Trying To Get To Singapore From Phuket?

[Jmorton]

We are trying to get home to the U.S.A. as soon as possible. We needed to be home by Monday December 1st, 2008, but that is not happening because BKK is closed and our flight was on November 27th, 2008. No flights are showing available on any of the carriers out of Phuket to get to Singapore. We are trying to get to Singapore, because Asiana(our original carrier) says they will take us to US if we can get to Singapore. How are stand by's doing in Phuket? If we wait for open seats do you think we could get a seat? We can't get through via the phone to any of the airlines to find out how many stand by's they are having every day. I estimate there are probably a lot of people booked, but a lot of people had connecting flights, or can't make it to Phuket so their seats will be open. We can take a bus from BKK, 12 hours, but don't know if it is worth it.... If anyone knows what the odds are of us getting a flight out of Phuket by waiting please let us know. There is only 2 of us traveling. Thank you.

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Why not go out there and knock some doors

[ovenman]

Take a bus from Bangkok to Hat Yai, and continue onwards from there (by bus) to Singapore.

[hkt83100]

We are trying to get to Singapore

Consider taking a train from Surat Thani or Hat Yai to Singapore.

[madmitch]

Check flights to Kuala Lumpur as well, though they may well all be full now. It's anly about 5 hours on the bus or a short flight from there.

[ovenman]

Just to clarify, it sounds like the OP is in Bangkok now and is considering traveling by bus to Phuket to catch a flight to Singapore (and then on home). In my opinion, Phuket is probably dicey in terms of catching a flight, the smarter play is take a bus/train to Hat Yai and continue by bus/train to Singapore.

[1000baht]

I agree, the safest way is the bus/train route. Once in Singapore you are laughing, a long journey yes, but may prove to be less stressfull then phuket airport, though the airport seems to be running smoothly from what I have heard. Good luck.

[Doug]

I am in Tokyo at the moment with the opposite problem. I can get to Phuket and now need to get from Phuket to BKK.

I went to the Tokyo airport (Narita) and talked to ANA (Japanese airline) and Thai Airways. ANA is not flying at all into/out of Thailand.

Thai Airways IS flying OUT of U-Tapao and IN as well. In, they are booked beyond Dec 3. Out, they told me they were booked beyond Dec 3 as well. U-Tapao is a military airport and Thai Airways is the only airline that can use it.

I would try and get on Thai Airways list; you will probably have to go to their office. You won't be able to get through by phone or Internet.

[simon43]

This afternoon at Phuket Airport, the small airline Firefly was awaiting ATC clearance to fly 2 extra flights from Phuket to Sumpang (near to KL). The first plane would leave at 5pm today (Saturday) and the second sometime on Sunday morning.

The spokeman at the airport couldn't see that ATC clearance would be refused, so there may be some extra flights leaving tomorrow and on Monday to KL region. Then on to Singapore by train or bus.

Simon

[lujanit]

I was at HKT this morning to board an AirAsia flight to Singapore. This morning (0730) their website said my flight FD3524 was on schedule. When I got to the airport (0845) all AirAsia flights had been cancelled. AirAsia didn't want to know. They said they would reimburse the fare minus a service charge! I asked why didn't receive a phone call or an email. The answer you should watch Thai TV news. I am looking at the AirAsia web page for flight status RIGHT NOW and they still have made no reference to the fact that flights are cancelled. Flight FD3524 is scheduled to leave at 0950 tomorrow and arrive in SIN at 1235. <deleted> is going on with these people. Talk about total apathy for their customers.

There must have been several thousand people trying to get to Singapore as international carriers were making arrangements for passengers in Phuket and transiting to BKK now to leave from Singapore.

The only airline operating a direct flight to Singapore was Singapore Airlines and they were besieged by hopefuls. SQ was making people buy a full price ticket (around 8000 baht) for a maybe ticket to SIN. By 'maybe' it was a waiting list ticket. For every SQ flight you had to try and register at an ever changing checkin lane. If you missed out on a particular flight the waiting list was torn up and you had to do it all over again. When I finally got to a ticketing agent in SQ (only one person allocated) I asked how many stand by tickets had been sold. The woman said she didn't know but it was in the hundreds if not more than a thousand.

The earliest confirmed ticket available was for Dec 6th.

Two things make me angry. The 'It's not my problem and I don't give a firetruck attitude' by AirAsia and the fact that SQ are profiteering at the injustice meted out to and from the misery and desperation of passengers. I did hear from one European that Firefly was charging 300 euros to get to KL but I can't confirm this. That's KL not SIN, you had to buy another ticket to get to SIN in KL. If it is true then they are no better than SQ.

And all the Thai people who own or work in the tourist business wonder why no farangs are coming to Phuket for a holiday. JEEEEEZZZZZZZZZ wake up Thailand you are doing this to yourself.

[simon43]

As per my other post, get a ticket on Firefly to Subang (KL) and then on by plane, train or bus to Singapore. There are seats on the 3pm flight tomorrow from Phuket to Subang. And no, the price is not 300 euros!

Simon

[lujanit]

Like I said I could not confirm the 300 euros to KL. However I can confirm that my ticket to SIN (business, as it was the only one left on 6th Dec) was 14800 baht. I need to be in SIN before the 8th as I'm booked on a flight to SYD early on the 8th. Nevertheless SQ are profiteering on the internal Thai political situation. My point remands valid.

[steelepulse]

Are you sure SQ is profiteering?  The fares you quote is the normal fare after taxes.  It's always been 5500 baht plus, which comes to about 8K.