Return Flights BKK to UK

[rushdentillidie]

All,

I am-trying to find some cheap flights (return) from Thailand to northern UK (MAN, NCL ect). My farther-in-law is hoping to come across form my wife's graduation ceremony form university. He has been granted a visit visa, so now need to book the flights. I have read that most airlines require to see the credit card used for the booking at check-in. As my wife will be paying, is there anyway around this? Or can any body recommend any Thai travel agency or website that flights can be booked on-line?

It seems that flights originating in Thailand cost more that return to the UK. We have looked at one way flights also but this often appear to cost more than returns, which seems strange.

Thanks

[Swiss1960]

you have three options:

• tell your father-in-law to find a travel agent and book online through the agent. Travel agent will then issue the ticket and the airline does NOT see how the ticket was paid and will not ask for any credit card to be shown.
• tell your father-in-law to find a travel agent who will book manually. The travel agent will then requiere an authorization form from you - this can sometimes be a simple letter from you with a copy of your credit card front and back (front for name and card details, back for signature)
• book online through an airline. Then you also provide your father with a letter detailling that you paid for his flight and that you authorize him to take the flight. Some airlines have special forms for that, others will accept just a normal letter. you will also have to privide a copy of the credit card details as above.

NOTE: when you make the copy of the credit card (front and back), do NOT forget to black out the CVV code (3-digit on back of card) on the copy! Neither airline nor travel agent will need to see that! And of course... tell your father to NOT lose that copy and the letter...

Edit Add: All 3 options worked for me in the past

Edited November 3, 2015 by Swiss1960

[JLCrab]

If you, as the credit card holder, will not be among the travel party, you must present your credit card and passport/ legally acceptable photo ID to EVA Air and sign an indemnity form.

Visit any EVA Air office during business hours and at least 48 hours before the passenger's scheduled departure. You must bring your credit card, passport/ legally acceptable photo ID and sign an Indemnity of Payment form.

This is the form that Eva Air requires when using your credit card to buy a ticket for another person:

http://www.evaair.com/en-global/_download-files/booking-ticketing/word-indemnity-payment-form-en.html

Edited November 3, 2015 by JLCrab

[kannot]

price to London are much cheaper than regional airports ie Manchester Birmingham, there's no way round the rip off pricing its £800 less booking the other way by Emirates Business class Birmingham Bangkok £1938 or £2800+ Bangkok Birmingham

[mpa]

Timing?

[nidieunimaitre]

Return flights originating from BKK are always around 200 euro more expensive than the same return flights from Europe, and that has nothing to do with local low / high seasons.

And one way flights usually cost almost the same as return flights.

As for CC problem, could you not simply transfer the money to Thai account of FiL?

[KhunBENQ]

price to London are much cheaper than regional airports ie Manchester Birmingham

Both Emirates as well as Qatar have connecting flights from their Arabian hubs to Manchester.

Not sure whether there is a big price difference.

Emirates prices to Man start below 30000 in mid November to beginning of Dec.

Edited November 4, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[Aachen]

I always book online and pay with cc. Never anyone wanted to see the card.

[dddave]

I often fly using tickets paid for by a 3rd party who booked online and almost always get asked to show the cc at check-in. Eva, Cathay Pacific, Singapore and Emirates are particularly strict about it. An agent from the company buying the tickets always has to visit an office of the airline and show them the cc used and they fax an authorization to BKK. We have learned to always get the name of the agent sending the fax because they sometimes get lost in the shuffle.

I suggest you call the airline you will be purchase from and find out their rules. Don't forget, when shopping for tickets these days, sometimes you can get a better deal from the airlines themselves then from a online seller like Expedia. Visiting a travel agent is worth the time if one is close by, they too often have some good deals.

[smokie36]

I just did a dummy booking with ebookers routing to Amsterdam and it comes up with options around 16-17000 Baht.

From Amsterdam its easy to find cheap onward flights....sometimes even cheaper than booking them separately is to check the sites then go on KLM or BA and see if booking all the way through is actually cheaper....worked for me a few times.

Low cost carriers from AMS to MAN can't be more than £50 anyway.

[KhunBENQ]

I always book online and pay with cc. Never anyone wanted to see the card.

If the card is in your name and you fly this is quite obvious.

But not what the topic starter asks about.

[rocketboybkk]

My MIL flown TG & BR 4 times & never been asked to see cc.

Check with airline you want, not in here as info might've changed & you'll have no recourse.

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[mpa]

My two cents:

BKK->NCL with return £489 BritAirways 20/27-28 (outbound/inbound) Expedia booking or try aircarrier's website

[oncearugge]

Skyscanner!

http://www.skyscanner.net/

[Thongkorn]

It's cheaper to book from the UK to Thailand, than from Thailand to the uK

[rushdentillidie]

Thanks for all the advice

[Aussieroaming]

My company paid for a flight for me via CC and as luck may have it they asked me for the credit card. It was quite the rigmarole to do a ring around at work at 6 pm at night trying to validate the payment.

