Why such different prices for domestic travel?

[connda]

Interesting.  I can get a round trip flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket, Krabi, or Surat Thani for about $85 USDs.  However a trip to Koh Samui costs about $250.  Why is there such a price difference? 

Edited February 16, 2020 by connda

[Tim16]

Samui Airport is privately owned and operated by Bangkok Airways. Most flights from the island are operated by Bangkok Airways. - they have monopoly and can charge what they like.

[connda]

1 minute ago, Tim16 said:

Samui Airport is privately owned and operated by Bangkok Airways. Most flights from the island are operated by Bangkok Airways. - they have monopoly and can charge what they like.

Interesting.  Guess if I ever make that trip I'd opt to fly to Surat Thani and take a ferry across.  I really don't like to reward price gouging.  Thanks!

[PatOngo]

2 minutes ago, connda said:

Interesting.  Guess if I ever make that trip I'd opt to fly to Surat Thani and take a ferry across.  I really don't like to reward price gouging.  Thanks!

If you are not in a hurry, the bright minds are discussing building a bridge to Koh Samui!

[BobBKK]

It is annoying that Thailand allows BA to do this but they do TIT!

[Thian]

13 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

It is annoying that Thailand allows BA to do this but they do TIT!

I have been in both flights...the one from Bangkok airways is boutique class so we got a free banana while waiting to board.

 

The one from surat thani takes longer because you have to go on the boat...

[MJKT2014]

19 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

the bright minds are discussing building a bridge to Koh Samui!

Maybe cheaper to nationalize the Samui airport and allow budget carriers in.

[cornishcarlos]

5 minutes ago, Thian said:

The one from surat thani takes longer because you have to go on the boat...

 

No banana ?? 

[sammieuk1]

1 minute ago, Thian said:

I have been in both flights...the one from Bangkok airways is boutique class so we got a free banana while waiting to board.

 

The one from surat thani takes longer because you have to go on the boat...

 Wonder is that a banana boat????

[cornishcarlos]

4 minutes ago, MJKT2014 said:

Maybe cheaper to nationalize the Samui airport and allow budget carriers in.

 

Or just don't bother going to Samui !!

It lost it's charm years ago anyway....

 

Having said that, I still go over on the ferry occasional with my scooter, just to have a poke around :)

[petermik]

7 hours ago, Thian said:

 

 

The one from surat thani takes longer because you have to go on the boat...

 

7 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

No banana ?? 

 

7 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

 Wonder is that a banana boat????

One of the two large ferry companies serving Samui certainly falls into that category.......

[VocalNeal]

30 minutes ago, connda said:

I really don't like to reward price gouging.

If you owned an airline and built your own airport what would you do? 

[thedemon]

7 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

If you owned an airline and built your own airport what would you do? 

 

I would pay lots of bribes to make sure I could keep my monopoly. Oh they already did that? oops!

Edited February 16, 2020 by thedemon

[baansgr]

13 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

If you owned an airline and built your own airport what would you do? 

But the cost of building the airport has been recoverd how many hundreds of times over since it was built...? The government really should set a price limit...its almost 10,000 baht return from U Tpao...a mere 50 minute flight...then you have to contend with the taxi Mafia wanting 1,000 for a ten minute drive...

[VocalNeal]

1 minute ago, baansgr said:

But the cost of building the airport has been recoverd how many hundreds of times over since it was built...?

 

Since when does that have anything to do with business. 

 

If you don't want to pay 10,000 baht from U-Tapao. Don't fly to Samui.

 

Or You can drive, go on a bus, go on the train. 

[Moonlover]

7 minutes ago, baansgr said:

But the cost of building the airport has been recoverd how many hundreds of times over since it was built...? The government really should set a price limit...its almost 10,000 baht return from U Tpao...a mere 50 minute flight...then you have to contend with the taxi Mafia wanting 1,000 for a ten minute drive...

As long as there is a sufficient number of passengers prepared to pay price for the convenience of a direct flight, they will continue to charge the fares that they do. Airports cost money to run. Lots of it.

[Thian]

42 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

 Wonder is that a banana boat????

YES! I will never forget that boat trip...behind me was a farang with 2 'working' girls...the fat one started talking to me and invited me to the toilet with her...i refused though but then she started the most hard dirty talk i've ever heard.....

 

 

[Thian]

41 minutes ago, petermik said:

 

 

One of the two large ferry companies serving Samui certainly falls into that category.......

I remember also reading the emergency instructions while i was on that rusty ferry...i read them 10 times and still didn't know how to use those emergency rafts or even get them in the water.

