Hi all.

I'd appreciate advice, first hand, on flights from Bangkok to Australia. Preferably Brisbane. I've used both Qantas & Jetstar over the years but getting somewhat disillusioned of late.

My destination is Sunshine Coast. Usually fly into Brisbane & get a rental car & drive to the Coast.

Quality of the flight, stopover, & any, all info much appreciated. Other options, airline info also welcome.

Thanks..... Mal.

23 hours ago, malt25 said:

Hi all.

I'd appreciate advice, first hand, on flights from Bangkok to Australia. Preferably Brisbane. I've used both Qantas & Jetstar over the years but getting somewhat disillusioned of late.

My destination is Sunshine Coast. Usually fly into Brisbane & get a rental car & drive to the Coast.

Quality of the flight, stopover, & any, all info much appreciated. Other options, airline info also welcome.

Thanks..... Mal.

Why would you want to fly China Southern Airlines? Assuming you are in Bangkok, you'd be flying several hours in the wrong direction, then waiting for the next flight to Australia (doubling back). Singapore Airlines is another option with a stopover at Changi.

I'm on a pretty tight budget. I accept the extra travel time. Just looking for options over Qantas & Jetstar.

Thanks for your reply.

On 7/6/2026 at 8:08 AM, malt25 said:

I'm on a pretty tight budget. I accept the extra travel time. Just looking for options over Qantas & Jetstar.

Thanks for your reply.

I flew China Southern once based on cheap fare.

The cabin smelled like a barn.

I was dreading having to use the toilet, turned out the toilet didn't smell as bad as the cabin.

Never used that airline again.

21 hours ago, cdemundo said:

I flew China Southern once based on cheap fare.

The cabin smelled like a barn.

I was dreading having to use the toilet, turned out the toilet didn't smell as bad as the cabin.

Never used that airline again.

Thanks for that.

On 7/4/2026 at 1:50 AM, malt25 said:

Hi all.

I'd appreciate advice, first hand, on flights from Bangkok to Australia. Preferably Brisbane. I've used both Qantas & Jetstar over the years but getting somewhat disillusioned of late.

My destination is Sunshine Coast. Usually fly into Brisbane & get a rental car & drive to the Coast.

Quality of the flight, stopover, & any, all info much appreciated. Other options, airline info also welcome.

Thanks..... Mal.

You have not set the parameters clearly. A proper response depends on what the service you will purchase.

• Class of service?

• Type of airfare? Refundable, non refundable, change for a fee etc.

• How many connections

• Time of flight? Red eye or mid day etc?

All of the above make a big difference on the airfare and the type of flying experience one has.

If you want an affordable premium experience with excellent departure times, then its Singapore Airlines.

If you want low cost economy then its Jetstar or VietJet.

8 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

You have not set the parameters clearly. A proper response depends on what the service you will purchase.

• Class of service?

• Type of airfare? Refundable, non refundable, change for a fee etc.

• How many connections

• Time of flight? Red eye or mid day etc?

All of the above make a big difference on the airfare and the type of flying experience one has.

If you want an affordable premium experience with excellent departure times, then its Singapore Airlines.

If you want low cost economy then its Jetstar or VietJet.

Read between the lines.

On 7/6/2026 at 2:08 AM, malt25 said:

I'm on a pretty tight budget. I accept the extra travel time. Just looking for options over Qantas & Jetstar.

6 hours ago, treetops said:

Read between the lines.

Tight budget can mean;

• Limited funds to pay for an airfare and/or

• NO funds available to pay for the costs incurred due to IRROPS, and no money to pay for flight options.

A cheap discount airfare that might be slod at a lower cost than a basic excursion fare will cost much more if there are flight changes or disruptions. Is the passenger going to pay for baggage and seat selection.If so, then it is more cost effective to go with a higher airfare that includes these options.

Low Cost Carriers are suited for the people with restricted financial means. One isn't going to get a lower cost than JetStar or VietJet.

On 7/6/2026 at 2:08 AM, malt25 said:

I'm on a pretty tight budget.

I flew Sheena Eastern because it was the cheapest airfare , $ 70 cheaper .

I then spent $50 getting to the airport as it was further away and $30 on airport food at Pudong stop over because the airline food was a bread roll and peanuts

Travelled china eastern many years ago and the drinking water was the foulest water ever. I mean we are talking about 'water'. Of course I should have known having lived in the country for a year. If you do use an airline you have to buy the expensive water in duty free area after passing security .

On 7/9/2026 at 1:13 AM, Patong2021 said:

Tight budget can mean;

• Limited funds to pay for an airfare and/or

• NO funds available to pay for the costs incurred due to IRROPS, and no money to pay for flight options.

A cheap discount airfare that might be slod at a lower cost than a basic excursion fare will cost much more if there are flight changes or disruptions. Is the passenger going to pay for baggage and seat selection.If so, then it is more cost effective to go with a higher airfare that includes these options.

Low Cost Carriers are suited for the people with restricted financial means. One isn't going to get a lower cost than JetStar or VietJet.

As I understand it, JetStar and VietJet are the kind of airlines that charge for checked baggage, seat assignment, carry-on weight aso.

China Southern has none of those restrictions. Two 50lb bags allowed. More seatroom than the budgets. They also offer a day off to explore the Chinese city you transit. I chose Kunming sor the hotsprings on my way to Canada.

