The Cost Of Future Air Travel To Thailand..

[billythehat]

Just a quick heads oop and general info about the future cost of air fares LHR to Thailand.

Today, I was enquiring about the cost and availability of flights only for xmas/new year 2009-2010 with my usual carrier, Eva Air. From experience I had learnt that to get an upgrade seat, and more importantly the dates I could go, it was important to reserve as early as February because they would always sell out very quickly. For any other times of the year there is not usually a problem.

Xmas 2008 I flew with Eva from LHR>BKK for £900 return in Elite Class, (a sort of half-way house between Buffalo class and Business Class) which was pretty good value given high season. Again, I had booked this seat in February 2008 to get the good price and dates.

Even though I'm a member of Eva's 'frequent monger' air miles program, it has always been cheaper to get a ticket through an agent. This morning, I contacted several of the agents I normally use and for a moment thought that I had requested Business Class and not Elite class. No, I hadn't, and the cheapest fair after 'discount' was for £1455 for the Elite class seat……"But," I spluttered, "that's a 62% increase over the fair I've just come back from!"……..Eva were the cheapest too…BA & Thai were dearer still….

T'would appear the Buffalo class buckets were to be priced around the £1000 mark..

When I was in Chiang Mai at Xmas, I changed some sterling for baht as was well p**sed at only getting 49 Baht for 1 Pound. Back in April 2008 I could get 69-70. As a consequence, to do the same amount at Xmas time cost about 30% more….Ah well, everything has its season I suppose..

Yeah, I know there are other travel options, etc, but I'm just saying, ya know?

Edited February 7, 2009 by billythehat

[LivinLOS]

Just saw Air Asia X.. KL to London (think it was stanstead !!) for 870 MYR !! 8000 something baht one way !!

I know it will be uber cattle.. But 2 xanex and it could be a bed of nails.

[Boater]

ok, just checked with Air Asia, but you cannot book as far ahead as Xmas, but for oct the price is very good

Depart

Kuala Lumpur LCCT(KUL) to London(STN)

Wed 30 Sep 2009

D7 2006Depart 0950

Arrive 1650

Return

London(STN) to Kuala Lumpur LCCT(KUL)

Wed 14 Oct 2009

D7 2007Depart 1810

Arrive 1410

Depart Total 1,106.00 MYR Depart Total 1,106.00 MYR1 Guest @ 1,039.00 1,039.00 MYRTaxes & fees 67.00 MYR Return Total 901.00 MYR Return Total 901.00 MYR1 Guest @ 579.00 579.00 MYRTaxes & fees 322.00 MYRTotal 2,007.00 MYR

or total - 2,007.00 MYR = 378.927 GBP

[HorseDoctor]

A Thai DCA regulated budget airline? .... No way

[billythehat]

Just saw Air Asia X.. KL to London (think it was stanstead !!) for 870 MYR !! 8000 something baht one way !!

I know it will be uber cattle.. But 2 xanex and it could be a bed of nails.

Aye, as the world financial ruin continues, it should be interesting to see how the air-price war pans out, say mid 2009.

Very few of those advertised 'cheap' holiday packages are dated for when the main bread & butter of tourists (families) are able to go. Not stating that the bold fronted prices (on flights only) do not include the absurdly rated taxes, typically, say £200+ per ticket doesn't help the situation..

With regard to Eva xmas flights, these are always oversubscribed for the main reason that they only fly once a day from LHR, (but not Monday,) and more than a few of the folk flying are Chinese/Taiwanese heading back to the 'Peoples Republic of Summat or Other ' for the New Year Holiday. The flight Eva BR68 is actually bound for Taipei via Bangkok, and in 10 years I've never seen a spare seat available at Xmas time on this flight.

Edited February 8, 2009 by billythehat

[LivinLOS]

A Thai DCA regulated budget airline? .... No way

Pray tell why a Malaysian airline, flying between Malaysia and England, would be a Thai regulated airline ??

[boarbaboon]

Are you sure using a agent is always cheaper? Do you always use eva air?

Returns from LHR-BKK with Etihad through the year average 350-450pounds through their website.

Also yesterday i booked a one-way to LHR from BKK with jet airways for 13,000 baht.

Which brings me to anther question. From BKK why is it more expensive to book a return flight than its to book a one-way? and from LHR why is it more expensive to book a one-way than it is to book a return.

for example:

LHR-BKK

one way = 450GBP

Return= 450GBP

BKK-LHR

one way = 13000baht (260GBP)

Return= 40000 baht (800GBP)

Surly both LHR to BKK and BKK to LHR should be the same?

[LivinLOS]

Are you sure using a agent is always cheaper? Do you always use eva air?

Returns from LHR-BKK with Etihad through the year average 350-450pounds through their website.

Also yesterday i booked a one-way to LHR from BKK with jet airways for 13,000 baht.

Which brings me to anther question. From BKK why is it more expensive to book a return flight than its to book a one-way? and from LHR why is it more expensive to book a one-way than it is to book a return.

for example:

LHR-BKK

one way = 450GBP

Return= 450GBP

BKK-LHR

one way = 13000baht (260GBP)

Return= 40000 baht (800GBP)

Surly both LHR to BKK and BKK to LHR should be the same?

Simple bums on seats supply and demand.. Theres more uk peeps wanting to return from uk than there are Thai people wanting a return from bkk..