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Posted 2009-07-17 09:42:27
 george, on 2009-07-16 08:40:20, said:
Thailand airfare war hots up
By John Le Fevre
BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Just a day after Thai Airways International (THAI) entered the discount airfare market with its "Fly THAI, get more" promotional fares designed to "put AirAsia's offering to shame," local carrier Bangkok Airways (BA) has fired back with its own "Flyer Pass" range of discounted air fares.
The THAI campaign sees the airline cutting it's fares by 20 percent below seasonal standard fares, with up to one-third of all seats on all THAI flights being sold at the promotional rate.
Pandit Chanapai, executive vice-president for THAI's commercial department said on Tuesday the airline hoped the campaign will help it fight back against the low-cost carriers and increase its flight load to 70 percent.
"We are telling the public there is another good option for buying air tickets and that we are ready to compete squarely with other airlines".
In direct response, privately owned BA responded on Wednesday with a series of "Flyer Pass's, priced between Bt9,000 and Bt29,000 (about $US264 to $US851) for a booklet of four flight tickets valid for one year.
The Flexi Pass-Fun package, priced at Bt9,000, is valid for all domestic routes flown by BA, while the mid priced Flyer Pass-Fusion covers domestic routes as well as flights from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh, or Phnom Penh.
The Flexi Pass-Fancy, priced at Bt19,500, can be used for domestic and international routes, including Bangkok to Siem Reap or Luang Prabang, or from Samui to Singapore, while the most expensive package, the Flyer Pass-Freedom, priced at Bt29,000, can be used on the Bangkok to Hiroshima or the Bangkok to Maldives sectors.
BAs senior sales director, Chonlada Chevathakorn, said the airline had prepared a total of 20,000 tickets across the four packages and expected them to be sold out within four months.
According to Chonlada, "in general Bangkok Airways does not give discounted fares to passengers during the high season for traveling, but we are doing so this year, to stimulate passenger numbers.
"The average air fare under the promotion is discounted by 20 per cent from normal prices," she said.
According to THAI, its entry into the discount airline market has been brought about by airlines continuing to undercut each other in a desperate bid to cope with a market marred by global recession and pandemic A(H1N1), which has seen the airlines' passenger numbers from east Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea tank by up to 20 percent.
The new THAI promotional fares will see an all-inclusive round-trip start at Bt2,810 for domestic routes, while regional flights start at Bt4,300.
Whereas the THAI promotional tickets must be purchased by July 31, and travel made before September 30, BAs Flyer Pass's are valid for travel between August 1 this year and July 31, 2010.
-- thaivisa.com 2009-07-16
Your reference to Bangkok Airways code as BA is misleading. Bangkok Airways is PG. Or do you just make up your own?
Posted 2009-07-17 13:59:17
williamslater, on 2009-07-17 11:42:27, said: george, on 2009-07-16 08:40:20, said: Thailand airfare war hots up
By John Le Fevre
BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Just a day after Thai Airways International (THAI) entered the discount airfare market with its "Fly THAI, get more" promotional fares designed to "put AirAsia's offering to shame," local carrier Bangkok Airways (BA) has fired back with its own "Flyer Pass" range of discounted air fares.
The THAI campaign sees the airline cutting it's fares by 20 percent below seasonal standard fares, with up to one-third of all seats on all THAI flights being sold at the promotional rate.
Pandit Chanapai, executive vice-president for THAI's commercial department said on Tuesday the airline hoped the campaign will help it fight back against the low-cost carriers and increase its flight load to 70 percent.
"We are telling the public there is another good option for buying air tickets and that we are ready to compete squarely with other airlines".
In direct response, privately owned BA responded on Wednesday with a series of "Flyer Pass's, priced between Bt9,000 and Bt29,000 (about $US264 to $US851) for a booklet of four flight tickets valid for one year.
The Flexi Pass-Fun package, priced at Bt9,000, is valid for all domestic routes flown by BA, while the mid priced Flyer Pass-Fusion covers domestic routes as well as flights from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh, or Phnom Penh.
