On 5/1/2020 at 5:41 AM, englishoak said:

Just wait until people see the new flight ticket prices, let alone the limited availability and document requirements coming down the pipeline... Friend is quite high up in BA Air Cargo, apparently whats being discussed at passenger division re new regulations in regards to social distancing and health concerns leading to costs is in his words eye watering. They are looking at a capacity passenger reduction of 30% as a minimum and possibly 50% on some models. Consequentially  prices would have to rise considerably in order to remain profitable, prices would need to double or treble for some longhaul destinations...  its looking like for the foreseeable future at least flying for the masses is going to become very limited and expensive indeed. What might ease things  is Thailand has a been a popular destination so more flights in and out could help reduce prices but red tape and an unwelcoming attitude towards tourists by the Thai gov could have a negative impact and reduce flights instead. 

 

People might want to take into account the likelihood of jetting about cheaply has very possibly come to an end for at least a few years. 

flights in august 'available' and 'bookable' and the cheapest I've seen since 2006. take a chance? dunno..... tempted…. my fingers hovering on the 'book' button...……….

skyscanners btw if allowed to mention. oh I just did....

I am also STUCK in Oz for the rime being- and my Retirement Visa expires is mid July. Currently the talk is, that flights might resume around June, but cannot be sure. If travel by July is still not possible - I just will have to ...... wait? But without a valid Retirement Visa I cannot return on a OW ticket!!?? So maybe have to just arrive with an "onward" flight ticket, then get the 30 Day Visa and go to Immigration and start the Retirement Visa-process again from scratch?

At least, I will already be familiar with the bureaucratic processes ....... Hahaha - See, there is always an "up-side" .... to everything ..... 

1 hour ago, jastheace said:

flights in august 'available' and 'bookable' and the cheapest I've seen since 2006. take a chance? dunno..... tempted…. my fingers hovering on the 'book' button...……….

skyscanners btw if allowed to mention. oh I just did....

..... seen something like that also - BUT ..... it's a "fluid" situation ...... and I was not game enough to make a booking YET. I will wait until there is more certainty that flights are working again on a regular basis.

3 hours ago, jastheace said:

flights in august 'available' and 'bookable' and the cheapest I've seen since 2006. take a chance? dunno..... tempted…. my fingers hovering on the 'book' button...……….

skyscanners btw if allowed to mention. oh I just did....

If you book and it doesn't happen, fat chance of ever getting your money back.

You gotta ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky?" ...........

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

If you book and it doesn't happen, fat chance of ever getting your money back.

You gotta ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky?" ...........

 

Book with a credit card... Claim back from the CC if flight is cancelled.

On 4/30/2020 at 8:59 PM, BritManToo said:

No alcohol sales for the next 3 months by the looks of it.

Booze is back today

Hm:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1911952/almost-all-support-14-day-quarantine-flight-ban-poll

 

I would not bet on international flights in June if this is true.

 

And this:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1911652/new-quarantine-venues-for-returnees-in-bangkok

6,069 people are currently in 766 local quarantine facilities across the country.

This means 8 people per facility? There is no plan to organize this efficiently for tens of thousands.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, jastheace said:

flights in august 'available' and 'bookable' and the cheapest I've seen since 2006. take a chance? dunno..... tempted…. my fingers hovering on the 'book' button...……….

skyscanners btw if allowed to mention. oh I just did....

You could book flights for May when the flight ban lasted until April 30th.
Unfortunately, it means nothing that a flight can be booked.

On 5/2/2020 at 1:49 PM, Bkk Brian said:

Thats a bit harsh, perhaps he's paid his fair share of National Insurance payments all his life while he lived in the UK that would more than cover his return to hospital there.

We often see this attitude from jealous posters who would love to travel but just dont have the gumption or "get up and go"  Instead they just sit their fat bottoms before their TV  and critisize the ones who do.

 

I'm stuck in Australia and my girlfriend and 14 month old son are in Phuket. It's like slow torture not being able to be with them maybe until next year. I'm suffering alot of anxiety.

1 hour ago, scotia88 said:

I'm stuck in Australia and my girlfriend and 14 month old son are in Phuket. It's like slow torture not being able to be with them maybe until next year. I'm suffering alot of anxiety.

Same as me. Don't think i ever felt this depressed before in my whole life. 

i stuck in Turkey as well. hope i can return LOS as soon as possible.

10 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Same as me. Don't think i ever felt this depressed before in my whole life. 

Yes it is a terrible feeling and the days go so slow. I am stuck in Perth and it doesn't help much when people keep saying I am in the best place through this virus. I just want to be with my loved ones in Thailand and feel so helpless.

 

4 hours ago, Raywa said:

Yes it is a terrible feeling and the days go so slow. I am stuck in Perth and it doesn't help much when people keep saying I am in the best place through this virus. I just want to be with my loved ones in Thailand and feel so helpless.

 

Yes it's a hell of a long time to be seperated from family.

Flame post and responses removed

Troll / personal attacks removed

Hot off the press, furlough leave in the UK is extended until end of June

 

Gotta say, best time of year, warm and sunny, I will be looking to get into really good shape in the next 7 weeks -that will be my upside. lose my accrued holiday up to June but hey 10 weeks on reasonable pay without having to work at all is a good swap ????

 

Having no plans to return to Thailand at the earliest sometime later in the year all good for now.

At least "QATAR" is optimistic:

https://www.qatarairways.com/en/press-releases/2020/may/QRSummer.html

"Qatar Airways Announces Phased Rebuilding of Network to an Initial 52* Destinations by End of May and 80* in June"

Qatar Airways destinations operating by end of June* (*Subject to regulatory approval):

.......................Bangkok (BKK), ..........................

