Thai AirAsia Eyes Big Savings If It Can Move Back To Don Muang Airport

[OzMick]

Thanks Mick, it was 3 years ago. My cousin lives in KL and said the LCCT has improved. I get AA's promo emails and they had specials again recently. Out of GC at 9pm means after an overnighter we'd have a few hours layover then we'd make Udon Thani same day. If KL LCCT has improved I might be tempted ...

LCCT is a converted cargo shed (built to take 10million pax pa, now running at about 18million) and is due to be replaced by a dedicated LCCT(KLIA2) at some stage (March 2013 seems to be a popular date but it has slipped a few times already. AA is still haggling over charges etc and has faced political issues as Air Asia X becomes a greater threat to MAS.

Personally I am a huge fan of AA and have just hit my half century of flights over the past 2 years.

LCCT can be a bit of a scrum first thing in the morning as the initial bank of flights departs, but overall it has improved considerably in the past 2 years alone, but it is still a converted cargo shed.

Have a series of flights with AA in the next few days, including my first taste of Air Asia X (KUL-OOL for $94!!). Will let you know if there are any dramas.

Any word re jetways at KLIA2 ?

The outside supermarket (pre-immigration) has a reasonable range of books at about one quarter the price in oz eg a 1000 page Stephen King (the Dome??) for $13.

[folium]

Thanks Mick, it was 3 years ago. My cousin lives in KL and said the LCCT has improved. I get AA's promo emails and they had specials again recently. Out of GC at 9pm means after an overnighter we'd have a few hours layover then we'd make Udon Thani same day. If KL LCCT has improved I might be tempted ...

LCCT is a converted cargo shed (built to take 10million pax pa, now running at about 18million) and is due to be replaced by a dedicated LCCT(KLIA2) at some stage (March 2013 seems to be a popular date but it has slipped a few times already. AA is still haggling over charges etc and has faced political issues as Air Asia X becomes a greater threat to MAS.

Personally I am a huge fan of AA and have just hit my half century of flights over the past 2 years.

LCCT can be a bit of a scrum first thing in the morning as the initial bank of flights departs, but overall it has improved considerably in the past 2 years alone, but it is still a converted cargo shed.

Have a series of flights with AA in the next few days, including my first taste of Air Asia X (KUL-OOL for $94!!). Will let you know if there are any dramas.

Any word re jetways at KLIA2 ?

The outside supermarket (pre-immigration) has a reasonable range of books at about one quarter the price in oz eg a 1000 page Stephen King (the Dome??) for $13.

I wouldn't hold your breath re jetways, self-loading cargo can't expect too many frills at the prices paid!

[folium]

Thanks Mick, it was 3 years ago. My cousin lives in KL and said the LCCT has improved. I get AA's promo emails and they had specials again recently. Out of GC at 9pm means after an overnighter we'd have a few hours layover then we'd make Udon Thani same day. If KL LCCT has improved I might be tempted ...

LCCT is a converted cargo shed (built to take 10million pax pa, now running at about 18million) and is due to be replaced by a dedicated LCCT(KLIA2) at some stage (March 2013 seems to be a popular date but it has slipped a few times already. AA is still haggling over charges etc and has faced political issues as Air Asia X becomes a greater threat to MAS.

Personally I am a huge fan of AA and have just hit my half century of flights over the past 2 years.

LCCT can be a bit of a scrum first thing in the morning as the initial bank of flights departs, but overall it has improved considerably in the past 2 years alone, but it is still a converted cargo shed.

Have a series of flights with AA in the next few days, including my first taste of Air Asia X (KUL-OOL for $94!!). Will let you know if there are any dramas.

Thanks. Let me know how you go with baggage collection. That was our drama on return to OOL.

What was the baggage issue at OOL?

[sfbandung]

Thanks Mick, it was 3 years ago. My cousin lives in KL and said the LCCT has improved. I get AA's promo emails and they had specials again recently. Out of GC at 9pm means after an overnighter we'd have a few hours layover then we'd make Udon Thani same day. If KL LCCT has improved I might be tempted ...

LCCT is a converted cargo shed (built to take 10million pax pa, now running at about 18million) and is due to be replaced by a dedicated LCCT(KLIA2) at some stage (March 2013 seems to be a popular date but it has slipped a few times already. AA is still haggling over charges etc and has faced political issues as Air Asia X becomes a greater threat to MAS.

Personally I am a huge fan of AA and have just hit my half century of flights over the past 2 years.

LCCT can be a bit of a scrum first thing in the morning as the initial bank of flights departs, but overall it has improved considerably in the past 2 years alone, but it is still a converted cargo shed.

Have a series of flights with AA in the next few days, including my first taste of Air Asia X (KUL-OOL for $94!!). Will let you know if there are any dramas.

Thanks. Let me know how you go with baggage collection. That was our drama on return to OOL.

What was the baggage issue at OOL?

