Promotion: Half price on THAI Air tickets!

[AsiaWolfie]

UDOX, not only NOKAIR, ALL the budget airlines have that fuel surcharge now since few days.....NOK, Airasia, 1-2-go.......200 on domestic each way, even 400 on international (at least that goes for airasia).

so expect the numerous surcharges and fees to be higher than the actual fare.....

as for the new ROYAL ORCHID PLUS rules: I collected 45.000 miles within 12 months, and ALL FLIGHTS where either booking class W or V, no matter if it was a Thai flight or a Lufthansa (of which I had 4 within asia). this means, I will not earn a single mile from THAI again in the future....thats the reason why I was eager to do that promotion-booking to grab my last missing 800 miles......and this will bring me to "the land down-under" then.....after that I will refer 100% to the no-frills-airlines ;-) .......nah, Phuket air is excluded.....haha.....thanks god they didnt ever have plans to fly to germany so far.....

[The_Moog]

They'll extend the offer - Thai Airways is always pulling this false deadline stuff.

eg; 2 for 1 flights.

One simply has to be cynical - they're not doing this because they are being such sweetie-pies for their 45th birthday - its cause their planes are not full.

Plus they're gutting their Royal Orchid Miles programme, thats a shame and I predict counter-productive. (i'll just fly with one of the Middle Eastern flag carriers to Europe then)

Re: Budget Arlines - here's a cutting from yesterdays bangkok Post - which suggests that far from being cut-throat competitors, they're all collaborating. (So they'll mess that niche up). Worth you reading if you're a traveller....

Low cost airline executives sharing the same podium in order to present a united front on fuel surcharges goes against the grain. If low cost airlines do have a code of conduct or revered scriptures that set them apart from what the technicians call legacy airlines, then we would expect the first rule would read: Do not speak to your low cost brethren.

Last week, Nok Air, One-Two-Go and Thai Air Asia jointly announced they were surcharging fares by 200 baht on domestic routes and 400 baht on international routes effective May 1.

Europe's big players in the no frills stakes, Ryanair and Easyjet would rather go bust than be seen sharing trade secrets over a lunch or making a joint declaration. When Easyjet announced a fare hike due to rising fuel costs, Ryan Air executives ridiculed the move as soft and followed with a swath of dirt-cheap fares just to indicate their contempt for their arch enemy. It was also about making a point to its customers.

There are no loyalties to low cost airlines from the customer's point of view. Give us the lowest fare and we love you. Be seen colluding with your brethren fixing a surcharge and we suspect that you are on a slippery downhill road to other schemes that will not benefit consumers.

I personally loved every minute when One Two Go huffed and puffed whenever Air Asia launched a new route. "We will match them," said its CEO Udom Tantiprasongchai, who over the years gained our respect for his willingness to take on "City Hall" and competitors blow for blow.

Do we really want to see the CEOs of Thai Air Asia, Nok Air and One Two Go sitting at the same table telling us why they are introducing an identical fuel surcharge that will be slapped on fares across the board at exactly the same time?

It is really incredulous that they actually thought they could do it and maintain consumer confidence. Or perhaps they assume that consumers are not that sophisticated or simply don't care?

We have to wonder what will be the next stage of this new relationship? Will the three low-cost airlines manipulate timetables, share information on fares, the number seats at a give away price and other marketing initiatives?

The three CEOs gave us a hint of what's is on their minds when they said "code-share services might be an option on routes where the competition is tough and the passengers traffic lean on a particular route."

Consumers could actually lose out in the long run if low-cost airlines get pally in the same way that traditional full-service airlines do. We expect them to have an aggressive edge and burn their competitors not work with them. If they can discuss surcharges then we should assume they will also discuss other commercial matters and as they have already suggested the next move is to consolidate flights through code-share agreements.

On the Bangkok-Macau route, full-service Air Macau struggles to compete with the two daily Thai Air Asia flights and has already indicated that once Nok Air starts its low-cost services to Macau it will probably withdraw from the route entirely.

Once that happens Nok Air and Thai Air Asia will effectively control the non-stop services between Bangkok and Macau. As eight more casinos open in Macau over the next two years, the traffic will grow substantially on this route. Without adequate competition travellers may end up with two low cost airlines that actually charge higher fares than was offered by the full service airlines.

