Bit Of Advice Needed Again

[daleyboy]

As those of you who have read my recent threads will know, i am planning quite a big trip this year.

Anyway part of that trip is to take my wifes mother and father and my step daughter and nephew on a flight from Phuket to Bangkok. As none of them has ever flown before i thought this would be a nice treat.

Now i can book airasia for around 7500 baht one way for all of us. The trouble arises when i am asked for their names. Now obviously i dont know how to spell these names in English and my pronunciation isnt great either. So any suggestiojns how i go about booking this? Anyone got any experience?

The other problem i have is dates of birth. The in laws dont know their birthdays And finally one other problem i have is the kids, now obviously they dont have id cards because they are only 11 and 12 in age, also they dont have passports. So anyone got any suggestions on what would be suitable id?

This is turning into a bit of a headache, never realised how hard this could be. I thougt about booking in person when we arrive, but i dont want to be in a position of promising them a trip on a plane and then finding out i cant get seats booked or that they are too expensive.

[cdnvic]

I would skip any online booking and have your wife do the booking over the phone with your help, or vice/versa. Chances are the booking agent has dealt with these things before and can help sort them out where a website is just a dumb pile of code fragments. Of course some booking agents...

Try Nok as well. I'm not certain but AirAsia's call centre may be in Malaysia.

cv

As those of you who have read my recent threads will know, i am planning quite a big trip this year.

Anyway part of that trip is to take my wifes mother and father and my step daughter and nephew on a flight from Phuket to Bangkok. As none of them has ever flown before i thought this would be a nice treat.

Now i can book airasia for around 7500 baht one way for all of us. The trouble arises when i am asked for their names. Now obviously i dont know how to spell these names in English and my pronunciation isnt great either. So any suggestiojns how i go about booking this? Anyone got any experience?

The other problem i have is dates of birth. The in laws dont know their birthdays And finally one other problem i have is the kids, now obviously they dont have id cards because they are only 11 and 12 in age, also they dont have passports. So anyone got any suggestions on what would be suitable id?

This is turning into a bit of a headache, never realised how hard this could be. I thougt about booking in person when we arrive, but i dont want to be in a position of promising them a trip on a plane and then finding out i cant get seats booked or that they are too expensive.

[britmaveric]

Speaking Nok Air - only seems they accept bookings through May!

[daleyboy]

Are nok air any better/worse than air asia?

I did get the wife to ring the Thailand number today, and they told her just to book the flight and make up the names as best i could and as long as the folks had id cards and the kids had the 30baht health cards that would be ok but i told the wife there was no way i am going to do this so i either have to wait till we ge to Thailand, or i have to ring them and hope i can get somone who speaks English

Edit// just checked nok air website and their fares are 2500 baht more expensive than air asia. It maybe cheaper in June but as it will only let me book up until June guess i will have to wait a bit

Edited March 14, 2006 by daleyboy

[cdnvic]

The main complaints I've heard about AirAsia are due to being notoriously late in departing/arriving. I like the extra legroom on Nok, but they both fly essentially the same aircraft. Nok being connected to the national carrier Thai may give it a bit of an edge.

cv

[daleyboy]

Ahh ok so maybe nok is the way forward then. It will probably be woth it for the extra legroom. What sort of planes do they use? You reckon it will be exciting for a first time flier? I know when we flew down to Samui with Bangkok air i have never been so scared in all my life with a dodgy twin prop on a windy landing, not good, and i'm a experienced flier, i would hate to see my in-laws scared out of their wits

[TBWG]

[ i would hate to see my in-laws scared out of their wits

If it's their first flight they won't know any better!!

good Luck

TBWG

[daleyboy]

[ i would hate to see my in-laws scared out of their wits

If it's their first flight they won't know any better!!

good Luck

TBWG

They will if they see me ripping the arms of the seat screaming we are all gonna die like a 12 year old girl

[TBWG]

[if it's their first flight they won't know any better!!

good Luck

TBWG

screaming we are all gonna die like a 12 year old girl

How do 12 year old girls die?

TBWG

[cdnvic]

Ahh ok so maybe nok is the way forward then. It will probably be woth it for the extra legroom. What sort of planes do they use? You reckon it will be exciting for a first time flier? I know when we flew down to Samui with Bangkok air i have never been so scared in all my life with a dodgy twin prop on a windy landing, not good, and i'm a experienced flier, i would hate to see my in-laws scared out of their wits

Both fly 737's. AirAsia the 737-300, and Nok the 737-400, a bit larger capacity than the 300.

If anything, the kids will be amused by the colours of the Nok aircraft

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.sear...inct_entry=true

My wife is 5ft5in and she was squeezed for room in AA. I'm 6'3 and fit comfortably in Nok.

cv

[daleyboy]

[if it's their first flight they won't know any better!!

good Luck

TBWG

screaming we are all gonna die like a 12 year old girl

How do 12 year old girls die?