The Flexi Pass-Fancy, priced at Bt19,500, can be used for domestic and international routes, including Bangkok to Siem Reap or Luang Prabang, or from Samui to Singapore, while the most expensive package, the Flyer Pass-Freedom, priced at Bt29,000, can be used on the Bangkok to Hiroshima or the Bangkok to Maldives sectors.
BAs senior sales director, Chonlada Chevathakorn, said the airline had prepared a total of 20,000 tickets across the four packages and expected them to be sold out within four months.
According to Chonlada, "in general Bangkok Airways does not give discounted fares to passengers during the high season for traveling, but we are doing so this year, to stimulate passenger numbers.
"The average air fare under the promotion is discounted by 20 per cent from normal prices," she said.
According to THAI, its entry into the discount airline market has been brought about by airlines continuing to undercut each other in a desperate bid to cope with a market marred by global recession and pandemic A(H1N1), which has seen the airlines' passenger numbers from east Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea tank by up to 20 percent.
The new THAI promotional fares will see an all-inclusive round-trip start at Bt2,810 for domestic routes, while regional flights start at Bt4,300.
Whereas the THAI promotional tickets must be purchased by July 31, and travel made before September 30, BAs Flyer Pass's are valid for travel between August 1 this year and July 31, 2010.
-- thaivisa.com 2009-07-16
Your reference to Bangkok Airways code as BA is misleading. Bangkok Airways is PG. Or do you just make up your own?
Didn't mislead me in the slightest.
In fact BA is clearly used as an abbreviation of Bangkok Airways. Following your own logic, would you be mislead that THAI is the code for Thai International?
Edited by jackspratt, 2009-07-17 14:26:11.
Posted 2009-07-17 14:48:39
Thai Airways
IATA-Code: TG
ICAO-Code: THA
Bangkok Airways
IATA-Code: PG
ICAO-Code: BKP
Posted 2009-07-17 14:51:09
williamslater, on 2009-07-17 09:42:27, said: george, on 2009-07-16 08:40:20, said: Thailand airfare war hots up
By John Le Fevre
BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Just a day after Thai Airways International (THAI) entered the discount airfare market with its "Fly THAI, get more" promotional fares designed to "put AirAsia's offering to shame," local carrier Bangkok Airways (BA) has fired back with its own "Flyer Pass" range of discounted air fares.
The THAI campaign sees the airline cutting it's fares by 20 percent below seasonal standard fares, with up to one-third of all seats on all THAI flights being sold at the promotional rate.
Pandit Chanapai, executive vice-president for THAI's commercial department said on Tuesday the airline hoped the campaign will help it fight back against the low-cost carriers and increase its flight load to 70 percent.
"We are telling the public there is another good option for buying air tickets and that we are ready to compete squarely with other airlines".
In direct response, privately owned BA responded on Wednesday with a series of "Flyer Pass's, priced between Bt9,000 and Bt29,000 (about $US264 to $US851) for a booklet of four flight tickets valid for one year.
The Flexi Pass-Fun package, priced at Bt9,000, is valid for all domestic routes flown by BA, while the mid priced Flyer Pass-Fusion covers domestic routes as well as flights from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh, or Phnom Penh.
The Flexi Pass-Fancy, priced at Bt19,500, can be used for domestic and international routes, including Bangkok to Siem Reap or Luang Prabang, or from Samui to Singapore, while the most expensive package, the Flyer Pass-Freedom, priced at Bt29,000, can be used on the Bangkok to Hiroshima or the Bangkok to Maldives sectors.
BAs senior sales director, Chonlada Chevathakorn, said the airline had prepared a total of 20,000 tickets across the four packages and expected them to be sold out within four months.
According to Chonlada, "in general Bangkok Airways does not give discounted fares to passengers during the high season for traveling, but we are doing so this year, to stimulate passenger numbers.
"The average air fare under the promotion is discounted by 20 per cent from normal prices," she said.
According to THAI, its entry into the discount airline market has been brought about by airlines continuing to undercut each other in a desperate bid to cope with a market marred by global recession and pandemic A(H1N1), which has seen the airlines' passenger numbers from east Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea tank by up to 20 percent.
