Flight Fares Anomaly - Any Ideas?

Now here's a thing:

Very often on this forum we complain about Air fares.

Currently I can fly with Emirates from UK to BKK (return) for around ┬г600/$900

However, if I was to be flying the other way round (as I hope my BF will be if the long-awaited Visa comes through), its 57000B/┬г1200/$1800 (rough conversion) - i.e TWICE the price.

Looking at other Airlines, the actual amounts vary but the pattern is much the same - very much more expensive to originate your trip in SE Asia.
Almost unbelieveably Thai Air want 72,000B !! ┬г1500/$2200 !! Jeez!!
In my ignorance I'd kinda assumed it would be cheaper to originate a flight from SE Asia to UK than vice versa - what with all the Taxes they lump on to us.

So.....anybody got any ideas on how to source a cheaper fare from BKK to the UK? Anywhere in the UK would do but GLA is ideal.
Actually he'd be coming from HCMC Vietnam, but the options there are far fewer, so I reckoned HCMC > BKK followed by a separate flight to the UK.

Picking up a cheap one-way ticket from a BKK travel agent is NOT an option - guaranteed to get him refused entry - so it has to be a return.

:dontknow: :dontknow:

[lexusgs]

SG,

Try this 780 quid. There again it routes through Doha and Manchester but looks a decent deal as its from HCMC. He will enjoy Qatar's service too.

Click the link or Copy and Paste


http://www.cheaptickets.co.th/results/i ... 8181900365 (http://www.cheaptickets.co.th/results/index.jsp?s=16481203&tab=1&startItinId=0&cb=68181900365)


Website has a pretty tacky name but they are legit as I've just returned from Sydney back to BKK using them.

lexusgs, I could almost kiss you!

Bet you're glad I said "almost"

:ura1:

[Neal]

In my umteen thousand mile life I always found that these policies usually rule for a cheaper fare. That may have changed but I would doubt it and it is at least worth checking out.

Most airlines have a "hub". Airports where most or just about all thier flights originate out of. Try to originate out of there.
The cheaper flights used to be Tuesday through Thursday and if there are any night flights those again would be cheaper.
When needing connections, I always found that the longer the connection, rather than the quicker the connection but not more than 23 hours was again cheaper.

Example.
Back then you could take Continental which turned into Continental United to BKK in a round about way from Denver. I used to take Denver to New York where Denver was not the hub but Newark was. That was the most expensive leg because I was not starting from a hub. Then I took them over the top instead of around. Meaning Newark over the North Pole to Hong Kong without a change or stop.Then the third par which was lower was Hong Kong to Bangkok with Emiates. In that case Emirates originated out of Dubai and its main flight was to BKK but it had many customers that wanted Hong Kong. In order to fill up the BKK to Hong Kong and return they would sell those seats real cheap. You really have got to be a wiz at this!

[lexusgs]

Same dates with this lot have Emirates for 798 pounds. Given the option I would get him a ticket with Emirates. Less connections and confusion for him. :tongue3:


http://th.skyscanner.com/flights/sgn/gl ... -2012.html (http://th.skyscanner.com/flights/sgn/glas/121023/121127/airfares-from-ho-chi-minh-city-to-glasgow-in-october-2012-and-november-2012.html)

Thats a great price lexusgs - but I failed to give some pertinent info which is that initially (visa permitting) he will come here on a 6 month course, so I reckon he'd have to get a return ticket for no earlier than April/May 2013 in order to keep the record straight. When I input those dates the Emirates price goes up to ┬г975 which is still better than I could find.

Neal - thanks for your tips and I'll look into the hubs - sending him over the North Pole would be ideal preparation for the weather in Scotland :sign5:

[Brad the Impala]

Perhaps you should look at local travel agents(to the departure point), rather than international consolidators.

A quick google shows a variety of tickets for around 40,000 Baht including BA to Glasgow.

http://www.vegatravelbangkok.com/airticket/united-kingdom.html

http://www.chawlatravel.com/economyclass.html

And lots of ads in Bangkok Post.

[arsenal]

Try and get into the habit of checking flights daily. They go up and down, often on the same. But, when you see a price you like....book it immediately. Looking for cheaper flights on the internet is, in my experience usually rewarded. Europe is a cheap place to buy airline tickets from and continental Europe is cheaper than the UK.

[fountainhall]

Other possibilities around the same price range -

On the BA website, you can purchase BKK/LHR/GLA return for Bt. 43,775 (taxes included) departing Nov returning May.
Expedia.co.uk has SGN/GLA via Guangzhou and Amsterdam on China Southern and KLM for ┬г831 (inclusive).
The Air France/KLM site has return fares for the same period SGN/GLA via Paris and Amsterdam for US$1,590.90 (inclusive).

Re the fares offered in local ads, important to double-check that they include all the taxes etc.

Thanks to all who have responded with hints and tips - you've found far better fares than I could - and I'll definitely be looking for the best combination of price and uncomplicated transfers for him, should the Visa come off (should know within 10 days).

