unbelievable price for December flight. £439

[johnson 0]

Ive just booked 2 tickets for my wife (thai) and myself for December. I wanted flights from Manchester to Bangkok sometime in early December with return flights approx 28 days later in early January. I had a look on Ebookers and everything was around £800.

I was then seriously thinking of cancelling our plans to go to Thailand for Christmas and thinking of going in January or Febuary. I called a friend who has just booked to go in November and asked him who he had booked with. He telephoned the company for me and came up with flights going on 7th December and returning on 5th January from Manchester with Qatar airlines which is one of the few 5 star airlines, excellent flight times with only 50 minutes in Doha airport for the change going to Thailand and 60 minutes change over coming back. The price for these tickets £439, I couldnt believe the price. £439 for a 5 star airline in December to Thailand. If you look on Ebookers and put these dates in it comes up with British Airways at £842

 

The company is www.thg.co.uk

 

Telephone number is 0870 055 0360

Fax number is 01792 483486

[Barrington_Tenchanall 2]

You can get a good deal with many airlines, and many agents for the 7th.

 

The 7th seems to be the cut off point, as prices nearly double for the 8th and onwards.

[johnson 0]

If you look on Ebookers or another internet travel agent now flights are not cheap even before the 8th December.

I can guarantee you cant find a flight cheaper for these dates with another 5 star airline. Ive been every December for the last 4 years and ive never had a ticket this cheap before.

[rayton 0]

you should get a nice suprise when you recieve tickets- a few nights accomodation in a decent hotel- free thg have to sell flights as if a package holiday - hence the free accomodation.

[BongoBill9999 0]

Johnson,

 

Just returned to MAN from BKK with Qatar - my fifth trip with Qatar (next is a freebie).

You will enjoy the flight although a couple of tips (without wishing to teach you to suck eggs for a second). QR seem to have gone downhill recently but still excellent value for the money.

1. The drinks trolley trip after take off seems to have stopped, but just press the button and you will be served ok. No problem with booze. Depending on which version of the A330 you get, in flight entertainment is good. Food is generally ok but don't expect a pork chop and don't ask for a bacon sarnie.

2. Doha airport is the pits so just as well the stop over is short. Very crowded, no grub facilities to speak of, although duty free is good. Use the loo on the plane - toilets in airport are crap (no pun intended!)

3. Do join the Privilege Club (go to Qatar Airways website and do it online) Costs nothing - after a couple of trips you will get Silver Status which means more baggage allowance, check in at the business desk (even flying econ), and use of business lounges (big big plus at MAN, DOH, and BKK). Plus of course, air miles to spend later either with Qatar or Virgin, Luftwaffe (pluse a few others that you would not wish to use!)

 

Have a great trip!

 

Bill

[orientaltaffy 0]

Johnson I have used THG (Swansea) many times and have found them to be the cheapest on several occasions , as Rayton say's you will get a hotel voucher with your ticket (they have to give you one) but you will not be able to use it as it's false and it will probably be for some obscure hotel you've never heard of a long way from where you want to stay, my last one was for Hua Hin , they keep the prices low because they sell packages(don't know how this works) but they can supply hotels if you request it, they use hotels like the former Jade Pavillion (soi22) in Bkk and the Woodlands or Asia in Pty but they are not usually guest friendly I think as I had to pay when I took my tg to one.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

BongoBill,

 

A little bit of good news with Qatar from MAN. They will add a 5th weekly flight to their schedule commencing in early Feb (the 11th I think?).

 

The new flight departs MAN on Saturdays at 09:50 and arrives BKK at 06:50 on the Sunday. The new return leg departs BKK at 20:00 on a Friday, arriving in MAN at 06:55 on the Saturday. The aircraft used is scheduled to be a A330-200 in a two-class configuration.

 

Tom

 

p.s. As an aside, THG is nothing more than Lunn Poly by a different trading name. They are both part of TUI which includes Austravel, Thomson, Airline Warehouse. Portland Direct etc. To issue their tickets, ostensibly as part of a package, may be a little bit cheaper but can have significant ramifications when things don't quite go to plan.

[stumper 0]

no such problem from here,a bangkok return with transfers and 5 nights accom runs $1,000 australian very cheap.

[BongoBill9999 0]

A little bit of good news with Qatar from MAN.  They will add a 5th weekly flight to their schedule commencing in early Feb (the 11th I think?).

 

The new flight departs MAN on Saturdays at 09:50 and arrives BKK at 06:50 on the Sunday.  The new return leg departs BKK at 20:00 on a Friday, arriving in MAN at 06:55 on the Saturday.  The aircraft used is scheduled to be a A330-200 in a two-class configuration.

Thanks for that Tom. Any news on the Thai non stop from MAN?

 

Bill

 

BTW, during recent trip watched Toxin on TV "opening" the new airport. - what a freakin charade!!! A hundred identical red suitcases going round the carousel so it must all be working!!!

Edited October 16, 2005 by BongoBill9999

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Thanks for that Tom.  Anymore news on the Thai non stop from MAN?

 

Bill

BongoBill,

 

Thai are still pencilled in for late 2006/early 2007, but Thai being Thai .... who knows? They have just pulled out of Johannesburg without even making one flight and are planning to cut back their JFK service from 6 to 4 flights per week. I would think that they are waiting for delivery of their 777ERs next year, presumably in a two-class configuration as per Singapore do at the moment, as I can't see them selling many first class seats from MAN. To say that Thai is a bit unpredictable is probably a bit of an understatement.

 

"BTW, during recent trip watched Toxin on TV "opening" the new airport. - what a freakin charade!!! A hundred identical red suitcases going round the carousel so it must all be working!!!"

 

A bit like the LV copies going around the carousel at LHR then!

