UK to Phuket Direct

[del boy]

I've just been looking at flights and came across the My Travel Website. It appears that from 1st November they are starting to fly to Phuket direct from Manchester and Gatwick. I don't know if this is a new venture or something they do for each high season. I wasn't aware of any direct flights to Phuket from the UK before today. Apologies if this has been covered before.

There's not much information on there. I would guess its quite a low frill flight. But the price quoted looks good.

Here's the link,

http://www.mytravel.com/AniteNextPag...HTONLY&t=5045/

[cybernator_uk]

Im looking at the times of travel and it sounds more like its via somewhere else.... I looked in November but the times just dont seem to add up.... It could be me working it out wrong.... also the price states FROM whatever the price is.... chances are it will be more than that.... Worth looking into tho... The only problem i can see is the flights seem to be a bit limited and if you travel you can only chose 7 or 14 days... Not what is more convienent for you.... Maybe someone else can have a look and tell me if i am completely wrong (which in this case i hope for)

[dawsey]

That can't be direct, it works out as a 14.5hr flight,and it doesn't take that long from Gatwick. I reckon that is via BKK and if you look really closely into that site,there will be a hotel offer in there. Price is also too high for a flight only, when I got LGW to HKT via BKK for £461 all inclusive of taxes this year
[Etihad/BKK Airways]

Keep looking

[steve@thaib]

Brittannia used to do this route and I did it twice, it was a total nightmare. They were part of Thompson and I think MyTravel are an offshoot; be wary.

Crap flight times meant figthing through traffic to get there, and getting back to Manchester at 2am. From memory it was only on a Tuesday as well, hence the 7 or 14 days, (only 1 or 2 aircraft on the route)

The aircraft themselves had a 2-5-2 seating arrangement and the legroom was appalling even for me, and I'm a small guy. The bit that they don't tell you is the layover in the mid-east for fuel (not too big a deal), but, the Gatwick / Manchester departure means exactly that; it will leave Mancehester, pick up at Gatwick and then route through the mid-east.

When we did this, 1997-98, it introduced a whole new crowd to Thailand and I saw some incredible behaviour: people drunk on duty free vodka swearing/threatening crew, smoking in toilets and then being refused entry to Phuket.

I also saw guys fighting in the airport on return. The atmosphere on those flights was horrible.

I did it twice and swore never again no matter how cheap they were.

On the plus side, you don't have to go to Bangkok. Or at least I guess it's a plus if you don't like Bangkok.

[dawsey]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

Brittannia used to do this route and I did it twice, it was a total nightmare. They were part of Thompson and I think MyTravel are an offshoot; be wary.

Crap flight times meant figthing through traffic to get there, and getting back to Manchester at 2am. From memory it was only on a Tuesday as well, hence the 7 or 14 days, (only 1 or 2 aircraft on the route)

The aircraft themselves had a 2-5-2 seating arrangement and the legroom was appalling even for me, and I'm a small guy. The bit that they don't tell you is the layover in the mid-east for fuel (not too big a deal), but, the Gatwick / Manchester departure means exactly that; it will leave Mancehester, pick up at Gatwick and then route through the mid-east.

When we did this, 1997-98, it introduced a whole new crowd to Thailand and I saw some incredible behaviour: people drunk on duty free vodka swearing/threatening crew, smoking in toilets and then being refused entry to Phuket.

I also saw guys fighting in the airport on return. The atmosphere on those flights was horrible.

I did it twice and swore never again no matter how cheap they were.

On the plus side, you don't have to go to Bangkok. Or at least I guess it's a plus if you don't like Bangkok.

If its the same as your experience then its a definate

What makes me smile is that its not even very cheap.

[cybernator_uk]

Personally i would always fly Thai or Malaysia..... Although i have never flown on Singapore so i cant comment..... Flown them both and loved them... Worth the extra money...

[Gecko]

Hi Delboy, great to see you back on the forum.

I booked a flight recently directly with Singapore Airlines for a pal of mine who is joining us in October. The route is via London Heathrow to Singapore then onto Phuket. The connection times are excellent and the price was €800 incl all taxes. I would imagine it would be cheaper for you as there would be one less flight. Might be worth checking with them but call them up and dont use the internet as it is more expensive for some reason. They really are a great airline and if you have a wireless internet laptop you can surf the net (high speed) on the plane the whole way over for just a few quid extra.

Just my 2 cents.

Hope to see you out there in October / November


Regards,
HS

[t0rn]

Originally Posted by honeyseeker

Hi Delboy, great to see you back on the forum.