But aside from that specific situation, it still begs the question as to why it's 50-100% more expensive to fly BKK-UK-BKK than UK-BKK-UK. :dontknow: :dontknow:

[arsenal]

SG: It's more expensive for one reason. Millions more people want to fly to Bangkok from Britain than the other way around.

[Neal]

Could be airport fees of where the flight originates from and taxes are paid OR it could be because one direction on either your departure date or return date is much fuller. Some times by playing withe the departure or the return date by a few days can bring a fare way down because either the departure or return flight is still wide open ONE of the ways. Play with those Tuesday - Thursday dates and always avoid dates that would be departure or return dates that everyone maybe selecting from holidays or weekends!

[gaymandenmark]

Just one small recommendation, don't buy different tickets on different airlines, if your bf needs to change flight (stopover).
If he is late on the first flight, especially on a cheap ticket, he will probably have lost the next flight, and you have lost the money too. If on one ticket your bf will be taken care off. If on different ticket it is his own responsibility that he did not reached the next flight.
If possible, and flying intercontinental, I would always buy the trip on one ticket. In other words one PNR for the whole trip. It is also easyer as his luggage is probably checked-in all the way.
Even if the ticket is on one PNR, it is often possible to fly with different airlines.

[Neal]

Yes I fully agree. It is probably his first time on an airline and in an airport. Make sure the ticket is bought as either a childs ticket, not meaning fare but an escort needed or some sort of assistance. Sometimes it costs $25 - $50 extra but he will make every flight. No need if it is a direct flight or absolutely sure he can figure the change of planes in a strange airport.

[Brad the Impala]

But aside from that specific situation, it still begs the question as to why it's 50-100% more expensive to fly BKK-UK-BKK than UK-BKK-UK. :dontknow: :dontknow:


I think that the point, as shown by the cheaper quotes that others have come up with, is that it wasn't that much more expensive if you looked around, it's just where you were looking that was giving you that impression.

Yes Brad, some of the other quotes have reduced what was "double the fare" to only 40-50% extra - but there is still nowhere near parity - on Emirates its still just over ┬г600 GLA-BKK retn for the dates I need and ┬г900+ for the same dates going in the other direction. I realise that's just the way it is, but I can't help wondering why - if there's less demand East to West you'd think they'd drop prices to try to stimulate it.
I guess the Thai way of doing business - 50 customers in bar = beer 100B, 10 customers in a bar = beer 200B applies to air travel too :sign5:

I'll contine to play around with dates and routes, but I'm very grateful to everybody who has helped - I just hope UKBA make it necessary to BUY that ticket in the first place!

:party

[adman5000]

sent you a pm with a suggestion.

[danny99]

So.....anybody got any ideas on how to source a cheaper fare from BKK to the UK? Anywhere in the UK would do but GLA is ideal.
:

As a regular air traveller throughout Australasia and SE Asia I am both apalled at the top fares charged and amazed at the deals that are often offered, same legs same airlines. My general advice is to log on to all the airlines that operate between BKK, SIN and KL using their local website not the one that operates in the UK [with sg, th, etc] the same trip is often vastly different price depending on where you log in from [this even applies to booking hotel rooms with sites such as Agoda] ...subscribe to their emails and you will often be amazed at what you are offered [when their FFlyer membership is free, join you can not lose].

Example I just booked Bali-BKK-Bali with Thai [full service] @ $361 return for Christmas [a peak period], normal is $553, more if left late to book [the budget airlines are all MORE expensive, even without the add-ons, with NO service]. Also booked DPS-SYD=DPS for next march with Garuda [full service] for $530, having just had to pay $433 ONE way with Virgin from SYD-DPS with ZERO SERVICE flight from SYD-DPS 2 weeks ago.

Of course you have to be able to fly in the times offered but when booked far ahead they options are often many. QATAR often have very special deals as, surprisingly so do KLM from time to time [they fly through SIN]. Right now Thai has some wow prices but only up to end 2012, must book before Oct 31

http://www.thaiairways.com/offers/speci ... otions.htm (http://www.thaiairways.com/offers/special-fare-promotions/en/special-fare-promotions.htm)

London to Bangkok return Pounds 595!

They change all the time so if always notified you may be able to take advantage???? Never forget that whenever you go through an agent they are earning commission so if possible to do direct may be even cheaper....but read the fare conditions carefully! There is almost always a full service airline that is cheaper than any budget [when you do all the add-ons] but usually not at the minute you want it but easy if you can plan ahead and take advantage of what is offered.

[allieb]

Scotish Guy

Srilankan Air are quoting the cheapest fares from Saudi To BKK so I have just looked up London to BKK and vice versa.
They are quoting as low as 32,000 Baht Bkk Lon Bkk. They are also a good airline and for those of you in the UK going to BKK 605 pounds and they even allow a stopover at no extra cost in Columbo. Hotel not included

Thanks to all, but as it has turned out - my BF doesn't need the flight any more - see Global Forum topic " Visa Problems" - but I hope some others might find this discussion helpful.


:hello2: