KLM and Air France have dropped Bangkok

[NanLaew]

I notice that while KLM were a frequent Bangkok visitor during the earlier repatriation flight scenario with sometimes two flights daily, regionally they now only service Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Manila. Their first BKK flight availability is 6 January 2021. A quick check on Air France website shows the same date of first availability.

[FritsSikkink]

Air France - KLM is one company.

[Pi Tao]

https://wwws.airfrance.fr/search/offers?connections=BKK:A:20201001>CDG:A&pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&sessionId=759D8B6471CA2EB991377D659C80DAB6.a61s3&market=fr_FR_fr&cabinClass=ECONOMY&bookingFlow=LEISURE&activeConnection=0

[Susco]

10 minutes ago, Pi Tao said:

https://wwws.airfrance.fr/search/offers?connections=BKK:A:20201001>CDG:A&pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&sessionId=759D8B6471CA2EB991377D659C80DAB6.a61s3&market=fr_FR_fr&cabinClass=ECONOMY&bookingFlow=LEISURE&activeConnection=0

All flights are 451 Euro, those with a duration of 14 hours, as well as those with a 27 hour duration?

 

Ever considered that those may actually not be effective flights?

[FritsSikkink]

Air France - KLM is one company.

[Logosone]

Looks like fake news, a quick search on KLM shows they have flights available mid-October.

[Susco]

3 minutes ago, Logosone said:

Looks like fake news, a quick search on KLM shows they have flights available mid-October.

 

Did you try Paris - Bangkok flights, instead of Bangkok - Paris, like the previous poster?

 

Oh and at 2496 Euro, I'm gonna give those January flights a miss as well

 

https://wwws.airfrance.fr/en/search/open-dates?pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&cabinClass=ECONOMY&activeConnection=0&connections=PAR:C:20201001>BKK:A&bookingFlow=LEISURE

Edited September 21, 2020 by Susco

[dabhand]

2 minutes ago, Logosone said:

Looks like fake news, a quick search on KLM shows they have flights available mid-October.

Nope. Looking at both their booking sites, both KLM and AF have no BKK flights until January, as per the OP.

[Logosone]

3 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

Did you try Paris - Bangkok flights, instead of Bangkok - Paris, like the previous poster?

 

Oh and at 2496 Euro, I'm gonna give those January flights a miss as well

 

https://wwws.airfrance.fr/en/search/open-dates?pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&cabinClass=ECONOMY&activeConnection=0&connections=PAR:C:20201001>BKK:A&bookingFlow=LEISURE

I searched KLM flights from Bangkok to Frankfurt. There are lots of options available in October at different, reasonable prices.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Air France - KLM is one company.

Yes, I know but they run two separate airlines with two separate fleets operating from two separate hub airports. KL were a regular repatriation carrier to /from Bangkok whereas AF wasn't.

 

2 hours ago, Logosone said:

I searched KLM flights from Bangkok to Frankfurt. There are lots of options available in October at different, reasonable prices.

Not on KLM's website you didn't. This was a search for a late September departure and a early December return. Look at the yellow highlighted bit.

 

 

You can confirm this on their 'where we fly' map on their website.

 

https://www.klm.com/destinations/th/en/search?origin=FRA&originType=AIRPORT&pos=DE

 

From Amsterdam:

 

From Frankfurt

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

46 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Yes, I know but they run two separate airlines with two separate fleets operating from two separate hub airports. KL were a regular repatriation carrier to /from Bangkok whereas AF wasn't.

 

Not on KLM's website you didn't. This was a search for a late September departure and a early December return. Look at the yellow highlighted bit.

 

 

You can confirm this on their 'where we fly' map on their website.

 

https://www.klm.com/destinations/th/en/search?origin=FRA&originType=AIRPORT&pos=DE

 

From Amsterdam:

 

From Frankfurt

 

 

Air France and KLM shared codes for their BKK flights (same plane from AMS - BKK)

Edited September 21, 2020 by FritsSikkink

[Alainpm]

4 hours ago, Pi Tao said:

https://wwws.airfrance.fr/search/offers?connections=BKK:A:20201001>CDG:A&pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&sessionId=759D8B6471CA2EB991377D659C80DAB6.a61s3&market=fr_FR_fr&cabinClass=ECONOMY&bookingFlow=LEISURE&activeConnection=0

that's 1 way flight BKK Paris; there is no flight Paris to BKK anymore until 2021

[NanLaew]

51 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Air France and KLM shared codes for their BKK flights (same plane from AMS - BKK)

Air France showing 4-digit flight numbers which means it is a KLM flight operating but according to KLM's website, there's nothing bookable until 6 January. Same on their smartphone app. If all those flights are full, they won't be going broke any time soon.

