Low cost Thai Smile airline inaugurates first flight at Don Mueang

[ginjag]

 

We now have 10 flights daily to/from Khon Kaen - 5 with Thai Smile, 3 with AirAsia, and 2 with NokAir - all going to Don Mueang.

Not quite.

There are 3 flights with Thai Smile to DMK and 2 remaining flight with Thai Airways to Suv., BKK (12:25h. 20:00h).

But still very annoying.

 

Thai Airways flights well above 2000 Baht oneway.

 

 

 

 

Thai have this cheating way of running a business, if you can get a monopoly you can charge whatever you like, They are that stupid though that they do that when they have stiff competition.

[Sena Dave]

ginjag, Yes we were on one on the last flights , airasia transferred us To MAS for the return journey. Fernandez was on the MAS board for a while and resigned. Too many obstacles in Malaysia form the government , to protect MAS

[ginjag]

 

A Thai easyjet/ryanair!! Cheap flights to party land,phuket & Samui. 
Will it forces Thai airways to be competitive and make a profit?

Samui is a private airport owned by BKK air never in a month of Sundays will it allow this cheap flight to land on its strip unless they are prepared to pay huge landing charges which would make it non competitive Against BKK air

 

 

Decent airline BKK Airways, but they have a monopoly on most routes-into Samui.  prices outrageous.---Thai do the same from K.Khen to Swampy.

[Sena Dave]

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A Thai easyjet/ryanair!! Cheap flights to party land,phuket & Samui. 
Will it forces Thai airways to be competitive and make a profit?

Samui is a private airport owned by BKK air never in a month of Sundays will it allow this cheap flight to land on its strip unless they are prepared to pay huge landing charges which would make it non competitive Against BKK air

 

 

Decent airline BKK Airways, but they have a monopoly on most routes-into Samui.  prices outrageous.---Thai do the same from K.Khen to Swampy.

 

They are Airforce owned or something like that arent they , thats how they get to use the airports they do. They wont let air asia into Samui. They didnt want to let Thai in but I believe they threatened to build their own airport if they didnt

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just in one comparison, I looked at mid-Oct RT flights from DMK to Sakon Nakhon on Air Asia and Nok Air.

 

Air Asia... has regular promo fares, RT all inclusive, for 1640b, but their full fare pricing is 5656 all in.

 

NokAir ... has all in RT promo fares of 3148, and full fare pricing of 5748, for the same dates.

 

 

[ginjag]

ginjag, Yes we were on one on the last flights , airasia transferred us To MAS for the return journey. Fernandez was on the MAS board for a while and resigned. Too many obstacles in Malaysia form the government , to protect MAS

 

When I was in the UK near 2 years ago the TV program Gatwick -something or other-- Gatwick officials were arranging for the first flight in the November for A.Asia-  after my return here I never heard what went wrong with the arrangement.   Pity --but wouldn't it be brill to go to London/Manchester on A.Asia non stop from DMK, and use my A.Asia domestic from Udon connection.   fingers crossed.

[Sena Dave]

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ginjag, Yes we were on one on the last flights , airasia transferred us To MAS for the return journey. Fernandez was on the MAS board for a while and resigned. Too many obstacles in Malaysia form the government , to protect MAS

 

When I was in the UK near 2 years ago the TV program Gatwick -something or other-- Gatwick officials were arranging for the first flight in the November for A.Asia-  after my return here I never heard what went wrong with the arrangement.   Pity --but wouldn't it be brill to go to London/Manchester on A.Asia non stop from DMK, and use my A.Asia domestic from Udon connection.   fingers crossed.

 

Fenandez was mixed up with MAS , remember QPR had MAS as their kit sponcer when Fernandez took over there, perhaps one reason they pulled out of the European routes to protect MAS. 

[spidermike007]

Is there anything low cost about Thai smile? Will anything ever associated with Thai air, ever be reasonable in price? They have priced themselves so far out of the market, it will be a wonder if they can survive. Nok, and Air Asia Thailand are good airlines. Yes AA nickel and dimes you to death, but if you know how to work their system you can fly very reasonably. How can Thai Smile compete with them, if they are not serious about being competitive? I think they have a disease of being associated with Thai air. The reasoning goes that anything associated with Thai air is so great that you can charge whatever you want to charge, and us sheep will just line up to pay your prices. Wrong. Incorrect again. Figure out a reasonable business model and you have a chance to survive in this very competitive market. Do not do so, and perish with the rest. I am thankful we have a competitive market here. Unlike in the US, where the big guns have bought out all the smaller carriers, and now charge crazy money for the short flights. The govt. in the US used to champion the cause of the ordinary consumer. Those days are long gone. They now do everything in their power to protect big business, always at the cost of us. Here one can fly reasonably. But, not on Thai or Thai Smile. 

