Getting Into Thailand From Gulf Countries/middle East?

[doczenith83]

So I was due to fly out on the 26th of November. As we all know the airport got royal screwed basically on that day and so did I, heh. Now with news that the airport is reopening on the 5th, I cannot get a flight out of Dubai until the 30th of December. Probably looks like I will have to opt out for the rebooking and claim my refund. I have other commitments, for one I have to be in Austria for Xmas and New Years with the family and I start work on the 4th of January again.

When the airport closed down and I found out about the options they were giving me, I called Gulf Air to ask them if they could rebook my ticket to a later date (December 1st) and the minute they find out the airport is still closed, that they keep postponing my ticket up until the 8th of December max. Sure members and business class have priority, but its safe to say that if I had asked on time, that they could cross check with people on the waiting list and ask people who are ordinarily booking to wait or tell them its fully booked. I have done this sort of thing with numerous other airlines before (obviously nothing close to the delays the PAD have caused, but within 1 or 2 days due to harsh weather) without problems. I called back yesterday after the news of the reopening and was told that my ticket was booked for the 26th of November. I told the agent what I had told the other agent when I had called upon closing of the BKK airport and he said there is no record of this in his system and that all flights up to the 30th of December are fully booked, including business class! I really got pissed off at them, I managed to control my temper and told him to put me on the waiting list until the 8th. This he understood as I called yesterday to check if i was still on the waiting list. I have checked with Emirates and Etihad, Qatar Air, Kuwait Air, all flights are full or only have business class or first class remaing and we all know how terribly expensive these tickets are... :S

He seemed pretty sure I had no chance whatsoever of flying to Bangkok within my desired dates, but so happily offered me to fly on the 30th or later. Great...

So at the end of the day I can at least still get my refund, but for anyone living in Dubai or other Gulf countries, if you have any suggestions, tips or tricks, I'd be delighted to hear them. I'm probably sh(i)t outta of luck by asking this here as probably most of you are hailing from other regions in the world. Nevertheless, better ask than not...

Thanks

Regards,

Martin

[neverdie]

Have you looked at Royal Brunei, I use to fly out of Dubai with them, from there they goto Bandar Seri Begawan and from there you can fly direct to Bangkok. Im not sure about connecting flights etc....but cost wise they are good.

I'm not sure if they are doing anything before Suvarnabhumi is opened & its extra flight time by a few hours, i don't know what the connections are like either, but may be cheap enuf. DEPENDS HOW DESPERATE YOU ARE.

Good enuf airline, if you want to drink alcohol, you will need to take your own....they will provide the mixers and ice

Edited December 3, 2008 by neverdie

[MeetJohnDoe]

An acquaintance who has been stuck in Thailand during the troubles yesterday obtained a flight out on Thai to New Delhi (and from there he is on his own for getting a flight to Dubai (his destination) for tomorrow. His original ticket was for Bangkok to Dubai on Thai...they offered to substitute the flight to Delhi (free) but he has to pay his own way from there to Dubai. He took it because he figures it's quicker than waiting around for a direct flight.

I suppose they have returning flights so maybe make your way to Delhi (as alternative routes may be full for some time).

[royaljenny]

Hi Martin

Might be worth trying Emirates again, my Mom and Dad managed to get re-booked on Birmingham - Dubai, Dubai - Bangkok leaving Birmingham 16 December. That was confirmed yesterday, and when I spoke to Emirates yesterday afternoon they said there was plenty of availability!

I rang the UK (ish) call centre 0844 8002777

Hope you can get a flight.

Royaljenny

[doczenith83]

Hi Martin

Might be worth trying Emirates again, my Mom and Dad managed to get re-booked on Birmingham - Dubai, Dubai - Bangkok leaving Birmingham 16 December. That was confirmed yesterday, and when I spoke to Emirates yesterday afternoon they said there was plenty of availability!

I rang the UK (ish) call centre 0844 8002777

Hope you can get a flight.

Royaljenny

Thanks guys for your answers! I'll see how I can rebook. Only problem with Emirates is that they charge twice as much for the flight as Gulf Air did... Lets see!

[b19bry]

I had a ticket on Emirates booked DXB-BKK for 4th Dec, when I checked yesterday I was told all Emirates flights cancelled till at least Dec 12th. However today I checked again with Emirates and was able to book a flight to DXB-BKK on Dec 6th.

Agreed Emirates charge more, but there are several reasons for that. Having lost a friend on GF072, (a crash that should never have happened,) I certainly feel safer travelling Emirates than Gulf.

[doczenith83]

well I'm pretty sure you are well aware of flight crash statistics... Sure any plane from any airline could crash at any moment, but the chances of it are very low.

[b19bry]

well I'm pretty sure you are well aware of flight crash statistics... Sure any plane from any airline could crash at any moment, but the chances of it are very low.

I'm well aware thanks and 'Sure any plane from any airline could crash at any moment', to bring down a perfectly serviceable plane through sheer incompetence is an entirely different matter.

[weescotsguy66]

I too was booked to go via Dubai with Emirates on the 29th November, I re-scheduled it to the 21st of December, I was wait listed and yesterday got confirmation that I am confirmed on the flight.

I too would try calling them direct, and yes the prices are very high at Xmas but Companies paying mines.

Give them a call, also try other airlines, Eithad and Qatar airways.

[johnson36]

Does anyone know if Qatar will be fly to BKK on Sunday 7th ?

Flight QR610. Leaving Doha local time 8.00am arriving BKK 6.30pm

The Flight Status check on there website shows it as Scheduled but I sure this is 100% correct

http://booking.qatarairways.com/qrfs-web/p...ability.do?L=en

[machlad]

Etihad are flying 3 times a day instead of twice a day to Bangkok at the moment in order to get people home who are stranded there and they are selling tickets to people who want to fly to Bangkok.