Are flights to Thailand a ripoff ?

[mostcurious]

Is it just me or does it seem flights to Thailand from the UK are exceedingly expensive compared with other destinations ?

A few years ago direct flights to Thailand on Thai Airways or Eva air could be purchased for roughly £460. That went up a few years ago to £690. Now its not possible to find any flights for less than £860. That's almost a 100% increase in the price in less than 5 years. How is this cost justified when compared to flights to other destinations in the world ?

For £860 you could fly to Greece 6 times ! 

Lets compare this to the cost to fly to other destinations -

Direct flight: London (Heathrow) to New York  £400

Direct flight: London to Toronto - £400

Direct flight: London to Hong Kong - £540

I've just arranged a flight to China for £400, I plan to see parts of China then travel to Thailand for a bit then fly back to China. The total cost would still be less than a direct flight to Thailand.

Just to let you know China is an amazing country to visit, however a visa for China does cost £130.  

So are flights to Thailand a ripoff or am I just imagining this ?

 

[treetops]

Roughly, as I looked it up quickly:

 

Approx 20 flights a day LHR-JFK

5 a day to Toronto.

6 a day to Hong Kong

3 a day to Bangkok

 

So just supply and demand.  Expensive perhaps, but that doesn't make it a ripoff.

[digbeth]

just compare to london-singapore - similar distance and potential for connections around SEAsia and Australia 

 

is the price difference enough that it's cheaper to get extra leg by changing at singapore either on the same airline or low-cost airlines with all the inconvenience of re-checking baggage and waiting time for another flights - that's debatable

 

If you don't fly from the big london airports, sometime it's more convenient to change in germany or middle east say if you fly from Manchester or Birmingham - the queues at immigration and car park at those airports are much bette than London too

[mostcurious]

9 hours ago, treetops said:

Roughly, as I looked it up quickly:

 

Approx 20 flights a day LHR-JFK

5 a day to Toronto.

6 a day to Hong Kong

3 a day to Bangkok

 

So just supply and demand.  Expensive perhaps, but that doesn't make it a ripoff.

Yes, you are correct. 

Two Thai Airway flights per day from Heathrow, and one Eva Air flight per day from Heathrow.

Statistical data on the internet shows that in year 2022, just over 200,000 UK citizens visited Thailand.

So divide that figure by 365 days and your left with 547 UK passengers will travel to Thailand each day.

Eva air uses Airbus 330 aircraft which has over 400 seats .

So 3 times 400 equals 1200 seats. 

That's more than enough plane seats.

Do you think British Airways will reintroduce flights to Thailand ?

  

[Keeps]

BA flights from London Gatwick to Thailand starting operating a few days ago. 3 days per week each way.

 

Only initially scheduled until the end of March 2025 at this moment. Prices seem to be higher than the EVA and Thai options from London Heathrow.

[soi3eddie]

Before the pandemic, I used to buy Thai Airways fully flex economy class from LHR/BKK/LHR. Unlimited free changes and 100% mileage. I would buy the ticket as soon as it went on sale for my expected travel dates, knowing I could change for free as I wished. That ticket used to cost about £850. The same ticket since the pandemic is normally over £1,600. I still fly Thai but on a slightly more restrictive ticket at a lower cost. The loss of British Airways capacity, and competition, on same route almost certainly led partly to the increase, as Thai knew they could charge more. Add to that, the restructuing of Thai from bankruptcy, and changes to the airline, then NO, it is not a ripoff but just market pricing.

 

[NanLaew]

Less people flying to/from UK to Thailand = more expensive airfares for that route.

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Ticket prices have soared all over Europe and the UK despite fuel being tax free for planes and the Brent prices having fallen to levels pre-pandemic. So why ? Simple. All the woke environmental anarchists that rule all over Europe and the UK had to comply obviously...these pro climate fascists have not stopped implementing special "environmental taxes" and their preferred scapegoats are passengers flying. So even if kerosine was free tomorrow all the Greta's in power and the wokes will carry on putting the environmental pro climate tax burden on all users.

 

These environmental taxes have changed nothing in people's travel patterns as the number of flyers has gone beyond the figures before the COVID.

 

Don't get me wrong. Climate change or rising pollution is not a hoax. It's true, it's real and it's happening.

 

But...but it is rather  the governance policies all over west,  that are a pure hoax and plainly a new business venture to make money and to extort specific climate taxes from people.

[john donson]

what disturbs me even more, is that now there is the extra 200 euro charge for your luggage... flights from europe to TH without luggage? just carry on? who does that... just more things that add up...

 

I fly very little, but family members visiting do... no choice...

[DTL2014]

it's up to the national carrier(Thai Air) to show the way on prices ...otherwise the other airlines could theoretically choke off visitors by having high prices ...steer them towards their more profitable routes..??

[Ste78]

On 11/3/2024 at 8:04 AM, john donson said:

what disturbs me even more, is that now there is the extra 200 euro charge for your luggage... flights from europe to TH without luggage? just carry on? who does that... just more things that add up...

 

I fly very little, but family members visiting do... no choice...

Airfrance or KLM you can buy without a baggage then add maybe only one for group for around 130 euro.

[GypsyT]

On 11/3/2024 at 8:04 AM, john donson said:

flights from europe to TH without luggage? just carry on? who does that...

I did not once but twice 😉

Did both time w 7kg.

Then continued back to EU around the ball.

 

Hey - it's TROPICS! You only need shorts, sandals and t-skirt. And a hat.

 

Unless you are one of those who dress up to Hugo Boss to please Jomtien Immi?

 

[bamnutsak]

You will ALWAYS pay a premium for direct non-stop flights, supply/demand.

 

Comparing prices from "a few years ago", or with different city-pairs is a waste of time.

 

ALL of the cheaper fare buckets to/from BKK are sold out for the next ~ 3 months.

 

Travel in March still has cheaper fare buckets, and going via a Middle East carrier might get you down to ~ 650 GBP v. ~ 1,000 direct non-stop.

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

On 11/3/2024 at 8:04 AM, john donson said:

 flights from europe to TH without luggage? just carry on? who does that

 

   I do for 1 .

I just carry my computer and not much else 

[Denim]

On 11/2/2024 at 12:03 AM, digbeth said:

just compare to london-singapore - similar distance and potential for connections around SEAsia and Australia 

 

is the price difference enough that it's cheaper to get extra leg by changing at singapore either on the same airline or low-cost airlines with all the inconvenience of re-checking baggage and waiting time for another flights - that's debatable

 

If you don't fly from the big london airports, sometime it's more convenient to change in germany or middle east say if you fly from Manchester or Birmingham - the queues at immigration and car park at those airports are much bette than London too

 

Alternative to Singapore is Kuala Lumper. I took this route once. LHR to KL then transfer flight to Penang. Few days chilling there then Mini Bus to Had Yai. From Had Yai flew to Bangkok. Depends how much time you have on your hands.