 

FWIW flightaware shows KL 873 landed on time at BKK almost two hours ago.

 

Go figure.

Edited September 21, 2020 by NanLaew

[treetops]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I notice that while KLM were a frequent Bangkok visitor during the earlier repatriation flight scenario with sometimes two flights daily, regionally they now only service Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Manila. Their first BKK flight availability is 6 January 2021. A quick check on Air France website shows the same date of first availability.

The KLM ones seemed to disappear around a week ago as mentioned here:

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1182999-traveling-from-london-on-eva/?tab=comments#comment-15825025

 

The ones you mention, plus those to Jakarta, Taipei and Hong Kong transit stopped at BKK and could previously be used for repatriation, but looks like that's finished now.

 

And AF116 from Paris seems to be operating today (21/9/20) but that's it.

[VMOMMO]

Some carriers are still flying but there are no passengers or cabin crew, just belly freight. It doesn't do you much good unless you're a box.

[treetops]

2 minutes ago, VMOMMO said:

Some carriers are still flying but there are no passengers or cabin crew, just belly freight. It doesn't do you much good unless you're a box.

The KLM ones mentioned are all carrying passengers, just not any booked to BKK any more.

[wallybee]

Since Thailand is closed for incoming flights,there are of course no bookable flights AMS-BKK.

But there are flights BKK-AMS.

That said, there are now flights AMS-BKK but only bookable thru the Thai Embassy, as repatriation flights.

[Nanaplaza666]

2 hours ago, VMOMMO said:

Some carriers are still flying but there are no passengers or cabin crew, just belly freight. It doesn't do you much good unless you're a box.

Or in a box ???? sorry don't mean anything with that but just had to make that joke .

[mtls2005]

KLM was flying AMS-BKK-MNL-BKK-AMS - KL 875/876, and AMS-BKK-KUL-BKK-AMS - KL 873/874

 

Also see they have AMS-BKK-CGK-BKK-AMS - KL 875/876

 

AMS-BKK-TPE-BKK-AMS - KL 873/874

 

AMS-BKK-HKG-BKK-AMS - KL 887/888

 

These flights operate 3 or 4 times weekly, oe less frequently.

 

Not sure what's up with the KLM schedules going forward.

 

Maybe new schedules are being loaded?

 

 

 

 

[Sydebolle]

Air Asia same same, December no flights anymore between Udon Thani and U-Tapao.

Guess they don’t know yet when and how to schedule any business as Thailand is and remains a loose cannon as far as planning anything related to border crossing. Call Phiphat, Prayuth or sweetie darling Anutin, he‘s in charge of „dirty Farang“ affairs it seems ..................

[mtls2005]

FWIW three KLM flights departed SBIA/BKK yesterday evening, all three heading to AMS, currently in flight.

 

KL 888   (from HKG) https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ph-bhm#2591210f

 

KL 876   (from CGK) https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ph-bho#25912e63

 

KL 874   (from TPE) https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ph-bvb#25913c7b

 

 

 

 

[treetops]

17 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Not sure what's up with the KLM schedules going forward.

I think they're mostly (all?) still running and KL875 is approaching Bangkok as I type,  they're just not taking bookings with a final destination of Bangkok any longer.  Maybe there was a restriction on their permission as there is with the Emirates one, or maybe numbers are being limited?

 

[NanLaew]

47 minutes ago, treetops said:

I think they're mostly (all?) still running and KL875 is approaching Bangkok as I type,  they're just not taking bookings with a final destination of Bangkok any longer.  Maybe there was a restriction on their permission as there is with the Emirates one, or maybe numbers are being limited?

 

Looks like KL 873/874 are AMS-BKK-TPE-BKK-AMS, KL875/876 are AMS-BKK-CGK-BKK-AMS and KL887/888 are AMS-BKK-HKG-BKK-AMS.

