Booking The Wife A Ticket To The Uk

[aland2012]

Hi All, just looking into airline tickets while Im waiting for my Wifes Spouce Visa to be granted, has anyone got any ideas on the best way to book a one way flight to the UK for my Wife ? Ive looked on Thai International and they are asking £1,000 over for a direct flight one way to heathrow.... this is crazy.

Would like it to be a direct flight.

Anybody got any ideas, on companies, cost and how to do it, should i send the money to my wife and she buy the ticket in BKK, or I do it from this end in the UK, but does this create problems with collection at the airport, as they ask for proof with the credit card or debit card.

Alan

[kennkate]

I did book a flight directly with the Airline for my wife once and thay requested a copy of my Credit Card by FAX.

Maybe you could ask the Airline if this is acceptable In my case it was Ethiad.

[jonnyscot]

Hi, thats helluva expensive for a one way ticket, maybe you could try booking online via airasia.com, but I think they fly into Stanstead, and I cannot remember whether the credit card used to pay needs to be shown at check in or not, alternative option may be via saveflight.com, I have used them before, reasonably priced and you can make a bank transfer direct to their account, unsure how secure that would be but its worked out ok for me in the past.

[kunash]

if you book a flight from thailand to uk, either one way or return, it will be more expensive than booking a similar flight from uk. not sure why, but must be something to do with competition, or demand. No way around it. but once over in the uk, you can book your future tickets from the uk, which will be cheaper.

[bifftastic]

Have a look on www.skyscanner.net one way tickets from BKK do seem to be more expensive than either returns or flights originating in the UK but £1,000 is just taking the P!

As fot the actual tickets, they're e-tickets, which only require a show of the passport, all the details are on the screen in front of the check-in clerk at the airport, there are some stories of being asked for the credit card details of the purchaser, some say they've been asked, some say they've never been asked.

For tickets for my wife, I've bought her tickets before, admittedly only domestic inside Thailand, but she's never been asked to show who paid for it.

For me, I've used several e-tickets from UK to LOS and never even been asked to show the printed e-ticket details, only shown the passport.

If your wife has a suitable card to buy the ticket, maybe you can use those details to purchase the ticket? Then it would be her purchase, not yours, removing the potential problem of it having been bought by someone else.

However, I don't think that that is too much of an issue really.

If it is, there are ways in which you can satisfy the requirements, I don't remember exactly what they are, but there are ways around it. Many people travel on tickets bought for them by family members etc. so don't worry too much

Good luck with it all, bet you can't wait!

[toddmeister]

Hi,

Have you tried Mox Travel? Never used them myself but I've heard them mentioned on another forum. I just did a quick search picking a random date in September. They had various cheap fares for indirect flights and one direct flight with EVA for 25,500thb, well under £1k

http://www.moxtravel.com/default.aspx

This is of interest to me too as I'll also be looking later in the year should my wife's settlement visa be granted

[Thongkorn]

Just be careful , they may ask for the credit card that was used to book the flyt. Ask if you can fax a copy to the person the other end from who ever you book with, I just sent the Money and the little lady booked hers with United Emirates, in the Bangkok office, it is More expensive but she can book to suite, Its always more expensive to book from Thailand to the UK.

[Contractor]

In early June I booked a single direct flight for my wife BKK - LHR on the EVA website for £393. Seat selection can be done at the same time.

Your partner will need a joint credit / debit / money purchase card to show when she checks in, or you can go to EVA office in London and ask them to confirm with EVA BKK. There is a recent thread already running on the confirmation of payment issue.

Rgds

[aland2012]

Looking like Eva has the best price..... but i worry about the query about the credit card, thing i will just send the wife the money and she can book it from Bkk. Any one else got anyother ideas ?

I still can not believe we got the visa.

Alan Day

[theoldgit]

If you are in the UK it might be worth calling Southall Travel or Trailfinders and see if they can do anything for you. As you suggest you could send her the money to book herself in Bangkok.

