Money changers in Pattaya

[Kf6vci]

Hi All,

there were posts and speculation on TV. About 40 to 50,000 tourists coming and leavinf every single day. and this is the peak season. So why were about 200 seats on a recent scheduled flight to Europe vacant?!

Is this a sign of a) the broader economy nosediving or something to do with TG?

TG sure has some weird pricing - many flights seem frightfully expensive versus the competition, especially Emirates, Quatar etc with their ridiculously low tax charges versus often more than EUR 300 for Air France, KLM etc.

I really thought they would fill every available seat.

Sawasdee krap!

Chris

[meom]

Flew back to Bahrain on Gulf Air last saturday and the flight was half empty as well.

[Ricardo]

I would expect full-flights to Thailand, at this time of year, but am not really surprised that flights back to Europe are not so busy. I'd expect the reverse-situation shortly after the New-Year holiday.

[Daffy D]

There was an item on the news some time ago about airlines flying EMPTY across the Atlantic, full cabin staff but NO passengers.

Something to do with having planes in the right place and/or to maintain their routes.

Makes my effort of switching off unnecessary light to help the planet somehow insignificant.

[londonthai]

my friend came back from bangkok to London with 7 (seven) on board in the economy class, I suspect it was TG

[midas]

Dont you think this sounds worrying ? 10 days before Christmas ?

I used to go back to the UK every Christmas from Sydney about now

and the flights were always full. it is like the unsold cars piling up

at Longbeach

[bendix]

Jakarta to Bangkok on Sunday. TG flight. 20% loaded.

[MyphuketLife]

Hi All,

there were posts and speculation on TV. About 40 to 50,000 tourists coming and leavinf every single day. and this is the peak season. So why were about 200 seats on a recent scheduled flight to Europe vacant?!

Is this a sign of a) the broader economy nosediving or something to do with TG?

TG sure has some weird pricing - many flights seem frightfully expensive versus the competition, especially Emirates, Quatar etc with their ridiculously low tax charges versus often more than EUR 300 for Air France, KLM etc.

I really thought they would fill every available seat.

Sawasdee krap!

Chris

I think its a combo of economy and PAD closing the airport.

[Bangkok Barry]

A friend flew back to Germany this week and had a row of four seats to lay out on. In December - when every flight used to be booked out months in advance. An agent in Singapore said that even before the airport closure bookings to Thailand from there were down 80 percent in the August to December period compared to last year.

I'm sure some of it might be to do with the slowing economy (although how many has it actually hit yet, really) but I've read of so many who are just sick of being ripped off at every turn while they are in Thailand. Finally the word has got around to enough people to make a difference. The main reason many people came to Thailand was because it was cheap, but that is not so much the case anymore, with inflation and greed here and the weakness of most currencies against the baht also not helping. I'm afraid that Thailand is beginning to charge first world prices while still providing a third world service level. Some other countries in the region, such as Malaysia and Singapore and areas such as Bali provide a higher level of service and often better value.

[torrenova]

I'd say it is a mixture of reasons but you would have to be blind not to include the ever worsening value for money within the tourist sector (though some of that is down to fx rates I admit). TG to LHR with antiquated equipment and sky high prices with an ever worsening loyalty programme ? Enough said.

[londonthai]

political instability, with protests all over the place, the seat of the government occupied by a mob, airport blokades and closures in the south in august, did not encourage tourists to book for autumn, xmas and new year.

righly so, as the political violence escalated and there is still a bleak future.

the next time they come to thailand, they might find themselves in the middle of a new military coup or a civil war

[imaneggspurt]

Oh come on, be a pessamist, it was half full !

[Naam]

we arrived yesterday flying MUC-DOH first. six total passengers in first including us two. DOH-BKK aircraft had no first and we were the only two passengers in business (28 seats empty!).

economy however seemed packed till the last seat.

[Rinrada]

Hi All,

there were posts and speculation on TV. About 40 to 50,000 tourists coming and leavinf every single day. and this is the peak season. So why were about 200 seats on a recent scheduled flight to Europe vacant?!

Is this a sign of a) the broader economy nosediving or something to do with TG?

TG sure has some weird pricing - many flights seem frightfully expensive versus the competition, especially Emirates, Quatar etc with their ridiculously low tax charges versus often more than EUR 300 for Air France, KLM etc.

I really thought they would fill every available seat.

Sawasdee krap!

Chris

I think its a combo of economy and PAD closing the airport.

and next year the forcast is even WORSE.

Every one over 'ere appears to be batting down the hatches and adopting a siege mentality......Get the beer in and watch the new flat screen 42' plasma and forget about holidays especially in T-land....spend yer dosh to hang about an AIRPORT....No Way......plus aint cheap any more.(booze is mai peng in Lidles/Aldi/Tesco)

Last joli we went Etti for half the price of TG so now binned the Gold Cards .......

no miles given anyway.......although now we got a load with the Abu Dabbi airforce.

Next Feb /Mar got another 3-4 people going out with us buts looks like again will be giving Thai Air a MISS.......

dont they get it.....Naaa..TIT init....

[phaethon]

Oh come on, be a pessamist, it was half full !