Connecting Flights early-morning ... why oh why ?

[Ricardo]

... aren't there flights from Phuket & Chiang Mai which arrive in Swampy earlier in the morning, so that one can connect to flights departing before 09.15-09.45 ?

I'm on an 08.40 departure from Bangkok in a couple-of-weeks' time, and am having to spend the night in the airport, as neither TG nor Bangkok-Airways have any flight down from Chiang Mai which would enable me to connect safely in-time to catch it.

All it would take is an earlier flight, departing CNX (or HKT) about 06.00, why does this seem to be so impossible ?

Why don't these airlines, who interline or code-share with TG or PG, and whose passengers can't connect, pressure them to run an earlier flight ?

Is it really so sensible, that only passengers from Samui (two early-flights !) or Bangkok local-area can reach flights, which depart before 09.15 from Bangkok ?

Rant over ... comment as you will !

[Totster]

You don't HAVE to stay in the Airport, grab a hotel room for the night.. plenty of cheap but good options.

totster

[chiang mai]

There's a hotel about ten minutes away from swampy by car called ThongTa resort that I use on such occaisions and I'll no doubt use them again, clean, inexpensive, modern facilties and good service.

[brommers]

There is a Cnx Bkk flight TG 123 that gets in at 08:10 but that does not help you. So why make a booking out of Bkk without making sure there is a connecting flight?!

If you look at the number of international transfer pax on flights from Cnx it is a fraction of the total number on any flight, so it is simply not economic to focus only on transfers. I have worked in global airlines and making a profit comes top of the list. Pax must plan effectively.

Operating flights that are less than 80% full means losing money. Losing money means no airline can survive. Simple economics.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rsokolowski]

I would recommend flying the day before and staying in the vicinity of the airport, plenty of nice inexpensive options. If you get there early enough you could take the skytrain into BKK for shopping and dinner.

[charlieboz]

The only ones that arrive early are via Don Muang so no help to you

[masuk]

Did AirAsia used to have an evening flight from KUL to CNX?

I'm sure I made this connection about 2 years back, having flown into KUL from Australia arriving at 15:00 .

There doesn't seem to be any connection until early next morning.

[NanLaew]

Early morning departures from provincial airports would mean late evening flight arrivals from Bangkok the night before. That means a plane sitting on the stands overnight with double-crewing and longer ground support. That all equals more money than it's worth.

I recall using the Bangkok Air 'red eye' from Samui when I was living on the island and working in Bangkok. Samui airport belongs to Bangkok Air so I assume they don't charge themselves for overnighting whereas they would probably rape THAI's wallet for the same privilege.

Not going to happen so grab the last flight down and get a room like the rest of us.

Edited July 8, 2013 by NanLaew

[Ricardo]

I believe both PG & TG do already park an aircraft/crew overnight at Chiang Mai, for their current schedules. Don't know about Phuket.

I understand what you're all saying, about cheap hotels near the airport, and so on. Thanks, but I prefer to fly straight-through, if at all possible.

But if Thailand intends to continue with its current-policy of just one major international access-point, wouldn't it be sensible to link other major domestic-centres properly, with early-morning & late-evening connections for the convenience of customers who don't live near the capital ?

Thai used (a few years ago) to run a dozen flights per-day between CNX & BKK, now it's just eight, with no early-early-morning or late-evening links, for onward/inbound international-connections.

It's like they're saying, we just don't care what the customer wants, they'll have what we feel like giving them or lump it ! I get this impression more, since the removal of most of the competition to DMK, last October ?

And Bangkok Air can run two early-flights up to BKK from Samui, arriving 07.05 and 07.25, but their earliest other flights are 08.25 (Phuket) and 08.15 (Chiang Mai), to which one must add a generous 75-90 minutes connection-time to be safe.

So only those who live in the Bangkok-area, or are willing to interrupt their journey & shell-out for a hotel overnight, can hope to make departures before 09.30 ? Hardly the Asian-Hub, which it was advertised it was going to be, is it ?

I just hope one of the two spots the commercial-opportunity, and moves to fill it, eventually. And I'd love to see their code-share/inter-line/alliance partners pushing them to up their game, as I believe they should, because of the connecting-passengers they're currently missing-out on.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Ricardo

[Totster]

I guess it's down to supply and demand - for example, how many people flying from Chaing Mai or Phuket are flying onwards immediately. I'm guessing (especially with early morning flights) that number would be low.

totster

[Ricardo]

True, and maybe not-enough domestic-passengers need to get down to Bangkok itself for meetings, earlier than 9.00-9.30 ?

