London/Doha to Pattaya

[yselmike 390]

 

UTP is at best 15 minutes closer to pattaya then suvarnabhumbi. I cannot for the life of me think of one reason why it would be better for pattaya bound visitors. You'll find the taxi companies even charge higher than the usual 1000 baht swampy/pattaya

They want 1500 now if you take a public taxi from the rank and as it was very busy they don't even negotiate below 1500,maybe if it's quite but the airport is rammed now days all the time.

[jacko 8,814]

They want 1500 now if you take a public taxi from the rank and as it was very busy they don't even negotiate below 1500,maybe if it's quite but the airport is rammed now days all the time.

Still 1200 with Mr Toom.

[neilri2001 42]

Anyone taken the flight to UTP yet? would be nice to have a review

[Butch 3,456]

Still 1200 with Mr Toom.

Is he still half way down on Soi Diana?

[jacko 8,814]

Is he still half way down on Soi Diana?

Never booked him there, always email.

[tallguy 1,475]

Is he still half way down on Soi Diana?

You're thinking of Mr T who still has on an office in the same place just off Soi Diana.

 

I always thought Mr Toom was based in Bangkok.

[Butch 3,456]

You're thinking of Mr T who still has on an office in the same place just off Soi Diana.

 

I always thought Mr Toom was based in Bangkok.

 

Ahhh..yes that's who I'm thinking of...I mistakenly thought they were the same person. :D

[stoace 207]

I saw the Qatar advert for Utapao amd thought is it worth it but being based near Oxford I still think Heathrow Swampy direct is the better and quicker option, if you are northern UK then I can see it being an option.

[ozboy 31]

They want 1500 now if you take a public taxi from the rank and as it was very busy they don't even negotiate below 1500,maybe if it's quite but the airport is rammed now days all the time.

If you get a mini bus, just book when you arrive, it is (or was in Dec) 250 baht drop off at your hotel, and i believe air asia has a service for anyone same price but drop off at central festival.

[Rawhide2 1,343]

Anyone taken the flight to UTP yet? would be nice to have a review

 

Reading of others that have and regretted it not surprisingly. If 15 minutes extra in pattaya is important then fair enough lol

Am surmising though if you're going south rather than north it might be worth it obviously cutting out the Suvarn taxi to wherever you're going but to pattaya no way

Edited April 12, 2018 by Rawhide2

[tallguy 1,475]

Anyone taken the flight to UTP yet? would be nice to have a review

I am due to fly UTP-Doha-Manchester next week. When I booked I got a very good price on business class, a lot cheaper than going from Swampy. At the time all four legs of the trips were on 787s but the UTP-Doha legs have now changed. First the plane has been changed to an Airbus 319 with a much smaller business section and there is also a 1 hour stop in Yangon each way.

[jacko 8,814]

I am due to fly UTP-Doha-Manchester next week. When I booked I got a very good price on business class, a lot cheaper than going from Swampy. At the time all four legs of the trips were on 787s but the UTP-Doha legs have now changed. First the plane has been changed to an Airbus 319 with a much smaller business section and there is also a 1 hour stop in Yangon each way.

Thanks, sounds a little less attractive if the extra stopover is to be standard.

Wonder if there is a nice lounge with cold beer at UTP as per Swampy.

Prepared to tell us the price?

Ah yes, you told us already

just under 71k baht for business class.

 

Actually still might be worth considering, Emirates want about 107,000!!

Edited May 31, 2018 by jacko

[tallguy 1,475]

Thanks, sounds a little less attractive if the extra stopover is to be standard.

Wonder if there is a nice lounge with cold beer at UTP as per Swampy.

Prepared to tell us the price?

Ah yes, you told us already

Actually still might be worth considering, Emirates want about 107,000!!

From what I have read I am not expecting a lounge at U-Tapau but the Thai lounge they use at Swampy is shit anyway.

They only good lounge I expect to see on this trip is in Doha. The one they use in Manchester is crap as well but once you get on the plane things improve dramatically.

[jacko 8,814]

From what I have read I am not expecting a lounge at U-Tapau but the Thai lounge they use at Swampy is shit anyway.

They only good lounge I expect to see on this trip is in Doha. The one they use in Manchester is crap as well but once you get on the plane things improve dramatically.

The Manchester one I used last year wasn't too bad.... no where near as good as Emirates of course. Previously Qatar had a little place that was poor!

And I just checked on the price for a Biz Class Emirates A380 flight to and from Manchester and the best price was THB 121,400 .... shit!

 

Later Edit:

I just looked at the Qatar site and a flight to/from Manchester in Biz from UTP end August/Sept, it came in substantially more than Emirates from Swampy!

Edited June 2, 2018 by jacko

[wacmedia 277]

The Manchester one I used last year wasn't too bad.... no where near as good as Emirates of course. Previously Qatar had a little place that was poor!

And I just checked on the price for a Biz Class Emirates A380 flight to and from Manchester and the best price was THB 121,400 .... shit!

 

Later Edit:

I just looked at the Qatar site and a flight to/from Manchester in Biz from UTP end August/Sept, it came in substantially more than Emirates from Swampy!

 

Hi,

Thanks, not looking good for QATAR.

