Flying from Chiang Mai to the UK --- the alternatives.

[Caspersfriend]

Let me say at the outset that although I love flying these days I don't much like airports, nor the bit between take off and landing if it's over a couple of hours. Obviously neither of these can be avoided when flying to the UK but I would love to be able to avoid Swampy. Previously on my trips to the UK, through lack of options, I have gone CNX to BKK and then Eva Air directly into LHR. Last time it proved to be cheaper to fly into Amsterdam and then take Easy Jet into Luton. On the plus side that avoided Heathrow but on the minus side with Easy Jet I felt like those pigs the Thais ship around crushed into the back of an inadequately-sized truck; in both directions they were late [the return not totally their fault as the French air controllers strike messed up the schedules] I also picked up a nasty flu-like bug which stayed with me the whole trip.

And so: No Swampy and just one stop into any London UK airport --- possible? --- at a comparable cost?

Australian, American and Canadian friends can all avoid Swampy but, unless new routes have been opened, we don't appear to have that option.

[MaeJoMTB]

Via China.

CM, China, LHR

[steve187]

how about CNX to Phuket and then onto london with either Emirates or Thompson (lgw)

[naboo]

Via Malaysia, via Hong Kong, via Korea.

Use skyscanner.net, lots of options.

[sharktooth]

Google is your friend... Via HK, KL, Singers etc, etc, etc

[Caspersfriend]

Thanks for the replies so far. I did forget to say that I would prefer not to make the journey longer by going the wrong direction before the right direction.

Yes Google is indeed my good friend, and I have flicked through the portals [skyscanner etc] and as yet haven't found a route that heads west[ish] out of Chiang Mai. They all add time and it takes long enough as it is.

Which "China" airport are you referring to MaeJoMTB?

[naboo]

Hong Kong is only 65km further from Heathrow than Bangkok. Longer initial flight though.

British Airways fly to Chengdu. Spring Airlines (who??) and Air Asia fly to Chengdu from CNX. Chengdu is "on the way".

Kunming is also kind of "on the way", but no direct flights to the UK.

Still no direct flights to Delhi or Mumbai, nothing much going west.

[CNXBKKMAN]

The two ways that meet your requirements from CM are Cathey Pacific via Hong Kong and Singapore Airlines via Singapore. Going to Phuket to catch a Emirates or Qatar is more trouble. Phuket airport is not pleasant. going via China is accepting a lesser quality airline and airports.

Singapore Airlines is the the best for what you are after then Cathey.

[luke000]

Why do you want to avoid Swampy ?

[rogeroc]

Air China fly CM, Bejing, Heathrow.

When i last explored the return trip UK / CM / UK it was also the cheapest option at just under 400 pounds, but yes it is a little bit in the wrong direction. Then again so is BKK.

I have never flown with Air China but i have flown with China Southern and i was surprisingly impressed. I see that China Southern also fly direct from CM to Guangzou so i think CM / Guangzou, Heathrow also an option.

[Ricardo]

Part of your problem is that long-haul flights leaving the UK incur a hefty Departure-Tax, you would need separate tickets via AMS or somewhere similar to try to avoid that, as you already discovered.

The big Gulf airlines now fly to HKT, as well as frequently to BKK, one can only hope that eventually CNX (with a smaller plane ?) will eventually become available, too. But that will still be a one-change route, albeit with more UK-destinations available than just LON.

Failing which the Chinese airlines, including Cathay Pacific via HKG, seem your best alternative. But some of their hubs have a poor reputation too.

Or just keep flying BA or EVA via Swampy, prices have been falling this year compared to last, and it's still better than a two-stop strategy !

Edit : just to add, a quick search on CNX-LON on Skyscanner for mid-week in May, throws up China Eastern via PVG (Shanghai Pudong) or China Southern via CAN (Canton), at about GBP 550-600, both only one-stop options, however connections are really bad ! Whereas BA via BKK is competitive & half the time !