Many airlines ask to see the credit card if booked direct, though some have ways round as described above, but if you book with an agent you normally don't need to show the card used.

If your wife wants a direct flight, she is restricted to the carriers available, Thai, Qantas, BA and Eva, as has been pointed one way flights are more expensive on a pro-rata basis.

As a matter of interest, and I don't know when your wife is hoping to travel, you can get a direct flight on BA for £730, at the end of August - still bloody expensive. With BA you can use your Credit Card, they will send the e-ticket to you and you will need to forward it to her, you could of course just open a moody email account to which she has access. BA even accepts Paypal - now that's progress for you.

Changing in one of the Gulf States is really not arduous, and could save a lot of cash.

Congratulations on the visa, all the best for the future.

Edited August 3, 2011 by theoldgit

[beano2274]

Not being funny but have a look at Egyptair, cheap prices and seem okay, use their website, and your missus can pay in Silom at their offices.

When is she travelling?

[theoldgit]

Not being funny but have a look at Egyptair,

I need to go back in January for a week, yes bloody January, I was looking at Egyptair or even Turkish.

Anyone been with either or them?

[beano2274]

Not being funny but have a look at Egyptair,

I need to go back in January for a week, yes bloody January, I was looking at Egyptair or even Turkish.

Anyone been with either or them?

Did you know Etihad have promotional fares at that time of around 28,605baht.

Just checked myself best prices are flying out on/after 17th Jan, before that you can forget Etihad.

Edited August 3, 2011 by beano2274

[beano2274]

Not being funny but have a look at Egyptair,

I need to go back in January for a week, yes bloody January, I was looking at Egyptair or even Turkish.

Anyone been with either or them?

Check out airlinequality.com

[Stabbo-Lad]

Hi Alan,

Thai Airlines have totally lost the plot, haven't they?

I've ended up booking direct with Gulf Air for the wife and 2 kids.

I also looked at EVA but was put off by the credit card issue.

Ebookers allow you to pay for flights by card if you are not travelling - there's a box to tick to say the cardholder is not one of the travellers (same as Gulf's booking system).

I actually phoned Ebookers to confirm this and was told its not a problem but in the end they didn't have the flight I wanted so went with Gulf.

Its not the direct flight she would have preferred but the 2 hour stopover in Bahrain is very painless and I''ve saved £400 over EVA - That's a lot of extra shopping money for her!!

Its a great feeling isn't it Alan?

SL.

[madmin]

WWW.MOMONDO.COM ARE OFFERING FOR EXAMPLE EVA AIR 10 AUG £581 1 WAY DIRECT

[madmin]

or try britishairways.com they offer good rates, just looked on site its around £620

[madmin]

http://www.farecompare.com

TRY THIS ONE JUST STUMBLED ACROSS IT

[bobrussell]

If happy with a stop-over consider Jet Airways. Mumbai airport can be a bit chaotic but seats were good and food even better for the price! Etihad - a cheap bus-like service but OK!

[aland2012]

Thanx for the fast replys guys, we are thinking maybe 3,4 or 5 September. I will start shopping around on the net.

Yes it is a GREAT FEELING, still cant believe it, WOW !!!

:rolleyes:

[Thongkorn]

I assume you live near London , maybe you could get a cheaper flyt if you land at Birmingham or some other airport.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Thongkorn

[bifftastic]

I've been doing some more research into this as,hopefully, my wife will have a visit visa in the next few weeks.

EVA air, if the card holder is not flying, you need to go to the Eva Air office (London) with the card and some ID and sigen a form, within 48 hours of the departure time.

Depends how far away from London you are, for me it's quite easy. Give them a call and see if there are some other options if you live further away.

Their prices look quite good. 37,000 inc. taxes return. This varies with availability of course!

I might go with Jet or KIngfisher, if I can get transit in Dehli rather than Mumbai, I did both on my last trip, Dehli was painless, Mumbai was the usual nonsense!

