which carrier to BKK?

[Didymus]

Air France has amazing fares at the moment.

[regi]

Air France has amazing fares at the moment.

how much for when?

[rix]

Thai Airways currently has a "Brussels Special"
worth checking out..

[thalenoi]

Treeper, what have you decided?

I just flew Etihad BKK-FRA this week, took the 08.35 B777/300 out of BKK, only 100 pax, had window seat and two other empty seats to lay down, the A330 to FRA was full. I paid only 24.500 THB (575 euro) and 40 euro for an IC train to BRU. I will spend a few days in Germany before my return flight, so BRU-FRA is not an issue for this trip.

Price-wise I got lucky to book a business seat on EY BKK-BRU return for November for 72.400 THB (1730 euro), Qatar price inquiry today shows 96K, think all are around the 100K mark, thus 72.400 is a great price.

I will be checking for similar prices to book my 2012 2 or 3 trips to BRU, might even include Thai, but doubt they would ever offer something in the 7X.XXX price bracket for business class.

[regi]

Treeper, what have you decided?

I just flew Etihad BKK-FRA this week, took the 08.35 B777/300 out of BKK, only 100 pax, had window seat and two other empty seats to lay down, the A330 to FRA was full. I paid only 24.500 THB (575 euro) and 40 euro for an IC train to BRU. I will spend a few days in Germany before my return flight, so BRU-FRA is not an issue for this trip.

Price-wise I got lucky to book a business seat on EY BKK-BRU return for November for 72.400 THB (1730 euro), Qatar price inquiry today shows 96K, think all are around the 100K mark, thus 72.400 is a great price.

I will be checking for similar prices to book my 2012 2 or 3 trips to BRU, might even include Thai, but doubt they would ever offer something in the 7X.XXX price bracket for business class.

It is a bit confusing. Are the prices one way or return included?
And yes, I do doubt that you would get busines class with Thai for 1700 € . Usually it is about 3000 €.

[capetown]

It is a bit confusing. Are the prices one way or return included?
And yes, I do doubt that you would get busines class with Thai for 1700 € . Usually it is about 3000 €.

Well, TG is actually offering quite sharp prices in Business on the BRU-BKK route : here's a print from their website (I am playing with the idea to try them in November) :

Brussels to Bangkok
Flight 1 Thursday, November 24, 2011

Departure: 13:30 Brussels, Belgium - Brussels Airport, terminal I
Arrival: 06:20 +1 day(s) Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG935 e
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/300
Fare type: Business

Bangkok to Brussels
Flight 1 Saturday, December 10, 2011

Departure: 00:30 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Arrival: 07:00 Brussels, Belgium - Brussels Airport, terminal I
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG934 e
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/300
Fare type: Business

Legend:
e = e-ticket option,
EUR = Euro
Price
Travellers Flights Taxes
1 adult(s) x (1,900.00 + 282.47) = 2,182.47 EUR
total for all travellers 2,182.47 EUR

FYI - this price is almost identical to the one charged by QR ex-BRU to BKK in Business for that period (2175 EUR)

[regi]

That is excellent news. This is about 30% cheaper than the normal business class ticket (with any full service carrier, long haul )
A friend who needs wheel chair assistance , but travels 3 times a year to Thailand - always by Thai and in business - will be delighted. He is relieved from the troublesome stops at FRA by this non-stop flight.

Would it be possible that Thai doesn't succeed to fill this route? I think they also try to avoid to become again the tour operator transporter.
I hope that they have enough patience ( read: money) to find their best niche market.

[capetown]

Would it be possible that Thai doesn't succeed to fill this route? I think they also try to avoid to become again the tour operator transporter.
I hope that they have enough patience ( read: money) to find their best niche market.

It's probably fair to think this is a (launch) price deliberately targeting QR (and EY) - if you look at TG's business class ticket prices for travel at the same dates from other EU cities, BRU is by far the cheapest : some examples : ex-FCO 2555 EUR, ex-MAD 2811 EUR, ex-FRA 2766 EUR and ex-CDG 3278 (!) EUR. Quite striking however that there is no such difference in pricing when it comes to TG's economy class (for the period mentioned : end nov, first half december 2011). Ex-BRU you'll pay approx. 765 EUR (identical for ex-FRA, ex-MAD ; ex-FCO 875 EUR though) - not sure how airport taxes might be a factor here when it comes to FCO... ; TG's economy class ticket is substantially more expensive than QR ex-BRU (594 EUR), but in line with what EY is charging in that period. Would they be wanting to mainly target EY and QR business pax with this move ? Don't really get it, to be honest.