The new THAI promotional fares will see an all-inclusive round-trip start at Bt2,810 for domestic routes, while regional flights start at Bt4,300.
Whereas the THAI promotional tickets must be purchased by July 31, and travel made before September 30, BAs Flyer Pass's are valid for travel between August 1 this year and July 31, 2010.
-- thaivisa.com 2009-07-16
Your reference to Bangkok Airways code as BA is misleading. Bangkok Airways is PG. Or do you just make up your own?
He was not listing flight numbers like Bangkok Air flight PG192.
But clearly saying BA is an abbreviation for Bangkok Air.
So not misleading.
Posted 2009-07-17 22:04:29
How about if those replying and making general comments NOT quote the ENTIRE original post in this thread every time??? That would be even better!!!!
Posted 2009-07-17 22:17:01
jfchandler, on 2009-07-17 23:04:29, said: How about if those replying and making general comments NOT quote the ENTIRE original post in this thread every time??? That would be even better!!!!
Have to agree that would be better.
But i am guilty of that also.
Posted 2009-07-17 23:56:45
barry, on 2009-07-16 12:03:47, said: forgive my ignorance
but just how does ThaiAir stay in business?
Beats me.
On the Ubon to BKK run Air Asia always seems to be half the price of Thai Airways, yet the 3 daily Thai Airways flights are very full and the AA flight is nearly always less than half full. Something doesn't gel - there must be some very cheap deals that go to Thais only (tell me how and my Thai wife can at least fly cheaper with Thai Airways), or large public employers are being forced to use the government carrier at any price, or the Thai website is comparatively and massively more user-friendly to Thais than is AA (a reverse of the comparison of webistes in their English language form).
If you have to use Thai Airways then do phone in for a price as well as checking the website price. On 2 occasions I have been quoted a price and bought a flight that is significantly lower on the phone than the supposed promotional fare on their web-site! What a crazy way to run a business!?
Posted 2009-07-18 00:12:38
animatic, on 2009-07-16 10:57:08, said: Show me the 'COST OF THE TRIP'; end of story.
Yeah there should be a law for that, really, truth in advertising and all that. NokAir has BHT 300 tickets that rise to 2000 when it's all said and done. AirAsia has gotten a lot better, they now have all inclusive prices, although they still exclude the airport taxes.
Anyway, I am not going to hunt for those deals on TA website - if they want to offer it, offer it to all. If not, fine, I am comparing prices of all carriers and might just choose somebody else....
Posted 2009-07-18 12:11:34
Went to the Bangkok Air office in Chaweng yesterday to get more information about their new promotion. The most important factoid was in the printout on it that they gave me. The Flyer Pass Fun option for 9,000 baht does NOT include the Bangkok/Samui routing. For those flights you need the 12,900 baht Flyer Pass Fusion option. Note that the Fusion otion does also include Chiang Mai/Samui routing as one flight. Both the reservationist on the phone two days ago and the helpful counter clerk at their office misstated this point in response to a direct question about it. Other points:
Not a coupon book, your name is part of it and there is a fee to change the name.
Not all seats on the plane are in this fare class, only a set (or maybe flexible according to demand) amount
Not handled by regular reservationists (at least for now), on line or at convention events to buy and booked by only certain agents (I guess by phone)
On the good side:
No surcharge or tax (at least in Thailand on the tax)
Can be bought for another person
Usable until July 31, 2010
3 date changes allowed before a fee is charged 
Posted 2009-07-18 12:28:06
Thanks for the info, Island Guy....
Here's one pretty important question/detail....
Since each pass is 4 one-way tickets, can a couple (two people) share that single pass for a pair of round-trips together???
Or...
Does the same single individual (named purchaser) need to use all 4 tickets him or herself.... and then any accompanying wife or spouse would have to buy a second pass???
Posted 2009-07-18 18:22:08
animatic, on 2009-07-16 10:57:08, said: T. A. 2100 to Samui,
but NOT including all the added taxes and shite,
add that in and it's the same fare... 2,700-2,800 baht
For me I want to see the Bottom line price not some partial number,
and when you pay it jumps apreciably...
