1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

According to Prawit there were no direct BKK to HNL commercial flights , thus the need to charter a flight to fly direct. There is no mention as to whether the Thai Airways pilot has ever flown such route or that he was accompanied by someone (co-pilot, navigator) who had experience with such a route.

 

My question to you (and any others in the forum) based on your experience is whether there are or have been other charter flights between BBK and HNL? Has such a flightpath been established such that a pilot (and specifically the pilot of the subject flight) will have familiarity with meteorological and aircraft performance aspects along the pathway as well as knowledge of emergency landing facilities? Remember that Thai Airways is a commercial, publically traded business (albeit a State-owned enterprise). Are there international aeronautical regulations that apply to such a direct flight and would they have been followed?

 

My concern is that Prawit's charter using a publically-traded commercial carrier might not have been fully legal (outside of Thailand?) nor safe.

 

Your concern does you great credit sir!

 

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

Standard business practice my a..e

Standard practice is to quote before not after.

Just another load of b.....t , something anybody connected with these people are getting very good at.

Time to buy a bigger trough, as the present 1 is getting too small for all the extra snouts.

 

Nothing to do with business practice. There was never any intention to put this out to tender or allow any other bidders. In normal public sector 'fiefdoms" the budget is king. Defend and grow your budget. Departments don't necessarily do one another favors although as individuals that might not be the case. So one government entity gives another government entity an "estimate" and that becomes the budget. As long as the actual then charged doesn't go over, and better still is a little under then everyone is happy and smiles all around. It's moving the money from the left hand pocket to the right hand pocket - although some might get lost in the transit!

 

As for comparing those costs to other providers, looking for best value for money, accountability to the public and electorate - 5555! Fat chance.

Normally no one questions things, but now, more and more gets out on social media. Then the stories start coming out.