[regi]

just checked it myself and surprise! : despite you can easely find cheaper tickets to get to BKK, you can have for 782 € a return ticket to most destinations such as Chiang Mai, Phuket , Udorn,...and ...with 2 stop overs in BKK !
This sweetes the deal a lot. Otherwise, you have to buy seperate tickets with Airasia, Nokair, Orient Thai if you want cheap connections.
Another advantage is that if something goes wrong and you miss your connecting flight with TG, you will get for free a seat at the next available flight. But if you booked at another company , you lost your ticket.
And it is also great for the luggage. No more hassle with distributing luggage to avoid surcharges.

Airplane: B777-200 in 2 class configuration, no 1st class. Right?

We will see in 3 months if the project works.

Btw, checking several dates, most seems to be full. Would this really mean "full" ( can only be by tour groups, I cannot imagine that the independant travellers world occupied the seats up till March 2012 already ). Or would it mean that they artificially keep seats in reserve for higher fees?

[andorra-airport]

Btw, checking several dates, most seems to be full. Would this really mean "full" ( can only be by tour groups, I cannot imagine that the independant travellers world occupied the seats up till March 2012 already ). Or would it mean that they artificially keep seats in reserve for higher fees?

I had a quick look at Neckermann , Thomas Cook and others, all Thailand holidays goes via the direct Thai flight. Often the response was : "flight full, choose other date". So yes, I guess many flights are full due to holiday packages.

[regi]

Btw, checking several dates, most seems to be full. Would this really mean "full" ( can only be by tour groups, I cannot imagine that the independant travellers world occupied the seats up till March 2012 already ). Or would it mean that they artificially keep seats in reserve for higher fees?

I had a quick look at Neckermann , Thomas Cook and others, all Thailand holidays goes via the direct Thai flight. Often the response was : "flight full, choose other date". So yes, I guess many flights are full due to holiday packages.

OMG, they do the same as in the high days of Best Tours.

[fretn]

Regi, could you elaborate? I guess I'm still a bit too young

[cathay belgium]

OMG, they do the same as in the high days of Best Tours.

Guess I'm even older thus,mmm...

I enjoyed Thailand with Best Tours on Sobelair B767-300ER ( OO-SBY ) ..
so I hoped they will use Jetairfly B767-300 ER WINGLET !

What's the reason of co-operating with JAF ? TC has it's own metal ( half owned I can say )to Phuket and Bangkok ?????

Neckerman,TC,... must use JAF, Best Tours/Kuoni will opt for Thai offcourse (better shedules and domestic flights included, this is more tripping then beaching no ?

Strange...

If this is the case I,as JAF,would kick TC out of it's own B767 and put the big red smile again on those birds..
Just MHO..
CX-B

[thalenoi]

I guess EY is worried some by the Thai launch to BRU, I booked that BKK-FRA return ticket for August travel 17 June at 24.500THB whilst same date travel to BRU was 37.xxx.

Then late July I find this EY promotion to BRU on EY's website beginning 25 July to 31st March for 22.400 economy and 72.400 business, tickets to be bought before 15 Aug.

Thus I booked a business class ticket for November travel and tested my 9 Aug travel and sure I could have flown to BRU for 22.400 in stead of 24.500 to FRA, my bad luck.

Still the Thai business price ex BRU at 2180 euro is very good (it's around 100K THB ex BKK) but the 72.400 saves me a lot: 27.000 Baht is around 642 euro, wow and Thai B777/200 does not have fully flat beds.
I flew QR business BKK-CDG in their 160 degree seats and gliding down when you sleep is no fun.

For Next year though I will be watching prices even more closely and book the cheapest business class to BRU on QR, EY or TG, no EVA to AMS or Air Berlin to Dusseldorf at 1700 euro because they don't have real flat beds and the extra hassle to BRU by train. BTW, does QR now?