[Brown1950 67]

Qatar Airways earlier this month adjusted service to Utapao, previously scheduled as Doha – Utapao nonstop service 3 times a week with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. From 01JUN18 to 30SEP18, the oneWorld member will be operating Doha – Yangon – Utapao – Doha triangle routing, on board Airbus A319LR aircraft.

QR986 DOH1940 – 0530+1RGN0629+1 – 0825+1UTP0925+1 – 1300+1DOH 319 135

[jacko 8,814]

Qatar Airways earlier this month adjusted service to Utapao, previously scheduled as Doha – Utapao nonstop service 3 times a week with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. From 01JUN18 to 30SEP18, the oneWorld member will be operating Doha – Yangon – Utapao – Doha triangle routing, on board Airbus A319LR aircraft.

 

QR986 DOH1940 – 0530+1RGN0629+1 – 0825+1UTP0925+1 – 1300+1DOH 319 135

Yeah, tallguy reported much the same. Wonder if it is because they had to shuffle things around due to RR Engine problems or U-Tapao demand just isn't there?

[jacko 8,814]

Just looking at Qatar via UTP as an option in August. They are coming in a bit cheaper than both Emirates and Etihad. But not keen on the early morning departure from UTP, nor evening arrival in Manchester, and again an early, rush hour departure from Manchester. Three flights a week now and the leg to UTP has the Rangoon stop over and is a small A319.

Edited July 4, 2018 by jacko

[tallguy 1,475]

I've been back in Pattaya for about a week now. At some stage I might get around to writing a fuller review of the experience.

I think the move to the smaller plane on the U-Tapau - Doha leg was down to the lack of demand. On the outbound trip the smaller plane was only half full even after picking up passengers in Yangon. However, the small 8 seat business cabin was relatively full, so there are unlikely to be any great savings by taking this route instead of flying from Swampy.

Overall the flights were good.

[Rawhide2 1,343]

I'm at a complete loss as to why anyone pattaya bound would use this service to save 15 minutes in a taxi. The addition of Yangon stop for an hour where likely you'll have to sit on the aircraft (I was on a different carrier) plus single aisle 319 aircraft puts the end to the route in my opinion eventually

[jacko 8,814]

I'm at a complete loss as to why anyone pattaya bound would use this service to save 15 minutes in a taxi. The addition of Yangon stop for an hour where likely you'll have to sit on the aircraft (I was on a different carrier) plus single aisle 319 aircraft puts the end to the route in my opinion eventually

Well for me it is easier to get to, but you are right, not a lot in it. I can take the nearby Hwy 36 and then 331, which should be easy out of peak travel times. Of course also no 110x2 baht toll. If I had to take Sukhumvit all the way I wouldn't even consider it! I also had a vain hope it would be a quieter relaxed airport at UTP, Swampy is so busy and crowded these days. My first attraction was the cheaper ticket, but the timings and only 3 day operations are a negative.

Edited July 4, 2018 by jacko

[Rawhide2 1,343]

Well for me it is easier to get to, but you are right, not a lot in it. I can take the nearby Hwy 36 and then 331, which should be easy out of peak travel times. Of course also no 110x2 baht toll. If I had to take Sukhumvit all the way I wouldn't even consider it! I also had a vain hope it would be a quieter relaxed airport at UTP, Swampy is so busy and crowded these days. My first attraction was the cheaper ticket, but the timings and only 3 day operations are a negative.

 

Am just going to a dummy booking see what it comes up with in economy. Appreciate you're in Biz

[tallguy 1,475]

I'm at a complete loss as to why anyone pattaya bound would use this service to save 15 minutes in a taxi. The addition of Yangon stop for an hour where likely you'll have to sit on the aircraft (I was on a different carrier) plus single aisle 319 aircraft puts the end to the route in my opinion eventually

Where do you get the idea that the time saved in the taxi is only 15 mins each way? Before this trip it was a long time since I had been to UTP but even then I recall the journey time as being under 1 hour. This time the journey times to UTP were around 45-50 mins door to door. Over the many trips I have done to Swampy over the years I don't recall any that have been significangly below 1 1/2 hours and most have probably been slightly over. In terms of the overall journey the time saved is not particularly significant but your figure of 15 mins is an exaggeration.

Edited July 4, 2018 by tallguy

[TheFiend 1,181]

I'm at a complete loss as to why anyone pattaya bound would use this service to save 15 minutes in a taxi. The addition of Yangon stop for an hour where likely you'll have to sit on the aircraft (I was on a different carrier) plus single aisle 319 aircraft puts the end to the route in my opinion eventually

 

Why? Swampy is running at passenger levels much higher than it's design capacity...... Getting through Immigration/security means long waits....

 

Last month on my last day we were booked to fly from Chiang Mai to Swampy on Thai, before flying back to the UK with Qatar.... Thai interlined us all the way through to Manchester..... Immigration at Chiang Mai took seconds...... certainly beats waiting in queues at Swampy.....

[wacmedia 277]

 

Why? Swampy is running at passenger levels much higher than it's design capacity...... Getting through Immigration/security means long waits....

 

Last month on my last day we were booked to fly from Chiang Mai to Swampy on Thai, before flying back to the UK with Qatar.... Thai interlined us all the way through to Manchester..... Immigration at Chiang Mai took seconds...... certainly beats waiting in queues at Swampy.....

 

Hi,

 

Good point.