[Chicog]

Do these provincial airports have "quiet" hours? Chiang Mai is next to the city, so perhaps its neighbours aren't that keen on being woken up by aircraft at 5 in the morning?

I stay in Bangkok and I don't even like getting up for a 9am flight.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Chicog

[sustento]

There's a hotel about ten minutes away from swampy by car called ThongTa resort that I use on such occaisions and I'll no doubt use them again, clean, inexpensive, modern facilties and good service.

+1

[Ricardo]

Do these provincial airports have "quiet" hours? Chiang Mai is next to the city, so perhaps its neighbours aren't that keen on being woken up by aircraft at 5 in the morning?

I stay in Bangkok and I don't even like getting up for a 9am flight.

Chiang Mai does get the odd charter-flight, in the middle of the night, from China/Korea/Japan/Taiwan (?).

And an 06.00 flight to Bangkok would open-up an extra hour's worth of onward-connections, as well as the chance to make early business-meetings in the capital.

[Totster]

Do these provincial airports have "quiet" hours? Chiang Mai is next to the city, so perhaps its neighbours aren't that keen on being woken up by aircraft at 5 in the morning?

I stay in Bangkok and I don't even like getting up for a 9am flight.

Chiang Mai does get the odd charter-flight, in the middle of the night, from China/Korea/Japan/Taiwan (?).

And an 06.00 flight to Bangkok would open-up an extra hour's worth of onward-connections, as well as the chance to make early business-meetings in the capital.

If we look at the responses in this thread.. it is only you that seems to find this unaceptable (and not open to alternative suggestions). I would imagine this mirrors that statistics that the airlines know about, which partly accounts for the lack of the early morning flights you desire.

If it were me, I would make sure my onwards connecting flight fits in with the schedule from a satellite airport.. if it really mattered that much to me.

totster

[Tomtomtom69]

I guess it's down to supply and demand - for example, how many people flying from Chaing Mai or Phuket are flying onwards immediately. I'm guessing (especially with early morning flights) that number would be low.

totster

It would seem that Thailand is not a big business traveler's destination with far more focus on tourists than business travelers. And given that most business is focused in Bangkok anyway, it seems like the airlines can essentially shun business travelers flying on domestic routes, because how many people have a business in Chiang Mai with an MD that needs to go down to Bangkok on business?

As ridiculous as this sounds, deep down, I think that's probably what Thai airlines are thinking when they make their schedules. It doesn't however explain why airlines (particularly THAI) don't offer early connections from Chiang Mai/Phuket in order to make international flights knowing full well that THAI doesn't service many international destinations from those cities directly (none from Chiang Mai) and that there are a number of international flights leaving from Bangkok for Sydney/Melbourne/Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi/Phnom Penh/Yangon etc. around 8am most of which don't have any flights from Chiang Mai/Phuket (Phuket-Yangon and Chiang Mai-Yangon are the single two exceptions I can think of but they aren't served by THAI).

I am however quite sure that a substantial number of travelers on THAI domestic services, particularly to/from Chiang Mai and Phuket are on international connections and don't necessarily want to stay in Bangkok - they are merely forced to do so. It doesn't help that THAI doesn't offer much choice if you are heading on an early morning flight to one of the aforementioned destinations not served from either Phuket or Chiang Mai and are coming from those two cities - either you are forced to arrive the night before or you'll probably have to consider taking the evening flight to those destinations (they are all served by evening flights as well) in which case you have a number of connections throughout the day to make your flight - however, personally I'd rather be given a choice of both flights when flying to say Sydney, rather than just one, if I wanted to travel through to Sydney in one day from Chiang Mai/Phuket.