[raven0099]

Hi

I had to pay £1388 for a return trip when my fiance was granted a tourist visa , it was only booked after the visa was granted so was a full price ticket , the good thing was i was on the same flight so she sat right next to me , and when she returned home i took a months holiday and travelled back with her so it worked out perfect ,

One thing i will say is that on our arrival to the UK the guy at the foreign passport desk grilled her with various questions and it was only when i walked over and explained the situation that he stamped her passport and let her threw , with a parting shot of , You Must Not Get Married While In the UK !

For someone travelling alone for the first time it can be quite a daunting task especially if there are connections involved , is it not possible for you to travel together ?

[chronos]

I've been doing some more research into this as,hopefully, my wife will have a visit visa in the next few weeks.

EVA air, if the card holder is not flying, you need to go to the Eva Air office (London) with the card and some ID and sigen a form, within 48 hours of the departure time.

Depends how far away from London you are, for me it's quite easy. Give them a call and see if there are some other options if you live further away.

Their prices look quite good. 37,000 inc. taxes return. This varies with availability of course!

I might go with Jet or KIngfisher, if I can get transit in Dehli rather than Mumbai, I did both on my last trip, Dehli was painless, Mumbai was the usual nonsense!

I looked at Eva yesterday..their online price of 28390b (including tax) looked attractive but decided against it because of the travel to London to sign their Indemnity form and decided on BA through EBookers for 28800b and no credit card issues!...and still saved money because the cost of travel and aggro' getting their far exceeds the price

difference...wifey gets here in 10 days time!!....where's me marigolds..place is a mess!

[theoldgit]

Their prices look quite good. 37,000 inc. taxes return. This varies with availability of course!

Don't know when your wife hopes to travel, but have you looked at Etihad?

They have a deal at the moment with seats for about 26,000 inc taxes and surcharges, to Heathrow or Manchester, deal available until March 2012.

As you rightly say it varies with availability, but there certainly are seats at that price. Trouble is the booking period is only until next Wednesday.

[beano2274]

Hi

I had to pay £1388 for a return trip when my fiance was granted a tourist visa , it was only booked after the visa was granted so was a full price ticket , the good thing was i was on the same flight so she sat right next to me , and when she returned home i took a months holiday and travelled back with her so it worked out perfect ,

One thing i will say is that on our arrival to the UK the guy at the foreign passport desk grilled her with various questions and it was only when i walked over and explained the situation that he stamped her passport and let her threw , with a parting shot of , You Must Not Get Married While In the UK !

For someone travelling alone for the first time it can be quite a daunting task especially if there are connections involved , is it not possible for you to travel together ?

You could have taken her through the EU Passport holders side as you were travelling with her.

[bifftastic]

I've been doing some more research into this as,hopefully, my wife will have a visit visa in the next few weeks.

EVA air, if the card holder is not flying, you need to go to the Eva Air office (London) with the card and some ID and sigen a form, within 48 hours of the departure time.

Depends how far away from London you are, for me it's quite easy. Give them a call and see if there are some other options if you live further away.

Their prices look quite good. 37,000 inc. taxes return. This varies with availability of course!

I might go with Jet or KIngfisher, if I can get transit in Dehli rather than Mumbai, I did both on my last trip, Dehli was painless, Mumbai was the usual nonsense!

I looked at Eva yesterday..their online price of 28390b (including tax) looked attractive but decided against it because of the travel to London to sign their Indemnity form and decided on BA through EBookers for 28800b and no credit card issues!...and still saved money because the cost of travel and aggro' getting their far exceeds the price

difference...wifey gets here in 10 days time!!....where's me marigolds..place is a mess!

28800 is a great price for BA, thanks I'll have a look

Their prices look quite good. 37,000 inc. taxes return. This varies with availability of course!

Don't know when your wife hopes to travel, but have you looked at Etihad?

They have a deal at the moment with seats for about 26,000 inc taxes and surcharges, to Heathrow or Manchester, deal available until March 2012.

As you rightly say it varies with availability, but there certainly are seats at that price. Trouble is the booking period is only until next Wednesday.

26,000 is even better I don't think we'll know about the visa before next Wednesday though