Eva Air Deluxe or Thai Air Economy

[Badtz 0]

Hey Guys,

Well I have been planning my trip for ages it seems. I am finally ready to make my cherry trip to LOS and am at the point where I am going to buy my ticket. Hopefully tommorow or the next day. I have researched this to within an inch of my life and I have two options that look good to me. I need help deciding which flight to take.

 

1) Eva Evergreen Deluxe (Orlando-JFK(New York)-TaiPai(Taiwan)-BKK) Around:$1200

Pluses:

• Business Class Seat
  
• Easy to change return flights with EVA
  

Minuses:

• 3 flight legs with a 1 hour lay-over in Seattle as well. So maybe 4 flight legs
  
• Return flight gets me to Newark NJ at 12am at night with NO possible connecting flights to Florida. Will have to find some other routing back or spend the night in the airport.
  
• Routing back through Los Angeles or San Fransico could be 4 or 5 flight legs= LONG flight
  
• Possible inabilty to get ANY seats from Bangkok to Taipai on return leg
  

or

 

2) Thai Airways ( Orlando-JFK(New York)-BKK) Around $1500

Pluses:

• Direct Flight from New York to Bangkok
   
  
• Easy connections for me..
  
• Two flight legs total from Florida
  

Minuses:

• 17.5 hour flight from NYC to BKK
  
• Economy seat
  
• Unsure of return flight change rules
  

Edited October 11, 2005 by Badtz

[BigKev 0]

Badtz,

 

I've done both flights but live in Connecticut so I just get a ride to JFK(Thai) or EWR(EVA). Big notice to you if you do not realize it EVA flys out of Newark(EWR) not JFK. I mention this because I am not sure how you are booking your Orlando leg and would hate to see you land in JFK thinking you can hop on the EVA flight there. That being said - I would definitely take the EVA route (this will be my 7th trip with them) and am doing so again in Nov. However, I do not have the overnight in NJ to contend with so I can fly in get a ride home and be in work the next morning where as you do not have that luxury.

 

Over all plus/minus between the two in my opinion are as follows. I can tell you that if you go executive economy on Thai the seat is equal to EVA Deluxe. Good inflight entertainment with Thai okay with EVA. Food a bit better on Thai then EVA but both are ultimately airline food. But I felt the service from the flight attendants was much better on EVA. I have heard that the Thai employees do not like working the JFK-BKK route and I feel that may have been showing. Also on the phone EVA seems to care and Thai doesn't seem to give a shit.

 

Quite honestly if this is going to become a once or twice a year trip do EVA as over all with their arrival and departure times I feel you get more of a trip out of it since you get there in the morning so you really can enjoy your first day and you can also enjoy your last night since you leave in the morning. Even if you think this is only one time still do EVA as I feel you will havea better overall experience from them. Any specific questions do not hesitate to ask on the board or pm me. Also be sure to book online with EVA for your mileage bonus.

 

Cheers ,

 

BigKev

[Badtz 0]

Thanks BigKev,

 

Thanks for the recomendations. That helped quite a bit. I ended up booking Eva Evergreen Deluxe class EWR(Newark)-Taipei-BKK and BKK-Taipei-LAX for my return. The price was actually a few hundred less than Thai economy class.

 

Now I just have to get the hotel booked in LOS and I am off. I'm about to jump out of my skin, I'm so excited. This will be my first trip to LOS.

 

Thanks again

Badtz

Edited October 12, 2005 by Badtz

[BigKev 0]

For a first time trip book the Areca. Period end of story been there 6 of my 8 trips so far. Central to everything, nice rooms, safe, secure, and no issues with credit card fraud that I have ever seen reported on the board or experienced myself.

 

Cheers ,

 

BigKev

 

ps

When is your trip?

Edited October 12, 2005 by BigKev

[Badtz 0]

The Areca only has Superior rooms for 1,460 a night. I have sent email out to few other hotels that I researched on the board to see if I can get something a bit cheaper. If not then I'll goto the Areca. I will be arriving in Pattaya on Oct. 26. Are you in town then ? Wann give a newbie a quick tour.. Nudge Nudge

[BigKev 0]

Sent you a pm.

 

Cheers ,

 

BigKev