So don't fall for the old chestnut that a request to see the credit card doesn't occur.

[JohnC]

I always fly with Finnair, Bangkok to Manchester, economy around £600 with business class just over £1400, it's only nine hours Bangkok to Helsinki, quick turn around and the just over an hour to Manchester. Always find the staff friendly and the food is ok , I have tried different airlines but now stick to Finnair for value for money and shorter journey times.

[rocketboybkk]

The journey can't be shorter than. Direct flight can it?

How longs the wait in Helsinki?

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[MAZ3]

The journey can't be shorter than. Direct flight can it?

How longs the wait in Helsinki?

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Its fast because,I believe they fly the Polar route and not via the Middle East etc.

[rocketboybkk]

But you need to stop

From LHR - BKK direct is 11.5hr.

You got to fly to Finland, get off, wait, board again & fly.

So, how long total?

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[Liquorice]

But you need to stop

From LHR - BKK direct is 11.5hr.

You got to fly to Finland, get off, wait, board again & fly.

So, how long total?

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That's ok if your destination is LHR.

I fly to MAN so have to change regardless.

Finnair BKK to MAN from 14hrs 50min.

Helsinki is so easy to navigate, you can land and board another flight within 30 mins.

Finnair is a decent airline, I used them frequently when flying to China.

I'm going to the UK April next year. Finnair quoting around £650 return BKK - MAN.

However, I get notified of 'offers' by APODO.

A couple of weeks ago I booked my flights to the UK with BA, £513 return. BKK - LHR - MAN

BA wouldn't normally be my first choice but at those prices I'd be mad to decline.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Faz

[theoldgit]

We often get a flight to Amsterdam now, so much cheaper than London, in part because of the UK's APD, from there you can get a flight to most UK cities, with BA, Easyjet, KLM and maybe others, we find that BA is as cheap as anyone.

We've used that route twice this year, we got Business for 47,000 Baht with Qatar in the summer, we've stopped off in Amsterdam for a couple of nights en route.

[MAZ3]

But you need to stop

From LHR - BKK direct is 11.5hr.

You got to fly to Finland, get off, wait, board again & fly.

So, how long total?

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LHR-BKK can be just over 10 hours flying time(not door to door)and BKK-LHR up to 13 hours,depending on route,time of year and enroute weather.

And as above,a very quick transfer is possible. I've not flown that route,but friends have and say its good service etc.

[rocketboybkk]

So how long is it? That's the question that's being avoided. For £600 return you can get a direct flight. That's my point when it's being said is a faster route.

Logic tells me it's not as fast as a direct flight.

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[Upnotover]

At 4919 miles to HEL opposed to 5958 to LHR it is about 10:30 flying time. Then another 2:30 to the UK.

[rocketboybkk]

Thx.

So my point is that's it takes longer.

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[MAZ3]

So how long is it? That's the question that's being avoided. For £600 return you can get a direct flight. That's my point when it's being said is a faster route.

Logic tells me it's not as fast as a direct flight.

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As Faz said its 14.50 to MAN,TG is 11.25 LHR-BKK and 13.05 BKK-LHR,when you add in LHR-MAN it will be quicker via HEL.

There are minimum connection times at LHR(depending on which terminal to which terminal),even in the same terminal difficult to beat HEL.

Direct flights will always be quicker than any connection,and i prefer them. But destination and price comes into the equation.

[Liquorice]

Yes, direct flights will always be quicker, if your destination is LHR.

For other destinations in the UK, it's a question of cost V time and your priority.

It's a shorter route to Helsinki because you fly over the circumference of the earth as opposed to along it with other European destinations.

Helsinki is a small compact airport. Transfer times are usually very good, so flights to destinations in the UK other than LHR can work out quicker, but not necessarily cheaper.

My booked flight with BA is BKK to LHR 12hr 55min flying time.

1hr 50min waiting/transfer time.

LHR to MAN 55 min flying time.

Total 15hr 40min. £513 return.

In comparison, I could fly Finnair BKK - HEL - MAN.

Bangkok - Manchester
Friday 22 April 2016 AY090 BKK 09:00 HEL 15:25 AY937 HEL 16:05 MAN 17:00 Operated by Flybe Total duration: 14h 00min

Cost around £604.

Whilst I like to get from one destination to another asap especially long haul flights, I didn't consider it was worth an extra £90 to save 1 1/2 hrs.

But I was lucky benefiting from a special offer, otherwise Finnair would have been my preferred choice.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Faz

[Liquorice]

Just in case anyone is interested.

Etihad Sale. Book before Nov 10th.

Travel dates 10/11/15 - 30/6/2016

London - Bangkok £438 return.

Manchester - Bangkok £429 return.

http://promos.opodo.co.uk/airline/etihad-airways/?utm_content=p1&utm_source=sf&utm_medium=crm&utm_campaign=nl&utm_term=20151107_wk45_gold_ey_dxb_tap_4472&mktportal=NL&cmp=&mktportal=NL