In the interests of developing new markets and pitching fares to first-time travellers low cost airlines should live by the rule that co-operation is a cost item that they can ill afford to pay. So are press conferences too and the jollies for compliant journalists. If you have to run a low cost airline then please be as mean with your competitors as you are with your meal service and pitch between the seats. Then you will at least earn our respect for being consistent.

[csmith]

I live in Chiangmai

I visited my local travel agent today (6th) who knew nothing about this deal ... after telephoning Thai Ticketing office they said the deal was not available outside Bangkok.

I then went around to the main ThaiAir ticketing office in C-M inperson and asked about the deal ... referring to my printout of info from this forum.

They said that the deal was ONLY available from the Siam Discovery Center in Bangkok.

So much for the company equal opportunities policy ....

Disappointed.

[logpoacher]

Many thanks to Thai Visa! I saw the notice this morning about cheap Thai Air flights and have just purchased a ticket. I look forward to flying in luxury with gorgeous, attentive stewardesses, directly to London in 11 hours as opposed to my normal 20 hour trip, including 6 hours in an airport in a country which I couldn't find on a map, with stewardesses who are extremely put out that I have chosen to travel with them.

If anyone is interested in the details:

The best price I had for my trip so far was THB 32,300 with a stopover in Bahrain. The price I paid for the Thai Air ticket was THB 31,230.

I arrived at Siam Discovery at about 1500h and completed the purchase at 1830h. A little bit tedious, but it's air conditioned and Thai have provided comfy chairs (although Cardinal Biggles was not visible, perhaps he's not back from electing the Pope yet).

I had to queue up first to make my booking which involved standing for about an hour and was then given a ticket for the paying queue, so you can sit down and listen to the guy calling the ticket numbers, no need to actually queue. Everything was well organised, no queue jumping and a a nice boy bringing round cups of iced water. There were seats available on my first choice dates, with a choice of two flights on my return date.

Tomorrow being the weekend, I guess it will be busier, but I have no complaints whatsoever. I paid cash, but they appeared to be accepting credit cards.

Thanks again, guys.

[The_Moog]

THB 31,230

Eh?

It says ....

BANGKOK-LONDON-BANGKOK (TG916) 26,450 6 MONTHS

on Page 1 for a London flight.

You haven't got a bargain there mate.

Edited May 6, 2005 by The_Moog

[logpoacher]

THB 31,230

Eh?

It says ....

BANGKOK-LONDON-BANGKOK (TG916) 26,450 6 MONTHS

on Page 1 for a London flight.

You haven't got a bargain there mate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As with all the "get the suckers through the door" prices that they quote in Thai adverts, there is a little line at the bottom of the leaflet which says "Note: All taxes and surcharges are excluded". As a rule of thumb for international flights, you need to add 20% to the advertised price. I quoted both prices (the Thai Air price and the best price that I had previously been able to get) after including taxes and surcharges, because this seems to me to be a more relevant figure, i.e. it's what you actually have to pay. Also, while the monetary saving is only THB 1,070 (still enough for a pretty good night out), the Thai Air flight is a direct flight as opposed to having to hang around for hours in a third country airport.

For the full cost, you also have to add in the THB 500 which they fine you at the airport for being rude enough to want to leave Thailand.

[invex]

Hello, hello,

Where is George ?????

I am waitng for the travel agent addresses / websites......

Hello George...... heeeellllllooooooooo

[george]

Hi Invex, what can I do for you? I am no travel agent...

[invex]

GOOD NEWS!!

We now have got several reports that some local travel agents in Thailand can do these discount bookings as well, and you don't need to visit Siam Center. Check with your local agent ASAP!

Mai penrai George.

This was your post so I tought... maybe... he knows more. If "you got several reports", you should know where I can book, right?

I live in Chiang Mai and cannot go to Siam Center to take profit of this promotion.

[katai]

ok, I very seldom fly thai unless I am using awards.  I found much easier to fly Singapore and then have the miles placed on my thia account as then I can go to the Phuket office to get the tickets!

As long as they don't cancel the program.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[katai]

I was verry happy to read this topic, because I need 3 tickets to go to Ubon, so I went to 3 local agents in Pattaya, same answer everywhere = not possible, you have to go to Siam and there sure they will tell you that there are no more tickets availabel ??

Of course I am a farrang, so I send my thai wife to get further information, but same answer again

I really need to go and I can not take the risk at Siam, so I paid 12.600 bht for the 3 tickets roundtrip

Thank you thai airways for this great promotion, looking forward for the next