CheshireTom

Jacko, The Swiss/Thai flights are one stop via Zurich and are currently the shortest travelling time from MAN to BKK. I booked them ex UK through gold Medal Travel (Airline Network?) in Preston. The Thai flights are easy to spot as they have 4 digits after the LX prefix. I'll have a dig around and see what prices/timings I can come up with ex BKK. SQ is daily non-stop to MAN from Changi on a 777-200ER. I've never used their biz class but the economy class on that particular aircraft is the best I have "endured" by a long way. Qatar has a deal at the moment for DOH-LON using 50% miles so I've booked that in biz class for next month. It will leave me with 4 miles in my account and then I think I'll switch to SQ. Edit in ....... these are the flight numbers/timings ..... Outbound flight: Bangkok - Manchester via Zurich 00:30 BKK - 07:35 ZRH LX 4301*Business 12:10 ZRH - 13:05 MAN LX 394 Return flight: Manchester - Bangkok via Zurich 08:40 MAN - 11:45 ZRH LX 391Business 13:30 ZRH - 05:30 +1 BKK LX 4300*

Unfortunately, that's the way they work. Just consider the following nonsense from our favourite rag in Seattle ........... no mention at all about free markets. Just, let's pour in over 100 bn USD to safeguard American jobs. Here are just a few reasons why the KC-767AT is the best plane to help support our troops and fly missions both at home and abroad. First and foremost, it just makes sense for the U.S. Air Force to use an American plane. The idea of outsourcing a $40 billion U.S. military aircraft program to the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), Airbus' parent company, based in France, makes neither national-security nor economic sense. Why hand over some of our most valuable technology to Europe when we should be protecting it and our industrial base here at home? Then there is the matter of experience. Generations of Boeing engineers, technicians and machinists have worked on military programs. It's part of our heritage and some would even say part of our DNA. We have designed and built 1,000 commercial 767s and nearly 2,000 tankers, and are currently working to deliver four KC-767s to Italy and four to Japan. That's in stark contrast to Airbus, which has never built or flown a tanker and whose KC-30 tanker is years behind the Boeing tanker. Funnily enough, France has the exact same Boeing tankers as the US, whilst Germany and Canada have had EADS tankers in service for years ............ As for the KC30 being years behind the 767 ........ the British, Saudi, UAE and Australian Air Forces would tend to disagree.

If you are playing one of the courses around Sriracha then a relaxing afternoon at Galaxy, Bang Saen is hard to beat.

Any guys thinking of booking Qatar should be aware that they are operating an old, leased aircraft (A340-300) on the DOH-BKK-DOH routes. The seating, IFE and service on this one particular aircraft are well below what you would experience on their normal A330-300/A340-600 aircraft to LHR and MAN. The affected flights are QR612 (DOH-BKK - 2030/0650) and QR613 (BKK-DOH - 0750/1125). All other Bangkok flights are operated on the newer A330-300 aircraft with their recently introduced upgraded service. The only upside is if you are travelling biz class as the first two rows are in a 2-1-2 First Class configuration. Guys travelling from MAN should also note that Qatar will change their schedule from the end of March. Although there are still daily departures, there will only be 4 weekly lunchtime departures that will connect directly onto BKK. The other three days will involve a stopover of 7 hours plus.

BigD, Just remind us exactly how far behind schedule Boeing is with its tanker. What is interesting is that the US excludes its so-called allies from bidding for such defense contracts. Did somebody mention a level playing field?

"The two executives were placed on Special Assignment ........" I hope they had a a top secret, cryptographic, special intelligence, electronic intelligence and code word clearance for their special assignment.

So they have transferred a load of guys who are running years late in gaining certification for their replacement tanker over to the 787 programme. And promoted them?

Why do you assume that those to whom you refer to as LDOP didn't start to save at an early age? Is there some sort of corellation between the two? Anyway, it's a bit rich likening yourself to eneukman whom, I believe, retired to LOS in his early fifties and owns a property here.

The "problem" for the mid-east airlines is that they are able to fill their flights from the mid-east to BKK with higher paying local travellers. Quite simply, their capacity cannot keep up with the demand, hence they have no reason to discount heavily on the route any more. Bearing in mind that five years ago Emirates was routinely priced at 480 quid and we have since had a tax increase and fuel surcharges going through the roof it shouldn't be a surprise that prices would start firming somewhere along the line. For those desperate for the cheapest price it may be worth holding back to see what AirAsiaX come up with for their promised UK-KL route(s).

Alan, Perhaps he is referring to Government employee pension schemes.

C'mon. You should know all the best spies went to Cambridge ........... Burgess, Philby, Mclean, Blunt. Maybe BigD was just brushing up on some tradecraft .............

Nasty? Oh, I see. It was just another Walter Mitty response by you ........ imagining that the airline would be starting a JFK-SIN A380 service without any basis of fact. Pretty much like the majority of your posts on the subject.

And I'm glad to see that the A380 isn't the only overweight, ugly behemoth that's unashamedly subsidised by the hard-working taxpayer.

When is that likely to happen? They can't fill the current 747 on the route.

Now, admit it .............. you'll be out to have a look, won't you SIA to fly A380 to London from 18 March By Nicholas Ionides Singapore Airlines (SIA) has set 18 March as the date for the introduction of Airbus A380 services on the Singapore-London Heathrow route. The Star Alliance carrier currently only operates the aircraft between Singapore and Sydney but says it will be able to offer daily services between Singapore and London Heathrow once its third A380 is delivered. SIA recently took delivery of its second A380 and says its third is due to be delivered by Airbus by the middle of March.

'nuff said ................

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I'm not sure that the Sabai hotels have in-room wi-fi ........ could be wrong though. A decent alternative is the BJ Holiday Lodge ................... http://www.bjpattaya.com/

The hotel is owned by the son and daughter-in-law (Chris and Supaporn) of the guy behind the Sabai Group. The same couple manage the Sabai Inn and Kumm Punn pub next door.

friendlyric, You probably had the right place. The airport at Ranong has only had Air Asia services for the last 10 weeks or so. I'm not aware of any other airline that flies there.

And Icarus ...........

Well, it looks like BigD has put his foot in it again ...................... "American ingenuity and manufacturing prowess comes to the fore .................... the Dreamliner rolls out ahead of schedule with the engines attached." Unfortunately, 6 months later this is what they have got ............ no engines, no avionics and no delivery date .....

Gonzo, Thanks again for the info. I've developed an affinity for Bang Saen over the years. A great place for 5 days of the week but can get a bit overdone at the weekends with the Bangkok crowd. However, it has nice beaches and easy access to Sri Racha, Pattaya and Chonburi City as well as both the motorway and skyway to Bangkok and beyond. Throw in some of the best seafood restaurants in the region, (and Galaxy nightclub), the proximity of some of the better golf courses and the place has a lot going for it if you don't feel the need to be in the middle of the action 24/7 in Pattaya.