Bangkok Airways Enters Price War With 'flyer Pass'

[chuenjit]

Thailand's air ticket price war has intensified with Bangkok Airways entry into the fray.

Actress Piyada Akaraseni is a presenter for Bangkok Airways’ Flyer Pass.

Bangkok Airways' offer of heavily discounted prepaid tickets with transparent terms of use looks set to outdo its competitors and generate cashflow for the privately owned carrier.

The launch of its "Flyer Pass" came two days after Thai Airways International kicked off its "Fly THAI, get more" campaign, itself a direct assault on marketing promotions from budget airline AirAsia.

But M.L. Nandhika Varavarn, vice-president for corporate communications, yesterday insisted the Flyer Pass launch was purely coincidental. It was initially scheduled for an earlier date but technical problems forced the announcement to be delayed, she said.

continued http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/aviati...with-flyer-pass

-- Bangkok Post 16/07/09

[Gatorade]

Thailand's air ticket price war has intensified with Bangkok Airways entry into the fray.

Actress Piyada Akaraseni is a presenter for Bangkok Airways’ Flyer Pass.

Bangkok Airways' offer of heavily discounted prepaid tickets with transparent terms of use looks set to outdo its competitors and generate cashflow for the privately owned carrier.

The launch of its "Flyer Pass" came two days after Thai Airways International kicked off its "Fly THAI, get more" campaign, itself a direct assault on marketing promotions from budget airline AirAsia.

But M.L. Nandhika Varavarn, vice-president for corporate communications, yesterday insisted the Flyer Pass launch was purely coincidental. It was initially scheduled for an earlier date but technical problems forced the announcement to be delayed, she said.

continued http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/aviati...with-flyer-pass

-- Bangkok Post 16/07/09

This should stir up the Samui anti-BKK airways crowd into a frenzy!!!

[Mark Wolfe]

I am not sure what this Flyer Pass is. The Web site shows some packages, but who knows how that measures up side by side with individual fares...

SAMUI - BANGKOK

"Web Freedom" price: THB 3,515

"Web Flexi" price: THB 3,250

"Web Delight" price: THB 2,800

"Double Bonus" price: THB 2,680

"Early Bird/Late Night" price: THB 2,200

I have a Samui Resident card and that gives me the giant benefit of not having to pay 100 baht in tax.

[maccaroni man]

If I understood what i read correctly the price for domestic flights on bkk air on a purchase of 4 is 9k good for 1 yr. that would bring the price for samui to bkk down to 1,200 each way which is the price I have said it should be for years. If it is true I will buy my 4 tickets as soon as they go on sale.

[Mark Wolfe]

The promotion does not include direct Samui-Bangkok flights; only Samui to and from Pattaya, Phuket and Krabi.

[Birdman]

FLYER PASS-FUN

PRICE: Bt9,000

DESIGNATED DESTINATION: Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Sukhothai, Bangkok-Krabi, Bangkok-Phuket, Bangkok-Trat, Samui-Krabi, U-Tapao-Samui, U-Tapao-Phuket, Samui-Phuket

FLYER PASS-FUSION

PRICE: Bt12,900

Bangkok-Samui, Bangkok-Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok-Phnom Penh, Bangkok-Yangon, Chiang Mai-Samui

...................................

...................................

Name change per flight costs 500

[chuenjit]

If you can buy the pass in Bangkok you get a 20% discount bringing the price to 10,320 for 4 tickets Samui-Bangkok - So good value

They are only selling these passes at the 20% Discount at the Siam Paragon until 26th July , then back to 12,900 Baht .

[sometieguy]

If I understood what i read correctly the price for domestic flights on bkk air on a purchase of 4 is 9k good for 1 yr. that would bring the price for samui to bkk down to 1,200 each way which is the price I have said it should be for years. If it is true I will buy my 4 tickets as soon as they go on sale.

I think your math is a bit off there:

"Each pass allows two round-trip journeys on routes which can be changed by up to three times with no extra cost. The Fun pass goes for 9,000 baht, Fusion for 12,900,..."

Without the 20% discount buying in BKK, the price per ticket is still about THB 3500...big deal...even with the 20% discount, still over THB 2500, big deal

[smokie36]

At 3225 baht each way I certainly won't be bothering.

Thought there might be a bargain there....from Bangkok airways NOT A CHANCE!

When will I learn?

[chuenjit]

If you can buy the pass in Bangkok you get a 20% discount bringing the price to 10,320 for 4 tickets Samui-Bangkok - So good value

This is good value - It is not limited to the earliest or latest flight , any flight where there is a vacancy -and is inclusive - You can book for yourself or anybody else and the tickets are valid for 1 year .