[Jdiddy]

I Can't quite see what difference it really makes to which airport They fly to and from in Bangkok.Don Mueang airport is connected by shuttle bus or the main railway station so it doesn't make a lot of difference.I (myself) am most certainly " not in a rush " It must be noted that flights to Chiang Mai will need to be very cheap to try and compete with Thai Lion Air - I flew a few months back at just 600 baht ( inc 15 KG of free luggage ) I thought that price was " rather reasonable " wouldn't you agree viewers..?  

 

Yeah went with lion air CNX to DMK return on the same day, booked the tickets 12 hours before the 1st flight for 3000 return which is pretty good, Air Asia was 3800

 

AA is great if you can book months in advance and travel light, you can get KL to Sydney for 3200baht/$108aud next april if you book now, thats an 8 hour international flight flying into an airport that has pretty high taxes.. for $108 :D

[Benmart]

Quite clear that Thai smile will operate from DMK like the other low-cost airlines and Thai airways will remain at Swampy
 

 
Yep, definetely a typo/misunterpretation. Thai Airways will of course stay at Suv.
Its all about the relatively new low cost carrier.
 
Nice propaganda machine to claim that this move is "well received by the general public".
How do they know?
It has been announced 8 (!!!) days before the move took place.
Its a damn downgrade.
There have at least two threads about the move to DMK.
Two fellows were forced to change their travel plans to reach their international connections.
Now from Khon Kaen only two remaining flights to Suv.
Worse than in the 1990s.
DMK is a joke.
I can only hope that bus operators like Bell Bus will return with their service to DMK in the near future.
 

Agree with the DMK observation. The taxi scams are alive and well there as of June 2014.

Bell was a wonderful option to and from DMK. I miss it.

[ginjag]

 

 

Quite clear that Thai smile will operate from DMK like the other low-cost airlines and Thai airways will remain at Swampy
 

 
Yep, definetely a typo/misunterpretation. Thai Airways will of course stay at Suv.
Its all about the relatively new low cost carrier.
 
Nice propaganda machine to claim that this move is "well received by the general public".
How do they know?
It has been announced 8 (!!!) days before the move took place.
Its a damn downgrade.
There have at least two threads about the move to DMK.
Two fellows were forced to change their travel plans to reach their international connections.
Now from Khon Kaen only two remaining flights to Suv.
Worse than in the 1990s.
DMK is a joke.
I can only hope that bus operators like Bell Bus will return with their service to DMK in the near future.
 

Agree with the DMK observation. The taxi scams are alive and well there as of June 2014.

Bell was a wonderful option to and from DMK. I miss it.

 

 

A.Asia with an onward  INT-flight ticket, free shuttle bus from DMK-BKK.

[Alwyn]

I flew with Smile from Phuket to Chiang Mai a couple of years ago, how's this the first flight?

[SeaVisionBurma]

This topic is not a discussion about MAS/Malaysian airlines/Air Asia X - please get the discussion back on topic thanks or open a new topic.

 

And just for the record - Thai Air Asia X is a different entity to Air Asia X.  Different home base airports too.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Post commenting on moderation removed.

 

Posts about Fernandez, Gatwick and the Queens Park Rangers (see further up this page) are NOT on topic, in fact they are way off it.

 

My post above was a polite request to get back onto the topic of Thai Smile operating their first flight from DMK.  

[sgtsabai]

At least from Udon, Thai Smile has always been competative, if not cheaper. Strange though the ticket was cheaper if you bought at ticket counter at airport rather than online. I do not like flying into DM, in fact it is usually not practical at all. The fact that Thai Smile flew into swampy made it worth while.

[schvonsky1]

Im sure Thai Airways is not moving back to DMK, though i was there last week and there were quite a few Thai airways widebodies sitting on the southern end of the airport, they must do maintenance there or use them for cargo hauling or something
 
The airport was very busy, loads of AA, Nok Air, Dragon Air a320s and 737s landing and taking off constantly
 

. Give ur head a shake cause they not going back to dmk stay off the yaba 😜

[SeaVisionBurma]

Thai Airways isn't moving back to DMK - just Thai Smile.

 

The numerous Thai Airways aircraft sitting idle at DMK are either de-commissioned aircraft (eg A340's) or heavy maintenance.

[Leung Falang]

Nice new planes and seats so close this six foot guy cannot put his knees in front of him but rather has to spread them. These are the tightest seats I've ever seen.  Not falang friendly.

[ginjag]

Thai Airways isn't moving back to DMK - just Thai Smile.

 

The numerous Thai Airways aircraft sitting idle at DMK are either de-commissioned aircraft (eg A340's) or heavy maintenance.

 

With respect SVB, the topic heading is worth another look.  I did not believe what the heading implied but some posters were misled by it, and their comment referring to Thai and other competitors let to slightly off topic posts.

 

I think it says Thai and subsidiary to be at DMK. 

