Flights, prices, Rewards & Aircrafts.

[Thaihot]

I was looking at a trip for May/June/July time 2011 during the week & I released just how much of a Flight/Airline Addict I am.

 

Emirates came up with Netflights.com at £600 with great connection times in Dubai & two flights on the Aircraft of the moment the Airbus A380 Double Decker.

Perfect flight times & great ticket conditions thus having a 12 month ticket validity & only £75 to change the ticket any time for 12 months.

 

Thai Airways Direct on there own site came up at £850 & this was £75 to change the dates & a 3 month validity period to use the ticket.

I am also a member of the ROP scheme where I collect miles & claim upgrades & free Business class flights almost every year.

So my miles & points on my loyalty card are always taken in to account as the rewards can be fantastic & I am a Gold card holder with Thai who are part of the Star Alliance.

 

Singapore Airlines on there site came up at £1100 as we all know this airline is never cheap but do offer me 2 things one being 2 long flights on the Airbus A380 & great service may be the best of any Airline.

As well as loads of Air miles on my Gold card as they are also part of the Star Alliance.

Nearly 4000 extra than the Thai flight.

 

Now then I like the price of the Emirates flight but not the change as Direct is my preference.

 

Thai is direct great flight times & my favourite for one reason & another.

 

Singapore Airlines is great & gives me the experience of a great economy seat all the way from London Heathrow to Singapore & less than 2 hours of to Bangkok.

I would also get a great chance to shoot some photo's of the Aircraft & the seating, facilities. I am sure any of you who have viewed my posts will know I do love a pic.

The Air miles would boost my account & put me on line to retain Gold so this would give me in 2012 one free Business class flight to Thailand with Thai Airways as well as a free up grade so I would pay for a economy ticket & be up graded for free to Business class for a return flight, this would be any where the flight booked travels.

This Singapore flight means I have to fly on 2 aircraft to get to Bangkok & it is bloody expensive.

 

Well I will work it out with my calculator & see how the budget is nearer the time fairly soon but have any of you guys been in this dilemma ??????

 

Flight, Price, Aircraft, Points on Loyalty schemes & all that Flight Addict stuff ??????

 

I know I am a TROLL at times but my Addiction to flights & all that stuff is out of control & makes me a Flight Desk Pot.

 

Boar & a Anorak.

 

 

:Hate_Computer: :Hate_Computer:

 

 

 

:Club_fight1: :Club_fight1:

 

 

:Flying: :Flying: :Flying:

[Thaihot]

[Thaihot]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Reaper_gfx]

not really been in that dilemma.

 

so long as the flight gets me from A to B without crashing or breaking down inbetween and is cheap enough not to damage my funds then it will suffice

[Thaihot]

[Thaihot]

[Thaihot]

[DJW]

Of the 3 options isn't the thai air the one? maybe my vision is clouded by the mention of a free flight with your Star Alliance points

Edited May 1, 2011 by DJW

[Thaihot]

Of the 3 options isn't the thai air the one? maybe my vision is clouded by the mention of a free flight with your Star Alliance points

 

Good point mate.

 

That said I do love to fly on the Airbus A380.

[Fred11]

Thaiair is obviously the choice for you. Though I do understand your affliction for points and service; even though I can fly directly from OZ to BKK with Thai (10hrs), I prefer Singapore Airlines OZ-SIN-BKK (2hr stop-over in Singapore) as the service is outstanding and here in OZ they sell their tickets online at the wholesale price.

 

 

Based upon your dates I’ll be arriving after you depart.....perhaps one day our paths will cross.

 

 

[DaffyDuck]

That said I do love to fly on the Airbus A380.

 

The Boeing 747 has been and will always remain my favorite airplane -- there are so many reasons for it, from the motivations of the original engineers to build "a plane that will never crash" (and they did), to the fact that it was the one plane that seriously opened up the world to all kinds of passengers, and simply that I find it to be like a favorite jacket, comfortable, familiar and just plain awesome.

 

That said, I very much doubt that I will look forward to the Boeing Dreamliner with the same excitement - Boeing is no longer the company they were 40 years ago, sadly. Both Boeing and Airbus are no longer driven by engineering pride and excellence, but rather by profit, efforts to minimize costs, and to rush their respective products first to market (obviously Airbus won that race).

 

I don't trust the Dreamliner's plastic composite fuselage for numerous reasons; the A380, form what I understand, still uses aluminium and combined composite layered materials (the famous GLARE material), making for a safer aircraft (albeit not as light and fuel efficient as the Dreamliner);

 

In the long and short, I will probably prefer the Dreamliner, and try to avoid the Boeing 787, at least for several years, if possible -- and during that time, I will continue to attempt to aim for being on 747s.

 

Sorry for going off on a tangent.

 

For ThaiHot - check out hipmunk.com for booking flights. Very smart user interface.

[Gone with the wind]

This is the way to travel...although they are getting rid of them on the Mel - Sin legs cause they are always empty.

SQ A380 Suites

Edited May 2, 2011 by The Big Lebowski

[LRanger]

Use Quicktrip.com to look up all scheduled flights from A to B. Really you need to look at the least number of connections, ideally a direct flight, as connections are what fks up the trip if planes are late etc. Then the lowest price. Premiums for extra leg room seats such as exits seem to be worth the money in economy.

[Thaihot]

Thaiair is obviously the choice for you. Though I do understand your affliction for points and service; even though I can fly directly from OZ to BKK with Thai (10hrs), I prefer Singapore Airlines OZ-SIN-BKK (2hr stop-over in Singapore) as the service is outstanding and here in OZ they sell their tickets online at the wholesale price.

