have a sole and are made better for walking around. 

[maxpower]

1 hour ago, Argus Tuft said:

Have not been asked to remove my shoes for many years. 

And the world is extremely thankful for that.

[Nemises]

I prefer to fly Emirates than Thai.  

 

Because Emirates let me wear flip flops in their FIRST CLASS ON-BOARD showers. 

 

 

https://www.ausbt.com.au/emirates-airbus-a380-first-class-shower-spa-review

[PAIBKK]

High quality tourists on flip flops....

[straylight]

After a life of extensive air travel, I find that a relationship with a good travel agent that will do all the footwork to find the best, considering the factors of price, lay over time, quality aircraft, Airbus 850 much better than older 830, being able to call her from anywhere to change schedule etc. — I want to do this; arrange it for me, works best for me. Also forget any class lower than business for any flight over 5 hrs. and of course lounge comfort is important for long lay overs.

[The manic]

4 minutes ago, Argus Tuft said:

Yes, of course

But still have not been asked to take my shoes off in a long time.

It seems variable. In some places shoes off in others the opposite. Whatever our views we have to cooperate with security. It just part of modern travel.

[The manic]

4 minutes ago, straylight said:

After a life of extensive air travel, I find that a relationship with a good travel agent that will do all the footwork to find the best, considering the factors of price, lay over time, quality aircraft, Airbus 850 much better than older 830, being able to call her from anywhere to change schedule etc. — I want to do this; arrange it for me, works best for me. Also forget any class lower than business for any flight over 5 hrs. and of course lounge comfort is important for long lay overs.

I agree. A good agent is better than using the internet. In Pattaya I use one on Soi Post Office.

[Blue bruce]

Kerryd made some  very good points, The point of the thread was the dress code. I am sure many of you remember when a plane trip was a special occassion and everyone on the plane dressed for the occassion like going to church or a wedding. How times have changed, women's short shorts, leggings , flip flops.

[window]

5 hours ago, Thian said:

Well do you understand what we mean now??

 

It's because familymembers from Thai air fly with great discount...also other Thai officials get those benefits...

Employees of any airline get a large discount on Airfares not Just Thai.

[ujayujay]

6 hours ago, Seismic said:

I would have to disagree, and a simple search on websites like Kayak or skyscanner would show quite quickly that Thai do not appear to be able to match the fares of many other major airlines.

Wrong. Compare with the same performance: Direct Flights.....from where.............. I am waiting for your answer: What Airlines, what conditions and prices?

[baboon]

17 minutes ago, Gregster said:

I prefer to fly Emirates than Thai.  

 

Because Emirates let me wear flip flops in their FIRST CLASS ON-BOARD showers. 

 

 

https://www.ausbt.com.au/emirates-airbus-a380-first-class-shower-spa-review

While you are cleaning them, like?

[Bastos60]

3 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

The exact opposite is a actually more true. The Thai's pay for farang.

 

You will find that nearly all THAI flights outbound (originating from Bangkok) are more expensive that inbound flights, so Thai nationals on average actually pay more.

The difference in price between inbound and outbound flights is not that big. 
Any high price differences can be attributed to seat occupancy on those flights. 

The only big price difference I found was for the cheapest fares on Thai Air which are sometimes a lot lower for inbound flights (with differences averaging 100€/return ticket)

 

[Bastos60]

13 minutes ago, ujayujay said:

Wrong. Compare with the same performance: Direct Flights.....from where.............. I am waiting for your answer: What Airlines, what conditions and prices?

Indeed, the stopovers are cheaper because people spend more time travelling and I don't see people doing that because the price is higher.

[orchidfan]

7 hours ago, electric said:

 

I fly Thai Airways often, and my experience has been that their fares are very competitive with other full service airlines flying the same route.

 

Sure, the budget airlines are much cheaper, until you start adding all the extras.

 

Not sure what you're getting at with "farang paying the airfare for Thai" comment ?

 

 

I also find Thai and Emirates neck a neck on fares and allowable baggage.

Staff often get Business Class seats and dress code accordingly.

 

[dinsdale]

7 hours ago, electric said:

Sure, the budget airlines are much cheaper, until you start adding all the extras.

You forgot the long layover times in transit. 

[Thingamabob]

It's a matter of standards. Most male Westerners coming here dress and behave like a heap of s..t. Can well understand Thai aiming for something rather better.

[Thingamabob]

It's a matter of standards. Most male Westerners coming here dress and behave like a heap of s..t. Can well understand Thai aiming for something rather better.

[Pakaty]

Since I am usually flying to or from the USA and they always make us take off our shoes and send them through x-ray I wear flip-flops when flying.  And once I am on the airplane I wear the complementary foot wear provided by most long-haul carriers.