 

Tom

Edited October 16, 2005 by CheshireTom

[lv2play 0]

E-bookers is far from cheap,there are a lot of other small cheap travelagencies with a internetsite,do some shopping .

From Amsterdam i always pay 20%-30% less then the e-bookers price for the same airlines

[johnson 0]

Has anyone found a December flight for less than £439 with a 5 star airline yet ?

[farman 11]

Has anyone found a December flight for less than £439 with a 5 star airline yet ?

Ok so you are on a 5 star airline!!!! What do you want a medal? lol

 

No, i cant seem to see a FIVE STAR airline for december for £439 but i did book a december flight(28th)back in august for £475 all inc. with etihad

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Has anyone found a December flight for less than £439 with a 5 star airline yet ?

Is there a reward?

 

Tom

[Gus 97]

I am a bit thick What is the difference between a 5* airline and other airlines?

FWIW What * is EVA

[BongoBill9999 0]

I am a bit thick What is the difference between a 5* airline and other airlines?

FWIW What * is EVA

The square root of fuck all. It is all subjective - one day good one day bad....depends mostly on the crew. Not quite true but you get the drift

 

Bill

[torrenova 644]

Still not direct is it and still have to change when no change is preferable. But for those flying from the midlands (and yes, that includes Manchester), I suppose it is better than paying a London premium.

 

Been to the middles east once, never again, not for 10 nano seconds.

[johnson 0]

heres a wesite for star ratings.

 

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/ranking.htm

 

Surely its got to be better to fly with a good quality airline such as Qatar / Emirates / Eva or Thai air etc ( all 4 or 5 star ) or would some of you prefer to fly with a 2 or 3 star airline such as Aeroflot. Of course theres a difference between a 2/3 star airline and a 4/5 star other wise they wouldn't bother rating them.

 

When I opened the topic I was just was saying what a good deal I had got and I offered the phone number for anyone else to use. I dont think theres any where else to get a cheaper flight for December. I will be using this company again.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Surely its got to be better to fly with a good quality airline such as Qatar / Emirates / Eva or Thai air etc ( all 4 or 5 star ) or would some of you prefer to fly with a 2 or 3 star airline such as Aeroflot. Of course theres a difference between a 2/3 star airline and a 4/5 star other wise they wouldn't bother rating them.

Unfortunately the Skytrax ranking system is based on a huge numbers of factors across the airlines' total operations. For the vast majority of guys on this board they are only interested in the economy or premium economy products of the airlines. It is true that the first and business product of Qatar compares favourably with any other airline in the world, however, their economy class product, in particular that offered on their A330-200 aircraft on routes such as MAN-DOH, is nothing particularly special.

 

As for preferring 4/5* airlines over 2/3* that argument is a bit flawed and, dare I say, a bit snobbish. Compare the economy class product offered by, for example, Etihad (a 3* airline) to that of any of the so-called 4/5* airlines and the difference is negligible. Indeed, in many respects, Etihad's product is superior (and will continue to improve as they take delivery of 5 new aircraft over the next 3 months which will be used on the LGW route amongst others) and can be got for less than 400 quid through almost all of the main travel agents.

 

As a final thought ......... those guys that are continually searching for the "cheapest" fare aren't making the best use of the airlines' frequent flyer programmes. As BongoBill highlighted, his flight with Qatar probably costs around 450-500 quid but since every fifth flight is free the effective price is probably nearer 350-380 quid.

 

Tom

[BongoBill9999 0]

As a final thought ......... those guys that are continually searching for the "cheapest" fare aren't making the best use of the airlines' frequent flyer programmes. As BongoBill highlighted, his flight with Qatar probably costs around 450-500 quid but since every fifth flight is free the effective price is probably nearer 350-380 quid.

 

Tom

Agree entirely Tom. Also, when you consider that to use the Biz Lounge at MAN will cost you £15 if you book from the street, and use that figure as a base for the other Biz Lounges then you can effectively knock another £60 from the fare! Not to be sniffed at.

 

Bill

[johnson 0]

Ive registered for the Qatar Privilege Club so when my wife and myself have done this return trip we should have about 31192 miles. After our 2nd flight we will be silver members and earn 19494 miles each per trip. So if ive got this right after 3 trips we will have 101372 airmiles.

 

A free ticket is 65000 low season and 90000 high season.

[bob2005 0]

WestEast travel shows Man-Bkk £370 until 30th November with Singapore.

[BongoBill9999 0]

Still not direct is it and still have to change when no change is preferable. But for those flying from the midlands (and yes, that includes Manchester), I suppose it is better than paying a London premium.

 

Been to the middles east once, never again, not for 10 nano seconds.

Terranova,

 

I agree big problem not being able to go non stop from MAN to BKK, hence the update from Tom. Although obviously I will use my airmiles with Qatar, if and when Thai put on a non stop service from MAN to BKK then it is no contest (given a reasonable price), I will go non stop with Thai.

 

Bill

[urmy48 4]

The accomadation voucher is vaild read post cheap flights from Manchester

[rayton 0]

does anyone have advice on best option in doing a trip to pattaya and AC?

 

i've found 2 options with THG:

 

Qatar:

man-doha-manilla

make my own way to bkk from clark via kuala lumpur on asia air

bkk-doha-man

cost £590 ish

 

Thai:

man-london-bkk-manilla

manilla-bkk

bkk-london-man

cost £690 ish

(man-london on bmi)

 

singapore air is the only one doing direct flight to asia (sin) but connections to manilla/bkk mean very long waits.

 

both options work out at 6 flights, benefit of thai air are much better flight to bkk (i.e one long flight and nicer service/seats).

these prices are early january so may be cheaper at other times.

anyone done similar or have any other options, i can't make my bloody mind up

 

Edited October 17, 2005 by rayton