TBWG

Like Ned flanders in the simpsons when he screams

Reading back on it maybe i didnt write that in the best way

Both fly 737's. AirAsia the 737-300, and Nok the 737-400, a bit larger capacity than the 300.

If anything, the kids will be amused by the colours of the Nok aircraft

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.sear...inct_entry=true

My wife is 5ft5in and she was squeezed for room in AA. I'm 6'3 and fit comfortably in Nok.

cv

Yeah i am 6"8 so seat room is a premium for me, even though it is only for a couple of hours, i will have baby with me as well so we will need the extra room. But maybe we will get bulk head seats so a bit more room there

[leisurely]

Or maybe you won't. I think that airlines have a policy - written or unwritten I dn't know. I ahve never been able to get the bulkhead seats when travelling with the girls. When they were babies though we were seated right at the front with a hang on the wall cot thing. Goodluck.

[daleyboy]

Or maybe you won't. I think that airlines have a policy - written or unwritten I dn't know. I ahve never been able to get the bulkhead seats when travelling with the girls. When they were babies though we were seated right at the front with a hang on the wall cot thing. Goodluck.

Yeah sorry i should have mentioned,we will have our 2 month old baby with us

[tutsiwarrior]

Or maybe you won't. I think that airlines have a policy - written or unwritten I dn't know. I ahve never been able to get the bulkhead seats when travelling with the girls. When they were babies though we were seated right at the front with a hang on the wall cot thing. Goodluck.

Yeah sorry i should have mentioned,we will have our 2 month old baby with us

if you indicate to the airline that you're travelling with an infant there should be no question of being given bulk head seats with the hang on the wall cot thing...also convenient for the toilet to change nappies. Some airplanes have a fold out platform in the toilet for this purpose.

Edited March 15, 2006 by tutsiwarrior

[Guest endure]

The last time I booked Nok online they didn't ask for any form of ID during the booking process, only names. Only need to produce ID at the airport.

[OZONE]

Yeah i am 6"8 so seat room is a premium for me, even though it is only for a couple of hours, i will have baby with me as well so we will need the extra room. But maybe we will get bulk head seats so a bit more room there

6'8" and sitting in the coach section of NOK AIR ... You are sure brave. I bet you get the major leg cramp when the ride's over.

[britmaveric]

Yeah i am 6"8 so seat room is a premium for me, even though it is only for a couple of hours, i will have baby with me as well so we will need the extra room. But maybe we will get bulk head seats so a bit more room there

6'8" and sitting in the coach section of NOK AIR ... You are sure brave. I bet you get the major leg cramp when the ride's over.

Nok Plus is the way to go then!! It's only just over an hr sure he will survive. I checked on Nok Air, I was informed you'll have to wait til april for bookings in July.

[daleyboy]

Yeah i am 6"8 so seat room is a premium for me, even though it is only for a couple of hours, i will have baby with me as well so we will need the extra room. But maybe we will get bulk head seats so a bit more room there

6'8" and sitting in the coach section of NOK AIR ... You are sure brave. I bet you get the major leg cramp when the ride's over.

Nok Plus is the way to go then!! It's only just over an hr sure he will survive. I checked on Nok Air, I was informed you'll have to wait til april for bookings in July.

No worries, i reckon i will manage, if i can cope with 12 hours in economy i reckon hour and a bit will be a piece of cake

[britmaveric]

Yeah i am 6"8 so seat room is a premium for me, even though it is only for a couple of hours, i will have baby with me as well so we will need the extra room. But maybe we will get bulk head seats so a bit more room there

6'8" and sitting in the coach section of NOK AIR ... You are sure brave. I bet you get the major leg cramp when the ride's over.

Nok Plus is the way to go then!! It's only just over an hr sure he will survive. I checked on Nok Air, I was informed you'll have to wait til april for bookings in July.

No worries, i reckon i will manage, if i can cope with 12 hours in economy i reckon hour and a bit will be a piece of cake

Try 25hrs then you have smth to grumble about!!!

[cdnvic]

Last time I flew Nok they had more legroom in Economy than most mainline carriers. For a flight of just over an hour he'll be fine.

Watch the bulkhead seats though, they don't always have the extra legroom.

cv

[Nignoy]

Or maybe you won't. I think that airlines have a policy - written or unwritten I dn't know. I ahve never been able to get the bulkhead seats when travelling with the girls. When they were babies though we were seated right at the front with a hang on the wall cot thing. Goodluck.

Yeah sorry i should have mentioned,we will have our 2 month old baby with us

can reccomend air asia, the outside toilets are great never any queues or waiting nignoy

[bkkjosh]

Nok Air is definitely better then Air Asia. They are backed up by a huge fleet of thai airways planes... so if you miss the flight.. there will usually be one you can get a seat on not long after. Usually air asia only have a few flights each day, making it more difficult to change flights if you have to.

Nok Air will probably be slightly more expensive then Air Asia, but you get what you pay for. Make a special request at the time of booking to ensure you have more space.