[steve187]

the op want to go against the norm, but wants the airlines to cater for him and not the masses, from cnx it would be almost impossible to always fly west

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The big Gulf airlines now fly to HKT, as well as frequently to BKK, one can only hope that eventually CNX (with a smaller plane ?) will eventually become available, too.

Yes, because we really don't get enough Arabs in Chiang Mai, and remain far behind Bangkok and Phuket.

the op want to go against the norm, but wants the airlines to cater for him and not the masses, from cnx it would be almost impossible to always fly west

Almost... but not quite.

Of course, why any of these oddball routes via Rangoon, Guangzhou at al make any sense over just connecting in Bangkok remains mysterious.

[arunsakda]

Why not Fly KE to ICN? I just laid over there on Jan 17 and Jan 19. It is a wonderful award winning airport

and has all kinds of attractions, a Hot Spring/Sauna, restos, pay-in lounges, etc.

Last time I flew in there for personal travel with a 10 hour layover to CNX I found a day-room online for about 50 bucks including transport.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Why not Fly KE to ICN? I just laid over there on Jan 17 and Jan 19. It is a wonderful award winning airport

and has all kinds of attractions, a Hot Spring/Sauna, restos, pay-in lounges, etc.

Because he's flying to London, England.

Good morning!

[mesquite]

Too many constraints. The OP has champagne tastes on a beer budget.

[Ricardo]

The big Gulf airlines now fly to HKT, as well as frequently to BKK, one can only hope that eventually CNX (with a smaller plane ?) will eventually become available, too.

Yes, because we really don't get enough Arabs in Chiang Mai, and remain far behind Bangkok and Phuket.

Perhaps Chiang Mai might have the same soothing calming effect on Arabs, that it has on us farangs, who knows ?

Chiang Mai remains far above Bangkok and Phuket, from a geographical-map & height-above-sea-level, point of view !

But I confess that I'm thinking more of the benefits for me & mine, in traveling back to Europe, than I am about the risk of encountering more escapees from the sandpit and other similar delightful cultural destinations, while wandering round Rimping.

One problem with connecting via China (or elsewhere) is that we often have only one daily flight to the potential transfer-airport.

Costs & connection-times will probably improve, once we have two-or-more flights daily, meanwhile Cathay Pacific's cunning-ploy of operating two different timings for their daily flights on LCC Dragonair offers an interesting example of lateral-thinking.

[arunsakda]

Why not Fly KE to ICN? I just laid over there on Jan 17 and Jan 19. It is a wonderful award winning airport

and has all kinds of attractions, a Hot Spring/Sauna, restos, pay-in lounges, etc.

Because he's flying to London, England.

Good morning!

Have you not heard of connecting flights and Airline alliances? KE has a daily service to LHR at 1PM.

Relax at the Spa in ICN for a few hours then back in Blighty in time for High Tea.

[Asiantravel]

are there any airlines direct to Delhi or Mumbai From CNX where he could possibly join up with one of the international airlines or if not from CNX may be from neighbouring Myanmar then to India? why not ask a travel agent?

[Asiantravel]

Qatar Airways goes from Yangon with a stopover in Doah and then London Heathrow

https://booking.qatarairways.com/nsp/views/index.xhtml

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Qatar Airways goes from Yangon with a stopover in Doah and then London Heathrow

https://booking.qatarairways.com/nsp/views/index.xhtml

Yes, and only a 20 hour layover at RGN.

[Asiantravel]

Qatar Airways goes from Yangon with a stopover in Doah and then London Heathrow

https://booking.qatarairways.com/nsp/views/index.xhtml

Yes, and only a 20 hour layover at RGN.

ok Air India also goes from Yangon to both Delhi and Mumbai or even Calcutta! from there you can choose an array of international carriers onto London

[arunsakda]

To get back to Chiang Mai from work I generally begin with a flight of 3.5 hours in the wrong direction. The more direct alternative involves a stay of several hours in the crappiest airport. The previous 10 hour layover in ICN is now 22 hrs due to schedule changes.