1 hour ago, Berti said:

At least "QATAR" is optimistic:

https://www.qatarairways.com/en/press-releases/2020/may/QRSummer.html

"Qatar Airways Announces Phased Rebuilding of Network to an Initial 52* Destinations by End of May and 80* in June"

Qatar Airways destinations operating by end of June* (*Subject to regulatory approval):

.......................Bangkok (BKK), ..........................

Good news!!

Qatar air is my go to airline from the US . Unfortunately i don't see any New York or Florida options in that announcement. .

I loved their Thailand itinerary from NY with a two week layover in Greece. I can't wait for things to get to as close to normal as soon as possible. I got ants in my pants and I am ready to go. I am so Fn ready you can call me Freddy 

3 hours ago, Berti said:

At least "QATAR" is optimistic:

https://www.qatarairways.com/en/press-releases/2020/may/QRSummer.html

"Qatar Airways Announces Phased Rebuilding of Network to an Initial 52* Destinations by End of May and 80* in June"

Qatar Airways destinations operating by end of June* (*Subject to regulatory approval):

.......................Bangkok (BKK), ..........................

Also interesting, but hard to know if true:

"Having maintained flights to at least 30 destinations where possible during this crisis and to most continents, helping to take over 1 million people home, the airline has been in a unique position to closely monitor global passenger flows and booking trends to confidently begin planning the gradual reintroduction of additional flights and destinations to its network."

https://www.airlive.net/qatar-airways-to-resume-52-destinations-by-end-of-may-and-80-in-june/

 

There seems to be a slow resumption of air travel, at least some hope for more border openings in future, maybe also in Asia.

https://www.airlive.net/eurocontrol-confirms-a-slight-increase-in-average-traffic-in-europe/

https://www.airlive.net/from-today-klm-gradually-resumes-flights-to-european-destinations/

 

 

 

If Qatar Airways only could offer an "enter Thailand guarantee" to the ticket, I'd pay double. 

I saw a 5 phase staggered re-opening schedule for Singapore. 

Phase 5 to commence on 10th August and no mention of international arrivals at all.

Really hope that is wrong. I can't leave until my replacement can fly in !!

5 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

I saw a 5 phase staggered re-opening schedule for Singapore. 

Phase 5 to commence on 10th August and no mention of international arrivals at all.

Really hope that is wrong. I can't leave until my replacement can fly in !!

Yes that worries me. At the moment it seems to be accepted in Asian countries that the entire business travel and foreign tourism industry is dying, the main thing is that the borders remain closed.

This also seems to be accepted by the majority of the population.

????

 

 

I reckon you're better off where you are.

 

Walking the streets and seeing the doom and gloom is not pleasant.
Being around all these miserable elderly guys, its depressing.............. glass half empty, negative, hostile, angry guys who act like old woman nagging and bitching.

 

They live in a shoebox (3m x 3m) they call home, no vehicle, no money to enjoy themselves. 

They spend more money on beer than that of their combined electric, rent, water bills added up, and having the recent alcohol ban just added to their hostility.

They don't exercise so they're in a lot of pain as the body can't cope with sitting at their computer 16 hours a day waiting to make a negative angry comment on one of their many social media web sites.

 

These people blame others for their misfortunes no accountability for their miserable lives.

 

They need to grow up............. probably too late as they are in their last years of life.

 

For those who did not see it:

 

Bad news for us waiting in Europe or US to enter Thailand and see their loved ones.

 

 

Personally I think the taking China and S. Korea off the 'hot spot list' is sign of the 'economic' pressure being exerted on the Thai government, big business does not 'donate' to governments it discusses 'probable scenarios' and how to ease the way towards a situation of 'mutual benefit'

 

Expect to see the 'opening up' gather pace in Thailand, all be it perhaps a little more cautious elsewhere

 

Hang in there guys - we will get there in the end - worth the wait

 

 

15 hours ago, Berti said:

For those who did not see it:

 

Bad news for us waiting in Europe or US to enter Thailand and see their loved ones.

 

I agree.  It doesn’t help the cause of allowing non-nationals from outside ROK or PRC.. but... what I think is going to happen is that they’ll start with allowing non-nationals but initially only those who hold WPs, diplomatic or SMART visas - the exact same people who were exempted just before the “total ban” came into effect earlier in March.

 

of course, I’ll bet COVID tests and insurance proof will still be required AND 14-day mandatory state-quarantine will also be a part... I think this will be at the foreigners expense; not state-paid.  My guess 

 

 

On 5/1/2020 at 11:41 AM, englishoak said:

Just wait until people see the new flight ticket prices, let alone the limited availability and document requirements coming down the pipeline... Friend is quite high up in BA Air Cargo, apparently whats being discussed at passenger division re new regulations in regards to social distancing and health concerns leading to costs is in his words eye watering. They are looking at a capacity passenger reduction of 30% as a minimum and possibly 50% on some models. Consequentially  prices would have to rise considerably in order to remain profitable, prices would need to double or treble for some longhaul destinations...  its looking like for the foreseeable future at least flying for the masses is going to become very limited and expensive indeed. What might ease things  is Thailand has a been a popular destination so more flights in and out could help reduce prices but red tape and an unwelcoming attitude towards tourists by the Thai gov could have a negative impact and reduce flights instead. 

 

People might want to take into account the likelihood of jetting about cheaply has very possibly come to an end for at least a few years. 

Oil at 10-20$ a barrel should be of help.

Too early to predict anything re:flying

A can of worms.

On 5/7/2020 at 2:10 PM, Berti said:

Yes that worries me. At the moment it seems to be accepted in Asian countries that the entire business travel and foreign tourism industry is dying, the main thing is that the borders remain closed.

This also seems to be accepted by the majority of the population.

????

 

 

Same in Oz, restrictions easing but international flights, no chance!