Show me the 'COST OF THE TRIP'; end of story.
B.A. shows posters with Samui-Pattaya 1,333Baht,
I am sitting next to the poster, there is one flight a day.
Only price I get charges is 2,800baht... bait and switch B.S.
toke a flight with air asia last month BKK to Phuket, 2400 all including. Promotion prices are only to some destinations where no tourist like to go, like somwhere in Isaan. But Phuket and Samui it's about the same or maybe a little bit higher.
Posted 2009-07-18 18:23:42
animatic, on 2009-07-16 10:57:08, said: T. A. 2100 to Samui,
but NOT including all the added taxes and shite,
add that in and it's the same fare... 2,700-2,800 baht
For me I want to see the Bottom line price not some partial number,
and when you pay it jumps apreciably...
Show me the 'COST OF THE TRIP'; end of story.
B.A. shows posters with Samui-Pattaya 1,333Baht,
I am sitting next to the poster, there is one flight a day.
Only price I get charges is 2,800baht... bait and switch B.S.
toke a flight with air asia last month BKK to Phuket, 2400 all including. Promotion prices are only to some destinations where no tourist like to go, like somwhere in Isaan. But Phuket and Samui it's about the same or maybe a little bit higher.
Posted 2009-07-19 18:43:09
Posted 2009-07-19 19:58:37
Great price on AirAsia, Jiu..... Just hope, there's still folks living there and enjoying in Phuket by the time you arrive... 
Posted 2009-07-19 22:01:10
stingray, on 2009-07-18 19:22:08, said: animatic, on 2009-07-16 10:57:08, said: T. A. 2100 to Samui,
but NOT including all the added taxes and shite,
add that in and it's the same fare... 2,700-2,800 baht
For me I want to see the Bottom line price not some partial number,
and when you pay it jumps apreciably...
Show me the 'COST OF THE TRIP'; end of story.
B.A. shows posters with Samui-Pattaya 1,333Baht,
I am sitting next to the poster, there is one flight a day.
Only price I get charges is 2,800baht... bait and switch B.S.
toke a flight with air asia last month BKK to Phuket, 2400 all including. Promotion prices are only to some destinations where no tourist like to go, like somwhere in Isaan. But Phuket and Samui it's about the same or maybe a little bit higher.
 Can you really "toke" a flight on Air Asia ? I can leave my Valium behind. Thank you folks for all the tips and good info about air travel in SE Asia. I have a direct question I want to check out the Philippines soon. Cebu, Subic and Palawan. I would like to avoid Manila, getting too old for the fast lane.
Any suggestions about time of year, airlines, hotels or quest houses. Thanks
Chok dee
Posted 2009-07-20 00:04:34
jfchandler, on 2009-07-19 20:58:37, said: Great price on AirAsia, Jiu..... Just hope, there's still folks living there and enjoying in Phuket by the time you arrive...
Have little intention of actually going  Bought it just in case I felt like it...
Posted 2009-07-20 00:25:10
I don't know if I should love him or hate him.
Without him, there's no ThaiAirAsia.
Posted 2009-07-21 21:14:48
Recently bought tix from Phuket - Bangkok for THB 1100.
But the flight from Bangkok to
Koh Samui was very expensive by comparison THB 2400 approx.
On line booking and membership to Bangkok air club.
No rhyme or reason to the flight prices - except to say the most popular
flights may be reduced or priced to the passenger volume.
Posted 2009-07-21 22:16:42
uts, on 2009-07-21 21:14:48, said: Recently bought tix from Phuket - Bangkok for THB 1100.
But the flight from Bangkok to
Koh Samui was very expensive by comparison THB 2400 approx.
On line booking and membership to Bangkok air club.
No rhyme or reason to the flight prices - except to say the most popular
flights may be reduced or priced to the passenger volume.
Bangkok Air built one airport and the blew it off and built a second on Samui.
Fine they have won design awards, but they expect everyone top pay
for their building program in the short run, not long term.
They have a monopoly and don't care what we think.
