Can't for the life of me figure why, in a situation like that, you didn't fly direct with ThaiAir from Brisbane. You must have did some research! Were the savings, traveling AA, worth the hassle?

Edited December 29, 201213 yr by bdenner

Love AA to bits for what they have doen to air travel in Asia, but I would not trust them for a transcontinental flight. They aint set up for that kind of business and the business model of cheap airlines - "dont eat, travel light" - doesn't gel with long haul customer requirements.

Here's my hell-flight. 1990, wide-eyed bushy-tailed Australian volunteer, flying Port Moresby (PNG) - Rabaul, via Hoskins. For some (stupid, uninformed) reason I put everything in check-in baggage. Flight takes off 1hr late, no obvious reason, other than to put a bum on all available seats.

Approach to Hoskins (dinky town on south of New Britain Island) during thunderstorm, first approach aborted, second approach aborted after gentle caress of palms bordering runway. So fly direct to Rabaul, make up time...

Arrive on time in Rabaul. Scramble off airplane, kiss the ground. Announcement 'Attention passengers, due to extraordinary passenger load, you luggage will be following on the next available flight' (ie. next day).

Had to doss overnight in a missionary boarding house without a kina (used to be ~ $AUD1) or toothbrush. At least the pilot didn't attempt a third landing at Hoskins. AA

Can't for the life of me figure why, in a situation like that, you didn't fly direct with ThaiAir from Brisbane. You must have did some research! Were the savings, traveling AA, worth the hassle?

yer should ,and would if I new I was ending up in Brisbane anyway, but the only reason was we were living very close to coolangatta airport and I figured it would be easier to pay for all that baggage before hand . But in doing that it really doesn't work out any cheaper by the time you pay for bags ,seats food etc, like one other guy posted I would have been better with emirates out of Sydney ,we have been on that flight before . But yer like I said it was really only that we were so close to Cooly that we took that flight . Lesson learned .

And also, there is a train every hour or so from Robina (I think) all the way to the international airport in BNE, I board at Helensvale. When travelling light I do use Coolangatta and AA for convenience and fortunately never had a problem since the service started some 4 years ago. - BUT when required I use the ThaiAir BNE alternative. OK costs a few thousand Baht more.

AirAsia - what did you expect?

Every trip is hell. Just try to make it as short as possible.

Not being flippant, the airlines only + is being cheap - even me cheap charlie knows this well.

Sorry you were with children.

Sounds like a horrible experience, unlike the relatively good treatment I got in 2008 after a cancelled Lufthansa flight to Saigon, but I don't think KL Airport shuts at night as it is a 24-hour airport, just like Suvarnabhumi or Swampy as some folks like to call it.

I have never flown with a budget airline in Asia so I cannot comment on the above, but I think it was because I always had the child with me so better to pay a bit more. I have been to Thailand 11 times. Everyone to themselves, but its like buying a cheap pair of shoes, sometimes you might be lucky, other times you will be throwing them out.