Thailand OFF the UK red list

[billyhouston]

How was the flight ? Paying attention, I know you got there, so (i) The roof of CDG airport did not collapse again and (ii) Air France did not crash yet another plane (if it was Air France).

Air France are one of the few with a sensible Premium Economy option, except the transit time on the outboard flight LHR-CDG-BKK is unacceptable. Although, knowing Air France, they would probably crash the plane between LHR and CDG, so it could be irrelevant.

Also, if booking for less than 3 months, KLM-Air France seem to impose a 3 month maximum trip limit on some fares, so extending the stay at a later date looks problematic.

Wow! Where to start?

For those of us in the 'boonies' there are no direct flights to BKK. The viable stops for those flying in Premium Economy are, or were, CDG or FRA or HKG. You will notice that LHR is not in the list since, comparing it with the other options, it's a pit.... and a pita. Though the locals tell me that CDG is confusing, I don't find it so and enjoy the feeling of 'space' that it generates. Alas MAN-HKG-CNX is no longer possible due to the problems at Cathay. I rejected FRA since Lufthansa have unbundled their Prem. Econ. fares and want you to pay for a seat!

The flight MAN-CDG was pretty full and was followed by a 5 hour stopover at CDG. In the light of this, I availed myself of the AirFrance lounge for a fee. There, I could have eaten and drunk myself into oblivion, but I didn't and it served to pass the time. The 777 was the type with 381 seats, as oposed to the 468 seater they've used on the route for years. Until I flew with AirFrance I didn't know that you could fit 468 on a 777 but it's their Caribbean Layout as I recall. (For those who don't know, France has, quietly, managed to retain much of its empire by various means.) My flight had 40 passengers (the previous day it was 34) and only 3 in the PE cabin. I felt short-changed when, because there were only three of us, we were served the economy meals. Good to know how the other half live.

Arrival in Bangkok was pretty efficient by local standards and my voluminous paperwork was only checked by seven or eight different people. Having emerged from immigration and baggage claim the ASQ part really was efficient and you're soon on the way to your chosen place of incarceration.

It's a slog, made worse by quarantine.... but it's worth it when you get here. Whoopee.