Landed early am. With 3 other flights. 90 minutes to get our luggage. Carousel was way too small, and only 1.

[madmitch]

AA already have time slots for domestic flights into and out of Suvarnabhumi. I have no idea how long such contracts last but is there anything to stop them running a few flights into BKK to keep some of the transit traffic, but moving their hub and the vast majority of their flights, including all international flights, to Don Muang?

Wouldn't be popular with Thai but surely a negotiating option?

[IsaanUSA]

AA already have time slots for domestic flights into and out of Suvarnabhumi. I have no idea how long such contracts last but is there anything to stop them running a few flights into BKK to keep some of the transit traffic, but moving their hub and the vast majority of their flights, including all international flights, to Don Muang?

Wouldn't be popular with Thai but surely a negotiating option?

First let me say, I have no idea. But I would imagine the cost savings would then be lost. Having operations at two airports would require more staff and equipment versus having everything in one place. I would imagine the combined cost of two airport fees would also cost more than one airport's fees for the operator (Air Asia).

BTW, this thread is confusing. AA = American Airlines. AK = Air Asia

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Gotta love this:

> if this provides greater convenience to our cost management

Is it a problem with the language or the logic?

[folium]

AA already have time slots for domestic flights into and out of Suvarnabhumi. I have no idea how long such contracts last but is there anything to stop them running a few flights into BKK to keep some of the transit traffic, but moving their hub and the vast majority of their flights, including all international flights, to Don Muang?

Wouldn't be popular with Thai but surely a negotiating option?

BTW, this thread is confusing. AA = American Airlines. AK = Air Asia

What nonsense!

Living in SE Asia American Airlines hardly appears. Air Asia is becoming literally ubiquitous (thank goodness) and far from being just AK is also FD (Thailand), QZ (Indonesia), PQ (Philippines), D7 (Air Asia X), and now JW (Japan), so less of the pedantics, please.

[Kripe]

Moved

[IsaanUSA]

AA already have time slots for domestic flights into and out of Suvarnabhumi. I have no idea how long such contracts last but is there anything to stop them running a few flights into BKK to keep some of the transit traffic, but moving their hub and the vast majority of their flights, including all international flights, to Don Muang?

Wouldn't be popular with Thai but surely a negotiating option?

BTW, this thread is confusing. AA = American Airlines. AK = Air Asia

What nonsense!

Living in SE Asia American Airlines hardly appears. Air Asia is becoming literally ubiquitous (thank goodness) and far from being just AK is also FD (Thailand), QZ (Indonesia), PQ (Philippines), D7 (Air Asia X), and now JW (Japan), so less of the pedantics, please.

So an international aliance of air transport is nonsense? ok.

[folium]

Thanks. Let me know how you go with baggage collection. That was our drama on return to OOL.

What was the baggage issue at OOL?

Landed early am. With 3 other flights. 90 minutes to get our luggage. Carousel was way too small, and only 1.

Took the day flight KUL-OOL, way more civilised for a 7.5 hour flight, no issues re baggage collection, but took almost an hour to get through customs. Split into 3 lines, one straight through, one bags x-rayed, one all bags manually searched. Very dull!

[tartempion]

I-ve flown with AirAsia about 40 times without problem, if they move to Don Mueng they lose my business. There's no way I will be flying in from Swampy then traveling across to DM to get a domestic flight.

Too much aggravation. No thanks.

+1

But I wonder if flying in into Swampy their will be at least 1 (ONE) company left flying domestic to Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, hat Yai etc???

NOT if ALL domestic departs from DM and LH, BA, AF, EY etc flies into Swampy, regardless Thai air Asia all flights use DM.

Edited June 22, 2012 by tartempion

[h90]

Expand U-Tapoa, got a long runway & easy access to major roads plus could be used the same as Heathrow & Gatwick with transit passengers bus'd between airports as it's close to BKK. Also close to where I live, hmm. Don is wrong side of Bangkok for me so Air Asia would never be used again, just wish Bangkok Airways would expand out of U-T as it has Pattaya as a close neighbour and the industry of Rayong.

They are just on the way to sell UTapoa to America.

[samran]

Perhaps people are missing the bigger picture. Air Asia have never marketed themselves as anything else but a point to point carrier. It is one of the reasons how they keep their costs low. Having said that, I doubt they'd move all their operations to DM.

[sfbandung]

Thanks. Let me know how you go with baggage collection. That was our drama on return to OOL.

What was the baggage issue at OOL?

Landed early am. With 3 other flights. 90 minutes to get our luggage. Carousel was way too small, and only 1.

Took the day flight KUL-OOL, way more civilised for a 7.5 hour flight, no issues re baggage collection, but took almost an hour to get through customs. Split into 3 lines, one straight through, one bags x-rayed, one all bags manually searched. Very dull!

Thanks for that. Sounds like things have improved. We're confirmed in August on TG out of BNE. But Christmas I think we'll give AA another go through KUL.