I'm vegetarian so I can't really subsist on airline food. I bring my own. As I recall, free alcohol, too, and movie selection. No complaints, really, other than 52 hours door-to-door is hell on earth.

The crew did clean the toilets. Sounds like a bunch of Chinese racism to me. Come to think of it, I've flown lots of Chinese airlines & lived to tell the tale.

I've flown Philippines Airlines multiple times now between Bkk and Bne and the flight is fine.

It's generally one of the cheaper full service airlines between Aust and Thailand, but it's certainly not the most luxurious.

But it's safe, you get feed and watered and generally at a good price (i will qualify that by saying ive only form their business class product - but I've had friends fly economy and they said it was fine).

You do have to Transit in the absolute Sh@thole that is Manila airport, but for the savings over the other airlines, most ppl would be able to put up with it.

7 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

As I understand it, JetStar and VietJet are the kind of airlines that charge for checked baggage, seat assignment, carry-on weight aso.

China Southern has none of those restrictions. Two 50lb bags allowed. More seatroom than the budgets. They also offer a day off to explore the Chinese city you transit. I chose Kunming sor the hotsprings on my way to Canada.

I'm vegetarian so I can't really subsist on airline food. I bring my own. As I recall, free alcohol, too, and movie selection. No complaints, really, other than 52 hours door-to-door is hell on earth.

The crew did clean the toilets. Sounds like a bunch of Chinese racism to me. Come to think of it, I've flown lots of Chinese airlines & lived to tell the tale.

Chinese Airlines are not always the cheapest option. Their prices increased post Covid because fewer westerners were traveling to China, so Western airlines reduced their capacity. Chinese carriers competed based upon price, undercutting the western carriers. Now they do not have to. It is not tooooooooooooooooo difficult to price these things out;

Y, midweek October round trip

China Southern Approx. 51,280 baht Only 1 checked bag @ 23 kg is included. Seat & meal incl.

Departing flightTue, Oct 6

3:00 AM Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Travel time: 3 hr

7:00 AM Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)

Below average legroom (28 in) / Long layover

Returning flightThu, Oct 22

9:05 PMGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) Travel time: 9 hr 20 min

8:25 AM+1Brisbane Airport (BNE)

JetStar Incl. Meals, Seat, 1 X 20 kg Bag 18,577 baht

Departing flightThu, Oct 8

9:50 PMSuvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Travel time: 8 hr 55 min

9:45 AM+1Brisbane Airport (BNE)

Average legroom (30 in)

Returning flightThu, Oct 22

1:40 PMBrisbane Airport (BNE) Travel time: 9 hr 20 min

8:00 PMSuvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)

Average legroom (30 in)

Jetstar is direct, has more room and is lower cost.

Crappy cheap a8s airline with a poor safety record.

Step up to something like Korean or Eva.

I've been flying to China since 1999 and a lot of the horror stories from the past are no longer valid.

I've flown BKK-TSN every month for the past 3+ years, on about 10 of the Chinese airlines, including China Southern. That's almost 40 R/Ts, none of them non-stop. (They didn't restart the non-stops to my small town of 15 million post-Covid).

I shop schedule and fare, not by airline. They're all okay. I've learned to get a 4 RMB water and a 10 RMB sandwich at the Lawsons or 7/11 at just about every airport departure side, just in case they skimp on the meal during the flight (which sometimes happens on short segments less than 2 hours or so).

10 or 15 years ago, I'd have paid extra to avoid them, but the Chinese airlines have gotten so much better in the intervening years... Of course, you may get a stinker, but most of my worst were on United and Canada Air. Not the Chinese airlines.

And I'm too old to take advantage, but the flight attendants on the Southern Chinese airlines (CS, Sichuan, Xiamen, Shanghai...) are generally great eye candy.

On 7/10/2026 at 3:34 PM, unblocktheplanet said:

As I understand it, JetStar and VietJet are the kind of airlines that charge for checked baggage, seat assignment, carry-on weight aso.

China Southern has none of those restrictions. Two 50lb bags allowed. More seatroom than the budgets. They also offer a day off to explore the Chinese city you transit. I chose Kunming sor the hotsprings on my way to Canada.

I'm vegetarian so I can't really subsist on airline food. I bring my own. As I recall, free alcohol, too, and movie selection. No complaints, really, other than 52 hours door-to-door is hell on earth.

The crew did clean the toilets. Sounds like a bunch of Chinese racism to me. Come to think of it, I've flown lots of Chinese airlines & lived to tell the tale.

If you are referring to my post maybe you didn't read what I wrote.

I said the cabin smelled bad and the toilets smelled better than the cabin.

Racism? As far as Chinese toilets in general... I was arriving at a Chinese airport and watching passengers ahead of me hurrying to the first toilets, then immediately come running out. As I arrived near the entrance to the toilets the smell in the corridor was overpowering and I understood why so many declined to use these toilets. Never experienced anything like this at any other airport.

The Taiwanese airlines and airports are excellent,

Interesting about the "day off"; I would like to visit Kunming "the city of eternal spring".

Glad to hear you had a good experience with China Southern.

I may give them another try in the future.

Edited July 13Jul 13 by cdemundo