Saudia Airlines

[KhaoYai]

Does anyone have any experience of Saudia Airlines?

 

Years ago there were no discount flights to Bangkok out of Manchester so I used to travel down to Heathrow.  However for quite some time now, discount flights have been available ex Manchester - Heathrow still cheaper but not worth the additinal travel and hassle.

 

I'm looking to book for June/July and as prices seem to be rising this year I checked out flights from Heathrow, I was amazed to find a return flight to Bangkok - 18/06 to 04/07 @ £388 with 23kg hold luggage on Travel Supermarket.  The times are a bit longer than the usual stopover flights but its been a long time since I've seen flights with a 3 at the front.

 

I've been right through to the end of the booking process and providing you pay via Visa Debit there don't appear to be any hidden extras.

 

There are mixed reviews on Trustpilot - the airline coming out on top.

 

Does anyone have any experience with this airline?

 

 

 

[stubuzz]

I have used them a lot. They didn't really care when they lost my luggage.

[richard_smith237]

Looking recently there were well priced flights with...

Saudi Airlines / Egypt Air / Scoot

 

Egypt Air even had a good business class promotions -

 

Of course, it was these there airlines I’d unchecked and omitted from my search.

 

Thai Airways have a very good BKK-LHR Economy promotion (but return leg normalises the cost a little). 

 

The Old favourites, while more expensive are not more expensive than they were pre-covid....   

 

For reasons I don't want to go into (as I’ll probably be accused of being racist) I avoided the Saudi and Egypt airlines..  and of course scoot which is just budget and they inflate their costs with baggage and meal fees etc.

 

 

Edited April 21, 2022 by richard_smith237

[KhaoYai]

1 minute ago, stubuzz said:

I have used them a lot. They didn't really care when they lost my luggage.

Nothing new there - Etihad denied responsibility when my suitcase appeared on the carousel smashed to bits with the contents in a plastic bag.  They changed their stance and paid up when I quoted the Montreal Convention to them.

[KhaoYai]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

For reasons I don't want to go into (as I’ll probably be accused of being racist) I avoided the Saudi and Egypt airlines... 

I've been trying to avoid the whole region since a UK national got locked up for 25 years (now reduced to 9) for having a very small amount of CBD Oil.  However, they always come out on top in searches.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, KhaoYai said:

Nothing new there - Etihad denied responsibility when my suitcase appeared on the carousel smashed to bits with the contents in a plastic bag.  They changed their stance and paid up when I quoted the Montreal Convention to them.

We had a push-chair snapped in half....  I filed a claim at the airport. Etihad rejected it. 

IATA assisted me in continuing my claim under the Montreal convention. Etihad continued to reject the claim. IATA said the next step would have to be legal proceedings, the cost of which would be more than the value (£300) of the pushchair and Etihad knew this. 

 

My Wife and I were both Gold Card holders at the time - we’ve never flown them since. 

[KhaoYai]

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thai Airways have a very good BKK-LHR Economy promotion (but return leg normalises the cost a little). 

I can't remember the price but I do remember the Thai Airways one was cheap. Great for those that can do 12 hours - I can't.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

For reasons I don't want to go into (as I’ll probably be accused of being racist) I avoided the Saudi and Egypt airlines... 

I've been trying to avoid the whole region since a UK national got locked up for 25 years (now reduced to 9) for having a very small amount of CBD Oil.  However, they always come out on top in searches.

I'm not too worried about that....  The same things have happened flying via Dubai / Abu Dhabi / Qatar - they all have draconian laws....    that doesn’t stop me flying their airlines and transiting in those places. 

 

But... having worked a lot in the Middle East I have had a great deal of exposure to many nationals of the varying countries....  I’m over discussing or justifying it, I’d simply rather avoid travelling with, in or around large groups of certain nationalities - its just additional hassle and annoyance I don’t want. 

 

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thai Airways have a very good BKK-LHR Economy promotion (but return leg normalises the cost a little). 

I can't remember the price but I do remember the Thai Airways one was cheap. Great for those that can do 12 hours - I can't.

Same here... one way it was B10,000 baht BKK to LHR.... 12 hrs 20 mins....  I just can’t sit in an economy seat for that long... 

 

We fly Emirates...  and do one of two things. 

1) 9-12 hours transit: Take room in the Airport hotel (airside) gets some sleep, wake up, take the next flight. 

2) 18-24 hour transit: Baggage all the way through the Uk (with just a one night bag to hand-carry) Get a hotel in town. Arrive at lunch time...  have a swim in the hotel pool, chill out. Go to the mall, have a nice meal. Wake up early, straight to the airport, no check-in, just pass immigration and security and walk onto the flight. 

 

Takes the tiredness out of travelling and sorts jet lag out. 

[KhaoYai]

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Same here... one way it was B10,000 baht BKK to LHR.... 12 hrs 20 mins....  I just can’t sit in an economy seat for that long... 

 

We fly Emirates...  and do one of two things. 

1) 9-12 hours transit: Take room in the Airport hotel (airside) gets some sleep, wake up, take the next flight. 

2) 18-24 hour transit: Baggage all the way through the Uk (with just a one night bag to hand-carry) Get a hotel in town. Arrive at lunch time...  have a swim in the hotel pool, chill out. Go to the mall, have a nice meal. Wake up early, straight to the airport, no check-in, just pass immigration and security and walk onto the flight. 

 

Takes the tiredness out of travelling and sorts jet lag out. 

Yes I've taken advantage of Singapore Airline's stopover at the same price offer a couple of times and had a night out in SG.  They are probably the best airline I've ever flown with but they have not been anywhere near competitive for a long time.

 

I actually enjoy 3 or 4 hour stopovers when I have lounge access, I make it part of my trip. Etihad's business class lounge at Abu Dhabi takes some beating - shower, massage, smoking room within the area etc. etc. However, I'm not going to cut my nose off to spite my face but unless they have a major price advantage, I won't be using them again.

 

I've had a few issues with them over the years and apart from the damaged suitcase, none were resolved.  I always found that, in terms of ground staff and the flight itself, on the whole, they were an excellent company but their customer service is a different matter. The only thing that kept me with them was my gold card.  It sounds pretentious but as I'm sure you'll know, once you've got used to the benefits it gives you, you don't want to lose them. The CBD oil thing annoyed me and as the airline is state owned.........................

 

 Now, despite flying mainly with them since they began in 2003 and holding a gold card since 2008, they are revoking that card as of June this year because I haven't flown enough - the fact that Covid regulations prevented me from flying doesn't seem to matter to them. I've written to them but they won't change their mind so....adios. If I no longer have that benefit, I am now free to vote with my feet.

 

Anyway, it seems that anyone who really wants a cheap flight should give Saudia a close look.

[treetops]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

The times are a bit longer than the usual stopover flights . . .

You'll do an almost 7 hours transit once, but I bet you won't do it again.  Too short to book a room or go visit something, but far too long to tolerate even if you could get a drink.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, treetops said:

You'll do an almost 7 hours transit once, but I bet you won't do it again.  Too short to book a room or go visit something, but far too long to tolerate even if you could get a drink.

I doubt I'll book with Saudia at the moment and you're right, would be too long for me.  I would take it up if I had lounge access though.

 

Some people may be prepared to do that though - some are on a very tight budget.  I was years ago and there was no way I could have travelled so often if I hadn't gone down to London and taken advantage of the cheaper prices out of Heathrow.