[baansgr]

31 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Since when does that have anything to do with business. 

 

If you don't want to pay 10,000 baht from U-Tapao. Don't fly to Samui.

 

Or You can drive, go on a bus, go on the train. 

Personally I don't want to go. Have many great memories of what it was like when.living there 15 years ago, however, a lot of guys I know do trips every few months and always avoid Sam ui because of the high prices of flights...how many other thousands don't go for the same reason....and please don't say cheap Charlie's...they spend a fair bit when going elsewhere.

[VocalNeal]

43 minutes ago, Thian said:

YES! I will never forget that boat trip...behind me was a farang with 2 'working' girls...the fat one started talking to me and invited me to the toilet with her...i refused though but then she started the most hard dirty talk i've ever heard.....

 

 

Wouldn't have that memory if you flew?

[Thian]

11 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Wouldn't have that memory if you flew?

Sure mate...i flew bangkok air to samui the day after the tsunami..i had a bad hangover from the christmasparty..during the flight i was sick and had to vomit which i could keep in all the way...but after we landed on samui i walked down the stairs and run to the nice perks around the landingstrip and puked all over the flowers in there....Then we we brought to our resort where we were too early and had to wait for our room on the poolbeds...there my wife got a phonecall that there was a tsunami in thailand and we couldn't hide anywhere...we asked the hotel and they even didn't know anything about it.....lucky us that the tsunami was in the andaman sea or i couldn't post all this...

[marin]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

But the cost of building the airport has been recoverd how many hundreds of times over since it was built...? The government really should set a price limit...its almost 10,000 baht return from U Tpao...a mere 50 minute flight...then you have to contend with the taxi Mafia wanting 1,000 for a ten minute drive...

Yeah all companies should lower there prices after meeting your profit criteria. Cars should cost 50,000 baht, and phones 500 Baht.   Take a budget carrier and a ferry if you cant afford it. Its what I have to do 90% of the time.. Life will go on.

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, marin said:

Yeah all companies should lower there prices after meeting your profit criteria. Cars should cost 50,000 baht, and phones 500 Baht.   Take a budget carrier and a ferry if you cant afford it. Its what I have to do 90% of the time.. Life will go on.

You are missing the point, AOT that owns Phuket airport has the same ongoing costs if not a lot more than the piddly little airport at Samui, yet prices to fly there are a fraction of the cost to Samui. Touting out BKK Air paid to build the airport is of no relevance anymore....its pure greed on their behalf....hence why Samui is missing out on desperately needed tourists...

[connda]

10 hours ago, PatOngo said:

If you are not in a hurry, the bright minds are discussing building a bridge to Koh Samui!

It may be an option.  I'm not in a hurry.  Think I'd rather travel to Vietnam first.  <laughs>

[connda]

9 hours ago, Thian said:

I remember also reading the emergency instructions while i was on that rusty ferry...i read them 10 times and still didn't know how to use those emergency rafts or even get them in the water.

Nice thing about being ex-Navy is that they taught you how to float without the use of life-vests or other flotation equipment or niceties like emergency rafts. 

[MiNombreEsFicticious]

9 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

No banana ?? 

would you like my banana?

[BritManToo]

10 hours ago, connda said:

can get a round trip flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket, Krabi, or Surat Thani for about $85 USDs.  However a trip to Koh Samui costs about $250.  Why is there such a price difference? 

Chiang Mai to Da Nang or Hanoi is about 2,500bht return.

I'd give Koh Samui a miss, greedy Thais need to be taught not to gouge.

Edited February 16, 2020 by BritManToo

[cornishcarlos]

10 hours ago, MiNombreEsFicticious said:

would you like my banana?

 

Not particularly 

[LukKrueng]

21 hours ago, BobBKK said:

It is annoying that Thailand allows BA to do this but they do TIT!

Bangkok airways saw the potential of samui years ago and got a license to build the airport. At the time there were only them and Thai airways flying in Thailand. When the island started to fulfil its potential TG wanted to start flying there as well but bkk airways wouldn't allow them. Later on they wanted to extend the runway so they could fly their jets as well (the runway was built for ATR's) but government wouldn't approve the extension unless they allow TG to use the airport. So thai started flying there but prices were controlled by BKK airways. Eventually TG stopped flying there and only have code share with BKK airways. BTW that's not the only airport owned by BKK airways, and landing fees at their airports are much higher than public airports

[Fairynuff]

It might be because they’d prefer you to pay in the local currency which is the Thai baht