Definate downturn in prices out of London to Bangkok return

[Rawhide2 1,334]

I've been looking at one way tickets out start of October time which apart from Air India who have some promotion on via Delhi and Bombay on their new Dreamliners and A350's (around £310) are roughly the same as I paid October 2023 for one way around £380 to £400.....I would expect that to drop nearer the time though

But its the round trip prices that have dropped....I was going to put uploads of screenshots but instead with list a few returning end of March 2025

Eva the cheapest I've seen for a long time £664

Singapore at £605 and I saw fairly recently those at £560.....standard connections 2 hours or so

Malaysian at £570 normal connections 2 hours

Saudia at £568...slightly longer connections although they have short connection at enhanced price

Swiss/Austrian code share at £550...extremely short connections (40 minutes on Austrian the minimum allowable)

Plenty more

All agent prices and make no apologies for always using them lol

[Rawhide2 1,334]

This was the Air India screenshot one way obviously

 

[jacko 8,695]

11 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

This was the Air India screenshot one way obviously

I can only imagine how awful that might be! 

[yselmike 375]

12 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

This was the Air India screenshot one way obviously

 

I'd pay that,not to fly them.

[yselmike 375]

12 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:

I've been looking at one way tickets out start of October time which apart from Air India who have some promotion on via Delhi and Bombay on their new Dreamliners and A350's (around £310) are roughly the same as I paid October 2023 for one way around £380 to £400.....I would expect that to drop nearer the time though

But its the round trip prices that have dropped....I was going to put uploads of screenshots but instead with list a few returning end of March 2025

Eva the cheapest I've seen for a long time £664

Singapore at £605 and I saw fairly recently those at £560.....standard connections 2 hours or so

Malaysian at £570 normal connections 2 hours

Saudia at £568...slightly longer connections although they have short connection at enhanced price

Swiss/Austrian code share at £550...extremely short connections (40 minutes on Austrian the minimum allowable)

Plenty more

All agent prices and make no apologies for always using them lol

Check the arrival times.the cheapest flight for January 3 on Skyscanner was Saudi.It arrived at 23:20. With 25 hours trip time.The EVA flight looks good if it's  direct.

 

 

[Rawhide2 1,334]

On 4/17/2024 at 12:12 AM, jacko said:

I can only imagine how awful that might be! 

Well its booked lol

Out of interest I have flown Air India twice before via new Delhi (round trips) and its a typical "internet myth" that they are horrendous that somehow the last 25 years has become an "internet fact" instead

First I agree the security was over the top with bells on. I recall 5 security checks leaving Delhi for the connection to Bangkok but its a one off we're not doing it weekly

Food was "ok" albeit I'll eat anything except brusell sprouts lol

Joined their frequent flyer scheme which is part of star alliance.

Out of interest on Air India was one of two times I've been pinged out of Heathrow with cash in excess of £1000 by a money dog on final gate. (think it was around £3000 from memory) Receipts from ATM had border force politely saying thank you within a minute

[keyman 1,371]

I thought they were only interested if over £10,000 undeclared?

[knortyboy 149]

I thought it was the equivalent of 10000 Euros.

Edited May 6 by knortyboy

[keyman 1,371]

https://www.gov.uk/bringing-cash-into-uk 

Yep - @10,000 🤓

[Rawhide2 1,334]

22 hours ago, knortyboy said:

I thought it was the equivalent of 10000 Euros.

It is 10k Euros or equivalent

It was "supposed" to have reverted the day we officially left the EU but the statute book still has it at Euros

No Keyman you're talking about paper declaration limits. Anything over just £1,000 and questions "can" be asked as to origin and in fact as recently as March this year arriving into the UK was pulled at Customs at Gatwick and after first usual questions pack the bag tourself, do you know alcohol and cigarette limits etc etc the 4th or 5th question was do you have over £1,000 on you which I truthfully answered no (to all questions)

He didnt check at all. Open palms and looked him right in the eyes lol

That £1.000 level has been in force since 2002 where questions to origin can be asked under proceeds of crime act of that year

Customs programmes on the Sky Channel feature it weekly....amusing watching a Vietnamese girl recently who lied when the dog indicated on her (think it was Heathrow) and they uncovered about £4,500 on her (edited in...she didnt have proof of where it came from)

She claimed she worked in a nail bar. Border Force confiscated it pending further investigation. They asked if she still wanted to fly and rather surprisingly (to me) she still did

Too me she looked like a well you know lol

 

Edited May 7 by Rawhide2

[keyman 1,371]

I'm sorry, I don't follow you. The link I posted shows it to be £10,000. it makes no mention of £1,000. I don't get what you mean when you tell me I'm referring to paper declaration limits? I'm talking about currency notes, what else am I referring to?

If you could post a link to your figure of £1,000 , it might help?