[Jbax]

Last time I flew Air Asia, the "low ticket price" came with a shocking number of fees and add-on charges: a seat reservation charge, meal charge... cripes, I think there was a seat belt tax, a pro-rated toilet seat wear & tear fee, an air sickness barf-bag charge, a recirculated cabin air emissions tax and I'm pretty sure I paid for a tire... 

[ginjag]

Last time I flew Air Asia, the "low ticket price" came with a shocking number of fees and add-on charges: a seat reservation charge, meal charge... cripes, I think there was a seat belt tax, a pro-rated toilet seat wear & tear fee, an air sickness barf-bag charge, a recirculated cabin air emissions tax and I'm pretty sure I paid for a tire... 

 

You would have to pay these extras if you checked in looking similar to your picture

[BKK Blues Brother]

Nice new planes and seats so close this six foot guy cannot put his knees in front of him but rather has to spread them. These are the tightest seats I've ever seen.  Not falang friendly.

Have you been in the toilets?

You need to be a contortionist to use the squat toilets!

It's o.k getting down but getting back up is a nightmare!

Imho they need to install some heavy duty falang friendly grab rails.

[ALFREDO]

 

Air Asia X said last december they are thinking about flying a333s from DMK to Paris and London, they have several more a333s on order and have ordered the new a350 also

 

There are monopolies on KL to Auckland and BKK to Auckland by MAS and Thai airways, id like to see one of those routes shaken up by AAX

 

Also Bangkok to Sydney

 

 

 

Bangkok to Sydney is operated by 3 different airlines at the moment (used to be 4 before British Airways pulled out of the route, only flying London-Bangkok return and Qantas similarly is now only doing Sydney-Bangkok return rather than continuing onto London).
 

 

 

AIR ASIA tried the EU market already in the past, but it did not work out, at least not from Kuala Lumpur.

So maybe a new try from DMK?  We see. 

[ALFREDO]

We now have 10 flights daily to/from Khon Kaen - 5 with Thai Smile, 3 with AirAsia, and 2 with NokAir - all going to Don Mueang.  Was nice before when Thai Air went to Suvarnabhumi Oh well, guess they don't look at the extra cost for passengers getting a taxi from DM instead of Swampy going to Bangkok or even down to Pattaya.

 

Taxi? Is not even 100 Baht different to Sukhumvit, Bangkok city center.

Pattaya, will be not much different either.

If you on such a tight budget, try a Bus.   

[ALFREDO]

I flew with Smile from Phuket to Chiang Mai a couple of years ago, how's this the first flight?

 

A couple of years?

Maybe 2 years, or you mean the also SMILING  NOK Air which has also 30 % or so Thai Air inside. 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Smile

 

=Thai Smile Air -  began operations in July 2012.=

[ALFREDO]

 

Nice new planes and seats so close this six foot guy cannot put his knees in front of him but rather has to spread them. These are the tightest seats I've ever seen.  Not falang friendly.

Have you been in the toilets?

You need to be a contortionist to use the squat toilets!

It's o.k getting down but getting back up is a nightmare!

Imho they need to install some heavy duty falang friendly grab rails.

 

 

Squat toilets? On a =Thai Smile= airplane?  

[Alwyn]

 

I flew with Smile from Phuket to Chiang Mai a couple of years ago, how's this the first flight?

 

A couple of years?

Maybe 2 years, or you mean the also SMILING  NOK Air which has also 30 % or so Thai Air inside. 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Smile

 

=Thai Smile Air -  began operations in July 2012.=

 

A couple is two, right? 

[ALFREDO]

 

 

I flew with Smile from Phuket to Chiang Mai a couple of years ago, how's this the first flight?

 

A couple of years?

Maybe 2 years, or you mean the also SMILING  NOK Air which has also 30 % or so Thai Air inside. 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Smile

 

=Thai Smile Air -  began operations in July 2012.=

 

A couple is two, right? 

 

 

I am not English, but in my native language, we would not use that synonymous for 2 years. 

 

We would say, 2 years, or a couple of years, for "some" years, which means more than 2. 

[Alwyn]

 

 

 

I flew with Smile from Phuket to Chiang Mai a couple of years ago, how's this the first flight?

 

A couple of years?

Maybe 2 years, or you mean the also SMILING  NOK Air which has also 30 % or so Thai Air inside. 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Smile

 

=Thai Smile Air -  began operations in July 2012.=

 

A couple is two, right? 

 

 

I am not English, but in my native language, we would not use that synonymous for 2 years. 

 

We would say, 2 years, or a couple of years, for "some" years, which means more than 2. 

 

No worries Alfredo. FYI, in English a couple (or 'pair') is two. The married couple etc.. If you're not sure of the amount and it's a low amount we would say a "few". eg. I've not been to Samui for a few years now (it's probably 5 or 6 years but I'm not sure so I would use the word "few")

[barmatt]

Question: have they announced wheather Thai Smile will be used for International flights?