Airasia Move No Threat To Thai Airways: Minister

[Ricardo]

Of course they will not threaten thai airways, they were kicked out of suvarnabhum...

Surely they were bribed to switch across, tempted by irresistable cost-savings in user-fees, the sort they're now demanding more of from the government, but also by the operational-efficiency of switching to a hardly-used airport from swamped-out Swampy ?

Low Cost Carriers always have both eyes focused on their costs, and the many various subsidies they can obtain, the EU-authorities wage a constant battle against illegal 'marketing subsidies' for example.

[ginjag]

Of course they will not threaten thai airways, they were kicked out of suvarnabhum...

Surely they were bribed to switch across, tempted by irresistable cost-savings in user-fees, the sort they're now demanding more of from the government, but also by the operational-efficiency of switching to a hardly-used airport from swamped-out Swampy ?

Low Cost Carriers always have both eyes focused on their costs, and the many various subsidies they can obtain, the EU-authorities wage a constant battle against illegal 'marketing subsidies' for example.

I don't think AA has done bad at all, taking over a flood ridden derelict airport , and using 10 millon passengers and climbing--and D.M.BKK has a capacity for 30 Mill +what will the Thai Airways do when Swampy gets overloaded and hardly usable ?? check out AA from Don Muang. Good future for D.M. not so sure about the HUB airport-swampy

[Ricardo]

I don't think AA has done bad at all, taking over a flood ridden derelict airport , and using 10 millon passengers and climbing--and D.M.BKK has a capacity for 30 Mill +what will the Thai Airways do when Swampy gets overloaded and hardly usable ?? check out AA from Don Muang. Good future for D.M. not so sure about the HUB airport-swampy

Agreed, AA has finally found a sensible/commercial use for DMK, which has been almost-unused since Swampy opened.

Had the much-promised LCC-terminal at Swampy ever been built, then Thailand might still have had one aviation-hub, rather than two.

But switching the LCCs to DMK should have bought sufficient time for the AAT to complete the 3rd-runway and further terminal-space, if they can complete it on-time, so that it continues to cope with the rising level of normal-carrier traffic.

'Should' and 'If', remembering that TiT.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Ricardo

[ALFREDO]

We need competition on the Bkk to Khon Kaen route ,it's thai air or the bus at the moment .

I prefer the bus, the last time I flew this route (and the only time) the air hostess provided everyone on-board water, except for the young Farang guy. She pretended she could not speak English when passing it out, and ignored me when I spoke to her in Thai.

I prefer, not to drive the bus, in South East Asia, if I can avoid it! I, do not like many bus drivers driving style and put my life in their hands!

Can try to ignore me, but, my voice will be heard, in a way, which cannot be ignored! Never happened. I get my drink!

"and ignored me when I spoke to her in Thai."

Depends what you said, maybe she was in a kind of shock?

Edited February 16, 2013 by ALFREDO

[hellodolly]

AA regularly offers advance purchase fares DM -Nakhon Phanom for B790. Lately, I don't even bother to check TG etc for comparison - waste of effort.

+1,,, same Udon.

+2 for even less during their January sale.

Picked up two round-trip tickets (four flight tickets total) DMK-Ubon-DMK for 1,515 baht total.

Same on Thai was 14,050 baht total....... hmmmm, easy decision.

.

Good on ya, but as some have been arguing with me about AA bad service, and they get a lounge and a bottle of water and willing to pay extra for Thai Nok-BKK air super service. And all this blaaa for 50 min flight HaHa.

It is not just the flight time people are talking about it is the whole package. With Bangkok air I can sit in a lounge with snacks and drinks while waiting for my flight and I am allowed 20 kilos of luggage. As I often say I am not a back packer any more and I consider myself worth a little extra. That of course is with in reason.

Sorry forgot to mention I am not a Cheap Charlie. All I hear from the Air Asia supporters is price. How convenient is it if like my self you are going to Pattaya.

Edited February 16, 2013 by hellodolly

[ginjag]

Hello dolly, Please look at my logic, I am on a short flight, That does NOT need an airport lounge or beverages during flight, that is comfort that is NOT needed-really.

On the other hand for a long haul in an elderly capacity the things you mentioned become important.

So I agree long haul-service and comfort, Short trips throw out the snob lounge-not needed and get a drink of water before you fly from the departure lounge--I think this if fair coment--if not you are not normal traveller

[metisdead]

Off topic conspiracy theory post has been removed as well as a reply.