[sailingbill 948]

Im not really following this since it is a UK discussion.  But for Americans I think important to understand our customs situation as they are serious about it like the fruit and candy thing....    If you have 10,000usd in any form of money, "  "Money" means monetary instruments and includes U.S. or foreign coins currently in circulation, currency, travelers' checks in any form, money orders, and negotiable instruments or investment securities in bearer form."

My son really pissed me off last trip as I gave him a 10 baht gold bar worth about 9,000usd at the time. Told him to declare everything on reentry and warned him the detection devices at immigration flag money/gold as well as drugs. The US is now even more fucked up over laundering as drugs. He ignored me and got lucky.  He would have found a very unsympathetic father if they took his last $1 and 10 baht coin from him.

[aj 58]

It is not a one time thing if caught in USA. wife tried  Thai seeds for garden in SFO. every return since it is escort from arrival to customs

inspection. then she tried thai over counter meds. D.A. alert. we no longer travel together as she is totally uck coming back to USA.

[Rawhide2 1,334]

 

On 5/7/2024 at 12:37 PM, keyman said:

I'm sorry, I don't follow you. The link I posted shows it to be £10,000. it makes no mention of £1,000. I don't get what you mean when you tell me I'm referring to paper declaration limits? I'm talking about currency notes, what else am I referring to?

If you could post a link to your figure of £1,000 , it might help?

The proceeds of crime act of 2002 covers the £1,000 level at which point "they" can take interest and covers the Police/ Border Force/ Customs and other official Government departments.  I  gave personal experience of 3 instances of myself being tugged (one less than 2 months ago) and suggested you watch any number of border force shows (not a day goes by without repeats somewhere). I am surprised anyone didnt know that we as passengers "could" be questioned at only the £1000 level..."Could/can" being the operative words

So the paper declaration in otherwards written declaration is presented to Border Force/Customs as you leave the country and is required at 10k Euro as Knortyboy correctly stated albeit sooner or later (doubtless later) than wil revert to Sterling now we've left the EU but notwithstanding whether its 10k Euro or Sterling its not relevant to the point being made namely the much lower limit

Returning to proceeds of crime act of 2002.......hordes of links but this one will suffice

https://amisolicitors.co.uk/2022/05/09/what-you-should-know-about-cash-and-asset-seizure-due-to-uk-border-offences/

No one needs to panic over this level because all it takes is some proof of where the money originated. Bank receipts/ATM receipts are perfect.

On all three occasions I brushed the query off easily once on final gate and once at hand scanners (both those with receipts) and on 3rd occasion in March this year he didnt even check....just asked if I had in excess of £1,000

Vast majority of us (to Thailand) I'd imagine send money in advance these days anyway via Wise etc etc so anyone with hard currency kinda stands out a bit to them and their money dogs

Reading the flyer forums the money dogs are more prevalent it seems at Heathrow and Manchester

 

[knortyboy 149]

I usually carry 5 or 6k in Sterling and luckily have never been questioned. I guess I've just been lucky but reading this has made me think.

No doubt, next time I'll look guilty and will be questioned.🤔

[keyman 1,371]

Ok, the POCA isn't relevant in this case. That is only relevant if there is a suspicion you have committed a crime and just carrying money isn't suspicious (unless it's tucked in your sock and you have drugs plugged somewhere!). The relevant authority for carrying cash abroad is as shown in my link. If he is questioning you about carrying a few thousand, you can genuinely state its to pay for accommodation and spending money and that doesn't require justifying with bank statements or ATM receipts. It's classed as an acceptable amount. Over £10,000 would not be looked upon as an acceptable level, hence the rules above.

In your case, he could have just been making conversation to judge your reaction, but at the level of cash you were carrying (presuming under £10k) then he shouldn't have any reason to pursue how you attained it. I know you said you have been questioned 3 times about the cash you're carrying, but personally I have never ever been stopped or questioned about how much cash I was carrying over more years than I care to remember, even when I've carried more than £1,000, which is pretty much on every trip I take. 

Hope that helps

KM

[Shooter 770]

On the original topic I noticed business class flights from LAX to BKK have dropped a bit.  Mind you I'm looking at late January with March return no idea if any other dates are good.  Assuming one doesn't choose Air Turkey or Phillipines real airlines on lie flat all aisle access like japan Air or American are about $4500 RT. 

 

[Broughton 492]

Family just booked out of Gatwick with China Eastern via Shanghai flights at a very reasonable £480 return next month. 
It’s not a bad connection only about 2 hours it’s a while since seem prices like that.

They was planning on Spain but realised it’s cheaper to come here.

[jacko 8,695]

19 hours ago, Broughton said:

Family just booked out of Gatwick with China Eastern via Shanghai flights at a very reasonable £480 return next month. 
It’s not a bad connection only about 2 hours it’s a while since seem prices like that.

They was planning on Spain but realised it’s cheaper to come here.

Yes very competitive. 

I hope the exchange rate doesn't get any worse.