If you have a residents card you still qualify for bonus points .( I think 1 free flight for every 10 , giving you an extra 10% discount )

[livinthailandos]

bangkok airways and the word price war, thats just like thai airways going to toe to toe with airasia, realistically neither bangkok airways nor thai airways are low budget carrier airlines. Bangkok airways from my understanding owns samui airport, and has almost virtual monopoly, thats why they don't have to give good rates on airfare to samui. sorry to say both airlines are total BS on any actual advertising. Of course I shouldn't be to upset after all any airline that isn't low budget carrier is pretty much in trouble

less business class passangers and less 1 st class passengers ( there meal ticket is slow for now )

Political Mess

H1N1 Virus

Slowing Global Economy

Bangkok airways has to compete for any other destination just not the one to or from samui.

[samui04]

SAMUI - BANGKOK

"Web Freedom" price: THB 3,515

"Web Flexi" price: THB 3,250

"Web Delight" price: THB 2,800

"Double Bonus" price: THB 2,680

"Early Bird/Late Night" price: THB 2,200

I have a Samui Resident card and that gives me the giant benefit of not having to pay 100 baht in tax.

Last year i paid 4.190b, so they are cheaper but with the lowest fares I loose what I like most of BKKair, jump on the first flight available after the usual delay on the international flight....To have that "privilege" you need a business ticket on any airline....

[BusyBee123]

I sent an email yesterday to change my flight times to samui. The reply was i can change my flight for 500baht which is fair enough they are the terms, but because i booked my girlfriend last week they want 1250baht as it is less than 3 weeks(in the terms too) i replyed i will just wait until the 3 weeks have expired and take the 500 baht fee, it is not like they will be full in september! but why not just charge me 500 for the other change now? Thai mentality will always confuse me.

[Birdman]

If you can buy the pass in Bangkok you get a 20% discount bringing the price to 10,320 for 4 tickets Samui-Bangkok - So good value

This is good value - It is not limited to the earliest or latest flight , any flight where there is a vacancy -and is inclusive - You can book for yourself or anybody else and the tickets are valid for 1 year .

If you have a residents card you still qualify for bonus points .( I think 1 free flight for every 10 , giving you an extra 10% discount )

No you can book only for the holder of the coupon. Name change is 500 per flight as I said already. And I would not be so sure about bonus points either.

[Birdman]

I sent an email yesterday to change my flight times to samui. The reply was i can change my flight for 500baht which is fair enough they are the terms, but because i booked my girlfriend last week they want 1250baht as it is less than 3 weeks(in the terms too) i replyed i will just wait until the 3 weeks have expired and take the 500 baht fee, it is not like they will be full in september! but why not just charge me 500 for the other change now? Thai mentality will always confuse me.

That depends entirely on the conditions of your e-tickets, which can be different.

[smokie36]

If you can buy the pass in Bangkok you get a 20% discount bringing the price to 10,320 for 4 tickets Samui-Bangkok - So good value

This is good value - It is not limited to the earliest or latest flight , any flight where there is a vacancy -and is inclusive - You can book for yourself or anybody else and the tickets are valid for 1 year .

If you have a residents card you still qualify for bonus points .( I think 1 free flight for every 10 , giving you an extra 10% discount )

Yeah this is great value.

Unfortunately my private jet is out of commission at the moment so i'm stuck in the uk.

Are they offering a free flight for Samui residents to Bangkok to collect their prize tickets?

No bias on this promo then.

[BusyBee123]

I sent an email yesterday to change my flight times to samui. The reply was i can change my flight for 500baht which is fair enough they are the terms, but because i booked my girlfriend last week they want 1250baht as it is less than 3 weeks(in the terms too) i replyed i will just wait until the 3 weeks have expired and take the 500 baht fee, it is not like they will be full in september! but why not just charge me 500 for the other change now? Thai mentality will always confuse me.

That depends entirely on the conditions of your e-tickets, which can be different.

not sure what you mean. I can understand if i needed to change the ticket immediately for travel tomorrow, but to wait until tuesday to make a 1250 become 500 baht is crazy as i'm not going until september, why waste my time and theirs waiting, the terms are there to make money on last minute changes which in itself is odd as i took an earlier flight when my plane arrived early from the uk and when i checked in for my flight they asked if i could take the earlier flight! i didn't ask for a 500 baht fee to take the earlier flight though, one way street for airlines for sure.

[tenpounds]

I purchased the Fusion package at Siam Paragon today and paid 10,320bt that includes all taxes including the Samui departure tax, so thats 2580 bt per flight, which is pretty good,

[sometieguy]

I purchased the Fusion package at Siam Paragon today and paid 10,320bt that includes all taxes including the Samui departure tax, so thats 2580 bt per flight, which is pretty good,

Like I said, still over 2500/flight...IF you can go to Paragon and buy in the next week or so...big deal ...can't see them netting " 230 million baht in revenue through the sale 20,000 passes"...no way are they nuts?

[LukeB]

Where in Siam Paragon ?

[spidermike007]

The 9,000 baht package does not include Samui. They lumped that into the international package, at 12,900 baht. And the 4 segments are one way segment. So even with the Siam 20% off sale, that is still about 2,600 each way.

[Birdman]

Good morning, that's what we said here already 2 weeks ago!