[zakk9]

It is not just the flight time people are talking about it is the whole package. With Bangkok air I can sit in a lounge with snacks and drinks while waiting for my flight and I am allowed 20 kilos of luggage. As I often say I am not a back packer any more and I consider myself worth a little extra. That of course is with in reason.

Sorry forgot to mention I am not a Cheap Charlie. All I hear from the Air Asia supporters is price. How convenient is it if like my self you are going to Pattaya.

You can take 20 kg of luggage on AA as well. You have to pay for it, but it's still cheaper than TG. Food and drink are available close to the gates at DM for reasonable prices if I really have to eat something before a 1 or 2 hour flight, but usually, eating is not what is on my priority list during the short time I spend at an airport. There's food at the airplane anyway, and since AA only serve food to those who are hungry, the service is much quicker.

[Ricardo]

It is not just the flight time people are talking about it is the whole package. With Bangkok air I can sit in a lounge with snacks and drinks while waiting for my flight and I am allowed 20 kilos of luggage. As I often say I am not a back packer any more and I consider myself worth a little extra. That of course is with in reason.

Sorry forgot to mention I am not a Cheap Charlie. All I hear from the Air Asia supporters is price. How convenient is it if like my self you are going to Pattaya.

Just to add that, with a (free online !) Bangkok-Airways frequent-flyer card, one gets 30 kgs instead of the 20 shown on-the-ticket. Every little helps !

[zakk9]

It is not just the flight time people are talking about it is the whole package. With Bangkok air I can sit in a lounge with snacks and drinks while waiting for my flight and I am allowed 20 kilos of luggage. As I often say I am not a back packer any more and I consider myself worth a little extra. That of course is with in reason.

Sorry forgot to mention I am not a Cheap Charlie. All I hear from the Air Asia supporters is price. How convenient is it if like my self you are going to Pattaya.

Just to add that, with a (free online !) Bangkok-Airways frequent-flyer card, one gets 30 kgs instead of the 20 shown on-the-ticket. Every little helps !

It all depends on the circumstance. Even with 30kg baggage, AA is cheaper than Bangkok Air, but the difference isn't that great anymore, so I would probably choose the one that's convenient. But most of the time, I travel with carry-on luggage only. Then, there's no competition.

[Yo Sup]

"Udom Tantiprasongchai, chairman of the advisory board at Orient Thai, said the government's move to facilitate AirAsia's request would not be good for the country's image and credibility. The international business community may raise concerns that the country has no rules for doing business here."

It's amazing that in Thailand, whenever competition springs up, the knee jerk reaction is to ask that the competition be restricted or eliminated. It never occurs to them that they should improve and create a better product or service in order to compete. The international business community's concern with the rules of free enterprise, capitalism and supply and demand are not good enough for them. The rules Udon seems to want are rules which perpetuate cronyism, lack of competition and overall industrial laziness which do not benefit the consumer in any way. Small wonder that Thai businesses are losing out to the foreign competition.

The only answer to this equation is to not do business here, or support any business that operates here.

If you take the money out of the society at every level... and send a clear message, to wake up the populous, that they need to change their legal system, political policy, and attitude towards foreigners, then, and only then, will you actually help this country develop.

Historical wisdom dictates that you use the sharpest knife in the drawer.... Social media is the knife...

[spidermike007]

Air Asia is sweeping the floor with Thai Airways. When they moved to Don Mueang, I decided to start using Thai and Bangkok Airways instead, but found that not only are they much more expensive. They are also less efficient, hardly offer better service except for free food (but AA's food selection is much wider) and although there's a bit more space between the seats, the planes used for SE Asia flights are older that AA's mostly new Airbus fleet and the seats often worn. The Boeing 737s that Thai uses for inland flights must be approaching 20 years.

So, I'm back to Don Mueang. I've found that, even when living at the opposite side of the city, it only takes 10 extra minutes on the motorway if I depart early and arrive late.

It's a pity. When I flew Thai Airways for the first time in 1976, it was really State of the Art.

Most would agree that many things Thai are progressing in a backwards fashion. It appears this nation may have already seen its heyday. The lack of brilliant and creative minds in government virtually assures this. Also, the extent to which Thais simply refuse to even consider the future is astonishing. So many Thai businesses seems to think future patronage is not even a consideration, and they are willing to lose a customer for a lifetime, in order to get an extra 100 baht today. Have you ever tried to get a refund from a Thai business? I too like Air Asia. But, Bangkok Air despite the very high prices offers way, way better customer service, the ability to change flights, decent airport lounges, etc., etc.

Mike Macarelli

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

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