 

 

Based upon your dates I’ll be arriving after you depart.....perhaps one day our paths will cross.

 

Thanks for your input Fred.

 

I could have a ticket that would be much cheaper with both Thai Airways & Singapore Airlines but then no points on my Gold card ROP/Star Alliance.

 

SA would also allow me to shoot some photos of the A380 & a economy seat on the upper deck with them darling Trolly Dollies giving me excellent service & a few nice pics.

[Thaihot]

The Boeing 747 has been and will always remain my favorite airplane -- there are so many reasons for it, from the motivations of the original engineers to build "a plane that will never crash" (and they did), to the fact that it was the one plane that seriously opened up the world to all kinds of passengers, and simply that I find it to be like a favorite jacket, comfortable, familiar and just plain awesome.

 

That said, I very much doubt that I will look forward to the Boeing Dreamliner with the same excitement - Boeing is no longer the company they were 40 years ago, sadly. Both Boeing and Airbus are no longer driven by engineering pride and excellence, but rather by profit, efforts to minimize costs, and to rush their respective products first to market (obviously Airbus won that race).

 

I don't trust the Dreamliner's plastic composite fuselage for numerous reasons; the A380, form what I understand, still uses aluminium and combined composite layered materials (the famous GLARE material), making for a safer aircraft (albeit not as light and fuel efficient as the Dreamliner);

 

In the long and short, I will probably prefer the Dreamliner, and try to avoid the Boeing 787, at least for several years, if possible -- and during that time, I will continue to attempt to aim for being on 747s.

 

Sorry for going off on a tangent.

 

For ThaiHot - check out hipmunk.com for booking flights. Very smart user interface.

 

 

Thanks for you input.

 

tangent ?????? No mate a flight & Aircraft fan can always have a word on my threads.

 

Like you I love the 747 & it has been a icon & I have been flying in them for nearly 4 decades.

 

The hole World is guilty of looking for fast profits & not seeing the bigger picture.

 

Thanks for the hipmunk.com advice also.

[Thaihot]

This is the way to travel...although they are getting rid of them on the Mel - Sin legs cause they are always empty.

SQ A380 Suites

 

Agree but only if I win the Euro lottery, how bloody much ??????

 

Economy is expensive for me.

 

Thanks for your input.

[Gone with the wind]

Agree but only if I win the Euro lottery, how bloody much ??????

 

Economy is expensive for me.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Lol, agree mate. Never flown that class, but work at an airport and was able to board and have a poke around. Very nice.

Spoke to the crew and said that on the Sin - Mel leg there were only 2 pax and on the Mel - Sin return there would be no one, so they are going to replace it with biz seating.

[tenedave]

As i have yet to fly on the A380 yet, I cannot say which i prefer 747 or A380. My only concern is that if you fly in on a A380 that is alot of people off one airplane at customs and if like happened to a friend of mine in Feb Another A380 turns up at the same time, It mean't along wait in customs. just my thoughts.

Be Well Dave

[Thaihot]

Good point but as dozens of 747's land at certain times in block its not the Immigration that will make it extra slow but getting of the Aircraft as the A380 is a big bird.

[GoldCoastJon]

Im also a bit of a flight whore and i certainly believe a good deal of the holiday starts with the anticipation and the flight over. I really don't fly enough to make the most of any FF scheme as I'll usually book the cheapest fare. I've been lucky to get upgraded on my last trip with Air Asia to their premium economy service, think almost flat bed seat but with a more economy style service. My next trip in July i'll be trying out Jetstars Starclass service, again a more premium economy service rather than a full blown business class.

 

Like others my favourite plane is the 747 and i've been fortunate to fly on the upper deck a few occasions and also near the nose on one occasion. I dont mind the airbus A330 but my preference will always be the 747

 

Cheers

Jon

[hammerman]

Did LHR-SIN-BKK return 18months ago with Singapore Airlines, A380 to Singapore and back for the same reasons, wanted to fly the A380.

 

Researched it a lot and decided to pay the $50 per sector for the extra legroom seats on the top deck, recommend it, especially on the night flight home, if you can get any seat on Row 71 just behind the business section, IMHO probably the best economy seat anywhere, coupled with the best service and a top transit airport in Changhi and would fly the route again but not for their current prices. Only paid £340.00 plus the extra legroom seats.

 

Now I have done it I am more inclined to go direct.

[Thaihot]

Did LHR-SIN-BKK return 18months ago with Singapore Airlines, A380 to Singapore and back for the same reasons, wanted to fly the A380.

 

Researched it a lot and decided to pay the $50 per sector for the extra legroom seats on the top deck, recommend it, especially on the night flight home, if you can get any seat on Row 71 just behind the business section, IMHO probably the best economy seat anywhere, coupled with the best service and a top transit airport in Changhi and would fly the route again but not for their current prices. Only paid £340.00 plus the extra legroom seats.

 

Now I have done it I am more inclined to go direct.

 

 

That was bloody cheap ?????

[Thaihot]

Use Quicktrip.com to look up all scheduled flights from A to B. Really you need to look at the least number of connections, ideally a direct flight, as connections are what fks up the trip if planes are late etc. Then the lowest price. Premiums for extra leg room seats such as exits seem to be worth the money in economy.

 

 

Thanks for the advice & help.

[Thaihot]

Lets have some nice pics here in this thread.

 

This will be a great day & I hope to be on this flight just as soon as Thai Airways get the A380 & fly it on there London- Bangkok route.

 

 

[Thaihot]

Love to see this out of the Aircraft window when I arrive at Bangkok Airport.

 

I know I have arrived.