[regi]

Regi, could you elaborate? I guess I'm still a bit too young

TG transported a lot of Best Tours tourists.( Best Tours was in quantity the largest importer of tourists from Belgium to Thailand )
Best Tours was known to be the cheapest solution to visit Thailand. They had all in packages for 30,000 bfr ( +- 750 € ) for tickets, hotel + basic tour of Thailand ! ( and when you looked in the details, it was of course in low season, with a huge single surplus and other extra's to pay )
At the beginning it was with Tarom. Later - as Cathay stated - also with Sobelair. And you could chose for Thai . If I am not wrong, you could chose between a cheap airline and for a surplus by TG.

The reason why I dislike this personally is that when you pay a bit more than the average ticket price, you don't want to be treated as a package tour tourist. ( problem with some package tourists is that they have no experience with flying and that they behave a bit strange - probably as I did the first times I was flying )
But on the other hand, this personnal interpretation needs correction. I have always heard positive reactions from people who travelled by Best Tours to Thailand for the first time. The exotism started already at boarding when all the ladies received a pinned orchid.

I do understand that TG needs to earn money. And if this is to serve the package tourists, well, be it.

[Wohowbagger]

So I'm really going to Thailand this time. At last!
Time: 3 to 4 weeks between 1st July - 5th August. Budget: 800,- pp. 2 pax
I have a slight preference for S* partners, so that I can earn some miles.
just went to Joker, Connections and the Uniglobe stores in Leuven.
This is what they offered me.

Uniglobe
04/07 QR 942 BRU - DOH 1615 2355 A332
05/07 QR 616 DOH - BKK 0100 1145 B777
&
27/07 QR 611 BKK - DOH 0230 0510 B777
27/07 QR 941 DOH - BRU 0840 1445 A332

749,- pp

Joker
05/07 BA 397 BRU - LHR 1720 1730 A319
05/07 QF 3502 LHR - BKK 2205 1520 B744
&
26/07 QF 3501 BKK - LHR 0020 0625 B744
26/07 BA 392 LHR - BRU 0855 1105 A319

652,69- pp

03/07 SK 2590 BRU - CPH 2025 2200 MD81
03/07 SK 973 CPH - BKK 2250 1445 A343
&
24/07 SK 972 BKK - CPH 0025 0635 A343
24/07 SK 593 CPH - BRU 0815 0950 MD81

784,78- pp

Connections
They actually gave me no exact information (the lady seemed a bit tired). But they gave me some prices to go with:
QF: 683,- pp
QR: 717,- pp
OS: 761,- pp

Online
-640,- OS
-650,- QR
-700,- AY
-750,- SAS

The QF flights from Joker & Connections oblige me to take at least 2 hotelnights. But I was already planning to take 2 hotelnights, so that's no problem. If anyone got an idea for hotels (in Bangkok)...

So I'm seriously considering the SAS offer from Joker. I can earn my miles, and sit in the A343 2-4-2 config.

What would you guys do?

[Air Key West]

On the basis of the info that you've got, if you want to earn (Miles&More ?) miles, SK is probably the best option. Make sure you get a block of two seats for the both of you on the 2-4-2 configuration.

As for hotels in Bangkok, I don't know what you budget is, but try http://www.agoda.com. Beware of the announcement : Free cancellation, on many agoda rooms. "On many agoda rooms" does not mean on all agoda rooms. Always check the Booking Conditions (for cancellation conditions and possible penalties). Apart from that, I have always found Agoda a reliable hotel booking web site for rooms in Asia. No problems so far.

Have a good trip.

[tolipanebas]

On the basis of the info that you've got, if you want to earn (Miles&More ?) miles, SK is probably the best option.

I'd say OS... price is as good as unbeatable, they have a correct service AND they are M&M member?

[Wohowbagger]

On the basis of the info that you've got, if you want to earn (Miles&More ?) miles, SK is probably the best option.

I'd say OS... price is as good as unbeatable, they have a correct service AND they are M&M member?

won't I have more comfort on the A343 iso the B777?

[tolipanebas]

Seatpitch in economy is exactly the same on both SK and OS (32 inches), yet contrary to what you may think, the economy seats on SK's A343s are slightly narrower than on the OS 777 according to seatguru.com.
The difference is not dramatic, but noticable nevertheless (.8 inch or 1 cm).