Add to that they don't respect the RESIDENTS who drive their own cars.
It is ALL geared toward moving tourists to hotels and back.
If you drive your own car, it must be parked at one end,
and then if you return on late flights you must cart your stuff 1/2 km away
to arrivals parking... because the guy driving the sometimes available golf cart
HAS GONE HOME.
This i find insulting to those who live and work on the island and travel regularly
to Bangkok, more regularly than ANY tourists. We usually come back with more
than we left with too, so either comback on a 4,500 baht flight,
to get 30 minute wait for a golf cart, or be prepared to walk a long way.
I have a Samui Residents Card / Bonus Club etc.
It typically costs more because it doesn't work on promotion flights,
only works on flights so damned expensive, that you avoid them if you can.
Phuket is a farther distance flight to Bangkok, but typically cost 800+ baht less.
But BA didn't have to build the Phuket airport.
Posted 2009-07-21 23:27:42
bkk to hang kong
thai int 11855
emirates 10500
cathay 8745
airasia 8027
Looks like thai air are as successful at price wars as they are with everything else
Posted 2009-07-22 11:42:42
jfchandler, on 2009-07-18 12:28:06, said: Thanks for the info, Island Guy....
Here's one pretty important question/detail....
Since each pass is 4 one-way tickets, can a couple (two people) share that single pass for a pair of round-trips together???
Or...
Does the same single individual (named purchaser) need to use all 4 tickets him or herself.... and then any accompanying wife or spouse would have to buy a second pass???
Hi. Just called them and to my surprise they said (and they went to a supervisor to double check) that the named person could book for two people and that yes, you could buy one book and fly round trip with your partner. This wasn't how I understood the explanation in the Chaweng office, but they were just finding out details themselves. Also, I was able to, again, call in to extend a payment deadline on a web promotion fare booked online. Quite convenient but not something you would see reading the conditions of the fare online.
For other readers, and as someone who has a bad habit of venting when cranky myself, the agents I talked to were quite polite and helpful (although not as well briefed as they could have been). I have never had a BKK Air staff member be otherwise with me. This is certainly one of the best things about the airline. As a former travel industry worker I can tell you that the people you talk to don't have any control over pricing and other policies and deserve to be treated with equal politeness. And doing otherwise doesn't help your position one bit in tryng to get them to do something extra in your favor. If you are really steaming at least wait until you can get a supervisor. 
Posted 2009-07-22 12:07:54
Thanks for the answer, IslandGuy... I'm sure that news is useful for anyone considering buying one of their passes... Cheers...
Posted 2009-07-22 21:40:43
ozfarang81, on 2009-07-16 14:31:53, said: How quickly this has become YET another lets bash Thai Airways thread.
............ But stop the moaning, whinging and complainaing here as if Thai Airways personally owes YOU something!
I thought we were simply reporting. As consumers. NOT being duped by a so called promotion and lame proclamation to actually compete in the marketplace. Just calling them on their bs. They owe it too themselves and their employees to stay in business. They owe me nothing. I'll vote with my purchase.
Posted 2009-07-25 08:18:05
captnhoy, on 2009-07-23 00:40:43, said: ozfarang81, on 2009-07-16 14:31:53, said: How quickly this has become YET another lets bash Thai Airways thread.
............ But stop the moaning, whinging and complainaing here as if Thai Airways personally owes YOU something!
I thought we were simply reporting. As consumers. NOT being duped by a so called promotion and lame proclamation to actually compete in the marketplace. Just calling them on their bs. They owe it too themselves and their employees to stay in business. They owe me nothing. I'll vote with my purchase.
They are doing fine, made a US$ 232,000,000 profit in first quarter of this year. Load factor of 70% around the network in the first half of the year. Doing quite well in comparison to carriers around the world. I'm sure they don't need to be told by a few TV.com posters how to price their fares. Prior to last years disastrous result they were doing fine too.
Posted 2009-07-25 09:50:48
Anyone know what this Thai Airways International-TG is about?
The fights appear to take twice as long as the main website. (2 hours fight time versus 1 hour)
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