[NanLaew]

The OP's reminiscing about a dozen domestic flights a day to a certain destination was probably back when fuel prices were reasonable. Surely he hasn't missed the huge increases in prices (and competition) since the days of Thai Airways Corporation? As for giving the customer what he wants, I guess you would want a 6 AM departure regardless if you were the only bum on a seat. You would be happy but the airline would go tits-up real quick. If there's a developing passenger load, the airlines will address it after the fact. They aren't going to start red-eye specials on the premise, 'build it and they will come.' Once again, Bangkok Airways red-eye from Samui doesn't count since that is their own bought and paid for airport and their secondary domestic hub. I am surprised that THAI has an 'overnighter' on the Chiang Mai apron though. I would have thought Phuket would be the more likely candidate since that is the only other domestic airport that does actually serve THAI's international destinations.

[Ricardo]

At least this prompted an interesting discussion.

Perhaps I simply expect too much, from the national-carrier, or had become too used to evening-connections outbound, which this time were not available in-the-sale.

[Ricardo]

FWIW, Sleeping at the airport overnight, we found an area near Burger-King, where there were plenty of sofas so had an OK-night.

There were plenty of others doing the same thing too !

[Jay Sata]

FWIW, Sleeping at the airport overnight, we found an area near Burger-King, where there were plenty of sofas so had an OK-night.

There were plenty of others doing the same thing too !

Why sleep in the airport Ricardo when you could have got a hotel close to the airport with free pick up and drop of for 800-1,000 baht?

Even if you could get an early morning flight to BKK the odds are something would go wrong and you'd miss the flight.

I'd rather avoid all that stress.

[Ricardo]

Perhaps I should just move, to be within land-access of Swampy (Bangkok or Pattaya or whatever), or to be living on Koh Samui, where there is a good (dep 06.00) early-morning connection ?

Or, just maybe, someone in Marketing at the airlines might realise that they're missing-out, by not serving people who want to be in Bangkok/Swampy by 07.30, from Chiang Mai or Phuket ? I wish !

Regarding staying in a hotel near the airport, I really don't like Bangkok much, I just want to climb on a plane at CNX, and then be on-my-way to my final destination. But once again, thanks for the recommendations.

It's also not-great for the fruit/herbs in my hold-luggage, to complicate the trip any more than it already is, a three-sector 24-hour door-to-door journey. I guess I'm lucky not to need a further domestic-transfer in the UK.

Anyway, my next trip will be the regular late-afternoon connection down to Swampy, then a mid-evening departure for farangland, and not the morning-flight last time. With a short stop in BOM/Mumbai, oh joy !

[Jay Sata]

Sounds like you are flying Jet Aiways Ricardo. I don't know why they just use a 737 to India on the first leg. Or why it has the hardest seats I've ever sat on apart from a songtaew.

The hassle of connecting in Mumbai or Bombay is something I never want to repeat.

The airport hotels are only around 15 minutes from the airport and not downtown.

Bon Voyage.

[SinglePot]

I did Jet LHR-BKK via Bombay once.

Never again. nightmare.

If you want a convenient very nice hotel near Suvarnabhum, Paragon Inn, Lat Krabang Soi 22.

Stayed there a dozen times.

Perfect.

[wpcoe]

Why sleep in the airport Ricardo when you could have got a hotel close to the airport with free pick up and drop of for 800-1,000 baht?

Even if you could get an early morning flight to BKK the odds are something would go wrong and you'd miss the flight.

I'd rather avoid all that stress.

I use Silver Gold Garden, about five or ten minutes from the airport, with free shuttle van both to/from the hotel. I book via sawadee.com and the rate is usually B650/night. The hotel is clean, wake-up call is reliable, and there are Tesco Express and 7-11 stores out front for beverages and snacks. I've stayed there at least 10 times, and have always felt safe and welcome.

Different strokes for different folks, but if it comes down to sleeping on a bench in an airport terminal or B650 for a hot shower, clean bed and fresh clothes, I'll take the latter any time. In fact, since my flights to/from the USA leave 0600-0700 and arrive 2300-0000, I prefer to get a good night's sleep at the hotel before/after each trip rather than take taxis in the middle of the night. For me, an added bonus is that bus fare + hotel is less than a taxi, too.

I get the OP's preference for having a straight shot from Chiang Mai airport through to his final destination without a stopover, but since that is not possible, why not make the best of what *is* possible?

Rather than take the last bus to the airport before my flight, I take a mid-afternoon bus so I can relax and have dinner before leisurely settling in at the airport hotel. Why make it a sleepover in the airport terminal when it's only B650 for a room ... I travel solo, but if you're a couple, it's only B325 per person.