 

They are still heavy lifting on repatriation (and cargo) flights by the look of it.

Edited September 22, 2020 by NanLaew

[treetops]

12 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Looks like KL 873/874 are AMS-BKK-TPE-BKK-AMS, KL875/876 are AMS-BKK-CGK-BKK-AMS and KL887/888 are AMS-BKK-HKG-BKK-AMS.

 

They are still heavy lifting on repatriation (and cargo) flights by the look of it.

The TPE one goes to Kuala Lumpur on the days it doesn't go to TPE.  Similarly the CGK one goes to Manila.  All still seem to be routed through BKK, but no seats for sale except to the final destination.

[BlueScouse]

Two weeks ago I flew KLM from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam. Plane stopped at Bangkok for crew change and fuel. No passengers boarded. 

[NanLaew]

18 hours ago, BlueScouse said:

Two weeks ago I flew KLM from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam. Plane stopped at Bangkok for crew change and fuel. No passengers boarded. 

That's a welcome clarification. Looks like it's their regional fly-through hub.

 

What passenger load did you estimate for your KUL-BKK-AMS flight?

 

There's something curious going on with BKK at the moment. A few weeks back they had restored daily non-stop service to KUL (Malaysian) and CGK (Garuda) but that appears to have disappeared. Looks like SQ to SIN are the only consistent daily service with one flight per day. I reckon CAAT are the ones deciding who can stopover and maybe funneling any paying passengers onto the dwindling number of limited-stop repatriation flights?

Edited September 23, 2020 by NanLaew

[OJAS]

On 9/21/2020 at 2:51 PM, VMOMMO said:

It doesn't do you much good unless you're a box.

Or in one??

 

[mtls2005]

KL 876 shows as for sale BKK-AMS. Pretty sure you could fly out tonight, departs BKK ~ 23:50.

 

 

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ph-bhp

 

16.535 THB all in. Seems to be available daily fro the foreseeable future.

 

https://www.klm.co.th/search/offers?pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&cabinClass=ECONOMY&activeConnection=0&connections=BKK:A:20200923>AMS:A

 

In October KLM shows some AF flights via CDG.

 

 

On 9/21/2020 at 5:03 PM, Nanaplaza666 said:

Or in a box ???? sorry don't mean anything with that but just had to make that joke .

That's why cabin staff refer to us as SLF (Self Loading Freight).

 

 

[NanLaew]

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

KL 876 shows as for sale BKK-AMS. Pretty sure you could fly out tonight, departs BKK ~ 23:50.

 

 

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ph-bhp

 

16.535 THB all in. Seems to be available daily fro the foreseeable future.

 

https://www.klm.co.th/search/offers?pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&cabinClass=ECONOMY&activeConnection=0&connections=BKK:A:20200923>AMS:A

 

In October KLM shows some AF flights via CDG.

 

 

That's why cabin staff refer to us as SLF (Self Loading Freight).

 

 

Thanks for that. It appears that the trick is purchasing one-way tickets. If you plug in dates for a return, their website (and AF's) punts you off to January 2021 as first available outbound. It was also revealed on another thread that o/w is the only way to buy a ticket BKK - LHR on EVA's website at the moment. If you want a return, it too shoots off to January for outbound availability.

 

Funnily enough, although various airline websites have a highlighted link to Covid-19 related Q and A pages, I haven't seen any of them state that one-way ticket purchases are currently the ONLY option.

 

Flights to the US have long been the biggest issue but has anyone plugged in a o/w fare search?

[mtls2005]

23 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Flights to the US have long been the biggest issue but has anyone plugged in a o/w fare search?

There are hundreds of options for flying from Thailand to the U.S. Thousands of people have flown back.

 

I'd recommend QR, or KE. Both have daily flights. QR has the best COVID policy, and you can add on an AA or B6 segment, and they service the most cities in the U.S. from DOH. KE is good for JFK, partnership with DL, they have a daily departure BKK-ICN.

 

33 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Thanks for that. It appears that the trick is purchasing one-way tickets.

Not really a trick. You can't fly back to Thailand so it seems weird to look for a round-trip ticket?

 

You want to fly from Thailand to where?