I'd rather have a longer total flight time relaxed in my seat with pretty FA's stuffing my gullet with food and bev rather than transiting a crappy airport with poor facilities where even the Business class lounges are cramped and smell of mould. It is all about "The Layover".

[Caspersfriend]

As far as I am concerned this topic has reached its conclusion and to all those who have made helpful suggestions I express my thanks.

Unfortunately on just about every topic you read there are a few small-minded folk who have nothing meaningful to say -- but say it anyway! To those who felt their less than helpful, and downright presumptive and rude comments would be of value to anybody <deleted>

One major purpose of forums such as this is to share knowledge. Yes I use Google regularly, yes I use flight portal search sites, but often those who travel more regularly by air have suggestions which are based on experience and will help sort the wheat from the chaff.

[arunsakda]

Thanks for that. I myself don't understand why you want to avoid "Swampy" but I purposely did not ask that, instead I offered an alternative that may be better, even if the total travel time is longer.

[Caspersfriend]

Thanks for that. I myself don't understand why you want to avoid "Swampy" but I purposely did not ask that, instead I offered an alternative that may be better, even if the total travel time is longer.

Simply that over the years I have already spent too much time there: The going is not so much a problem, but coming back the immigration queue at CM is way shorter due to much lower volumes and at the end of 24+hrs of travelling I would simply like to feel that when I reach Thailand I am home, not needing to await a holdover that doesn't allow time to do much else other than read a book; did all that on the 11/12 hours from LHR. One day there might be a single stop out of CM into London with decent airlines --- maybe. Happy to pay a bit extra for the priviledge

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ Hmmm... the immigration queue in Chiang Mai can definitely be horrendous if you get a couple international flights in at the same time. Over the New Year period we had some Chinese people arriving, and it took them forever to get through the queue. (More than an hour)

Plus all your luggage gets X-Rayed.. So Chiang Mai customs is only really an option for very vanilla trips.

[Caspersfriend]

^ Hmmm... the immigration queue in Chiang Mai can definitely be horrendous if you get a couple international flights in at the same time. Over the New Year period we had some Chinese people arriving, and it took them forever to get through the queue. (More than an hour)

Plus all your luggage gets X-Rayed.. So Chiang Mai customs is only really an option for very vanilla trips.

I take your point but I never travel on 'the holidays' and have always found CM to be quiet. Whereas I doubt Swampy is ever quiet.

Last trip back [via BKK] my bags were forwarded as the domestic flight was an alliance partner, and yes they did x-ray all the hold baggage. Mine was 90% power tools but I was lucky as it appeared they were after bulk cosmetics on that day! Bit like the police check points on the roads, if they after those with no tax et al they are not interested in any other violation.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Thanks for that. I myself don't understand why you want to avoid "Swampy" but I purposely did not ask that, instead I offered an alternative that may be better, even if the total travel time is longer.

Simply that over the years I have already spent too much time there: The going is not so much a problem, but coming back the immigration queue at CM is way shorter due to much lower volumes and at the end of 24+hrs of travelling I would simply like to feel that when I reach Thailand I am home, not needing to await a holdover that doesn't allow time to do much else other than read a book; did all that on the 11/12 hours from LHR. One day there might be a single stop out of CM into London with decent airlines --- maybe. Happy to pay a bit extra for the priviledge

One day there may be a single stop out of CM into London with decent airlines...........

Well Singapore Airlines (voted best airline in the world more than once) has a single flight to Singapore( acknowledged as best airport in the world multiple times) and then a single non stop flight to Heathrow or Manchester(voted best airport in the world only once beating Singapore which came second that year). This flight out of CM has been around for at least 20 years? Now you have Cathey Pacific via Hong Kong as a good option also.

[rogeroc]

Trouble with Singapore is that the times just don't match, long stopover both ways. Cathay and HK is the best Bangkok alternative in terms of overall time (still approx 2 hours longer than via BKK) Next is China Airlines via Bejing but it is still a 7 hour layover 1 way. Of course flight schedules may change in the future.