I booked a flight recently directly with Singapore Airlines for a pal of mine who is joining us in October. The route is via London Heathrow to Singapore then onto Phuket. The connection times are excellent and the price was €800 incl all taxes. I would imagine it would be cheaper for you as there would be one less flight. Might be worth checking with them but call them up and dont use the internet as it is more expensive for some reason. They really are a great airline and if you have a wireless internet laptop you can surf the net (high speed) on the plane the whole way over for just a few quid extra.

Just my 2 cents.

Hope to see you out there in October / November


Regards,
HS

Last couple of times I've flown Singapore they have been giving out free internet access cards in the lounge (not to everyone so not sure how you get 'chosen').

[cotambear]

This has some good points, reasonable overall travel time (15 hours), through baggage, no changing planes. Price ok too - was quoted 494 gbp.
BIG PROBLEM - maximum two weeks!!

I don`t know about you, but with all that travelling, for me its not worth it for just two weeks.

However I guess it might suit the (target market?) of the couple who are jaded from countless jaunts to spain/greece/turkey etc, or god forbid, young chavs up for a drunken bender and a fight.

Blackpool on a friday bank holiday comes to patong, omfg!!!!

[steve@thaib]

Originally Posted by cotambear

This has some good points, reasonable overall travel time (15 hours), through baggage, no changing planes. Price ok too - was quoted 494 gbp.
BIG PROBLEM - maximum two weeks!!

I don`t know about you, but with all that travelling, for me its not worth it for just two weeks.

However I guess it might suit the (target market?) of the couple who are jaded from countless jaunts to spain/greece/turkey etc, or god forbid, young chavs up for a drunken bender and a fight.

Blackpool on a friday bank holiday comes to patong, omfg!!!!

Easy tiger! I live in Blackpool and have done this trip twice, for a week!

How about a target market of a bloke too busy to take more than a week or two off at a time? What if it's a week or nothing? I know what I did, I took the week. Sorry if it just too chav for you but sometimes you have to take what you can get.

[t0rn]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

Easy tiger! I live in Blackpool and have done this trip twice, for a week!

How about a target market of a bloke too busy to take more than a week or two off at a time? What if it's a week or nothing? I know what I did, I took the week. Sorry if it just too chav for you but sometimes you have to take what you can get.

Yeah, 1 week can be ok, but very tiring

[steve@thaib]

I have gotten off that flight in Manchester at 2am, driven to the chav town where I live, showered and gone to work at 6am. Sure it's tiring but it comes down to a simple question: do I want to go or not?

[MajorTom]

I have used them twice from both Oslo and Gothenburg to HKT. You land in Sarjah(UAE) for about an hour for refueling.

Gets you very quick to Phuket.. Can be very cheap sometimes when they have problems selling all the seats.
A while after the tsunami i got a round trip for 30K Bath.
(Didnt go home after two weeks though, so ended up buying a new ticket )

Problem is you have to go on certain dates, not a very flexible system.
Also often a lot of noisy kids and drunk people on board.. I dont bother about that very much though, i can suffer for 13 hours when i know what awaits me.
And if you are over the average tall, its hopeless. Not very much legroom.

[stevem]

Just to clarify things, in the travel industry a DIRECT flight means a flight from A to B via any number of places in between on a single flight number, it can also involve a change of aircraft. A flight from A to B via no where in between is a NON STOP flight.

[landofsmiles]

>>when I got LGW to HKT via BKK for £461 all inclusive of taxes this year
[Etihad/BKK Airways]<<

I agree, I always fly Qatar or Etihad now...low cost, excellent flight times, new aircraft with seatback entertainment systems...........

[cotambear]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

Easy tiger! I live in Blackpool and have done this trip twice, for a week!

How about a target market of a bloke too busy to take more than a week or two off at a time? What if it's a week or nothing? I know what I did, I took the week. Sorry if it just too chav for you but sometimes you have to take what you can get.

Hmm. This wasn`t aimed at you personally.

Also, I agree that this flight option might suit those like yourself who can only squeeze a week here or there, and of course that does not make you a chav.

To reiterate, the target market for this flight might include (but not be exclusive to) the kind of chavs who like fighting in Blackpool on a bank holiday weekend, and who now go to magaluff or even pattaya for their hols.

In other (your) words, this type of crowd:

"When we did this, 1997-98, it introduced a whole new crowd to Thailand and I saw some incredible behaviour: people drunk on duty free vodka swearing/threatening crew, smoking in toilets and then being refused entry to Phuket.

I also saw guys fighting in the airport on return. The atmosphere on those flights was horrible."

The Blackpool reference is not aimed at you, or the good citizens of your home town, it simple acknowledges that it is a popular day/weekend trip destination for many (but not exclusively) types who like to binge and fight.

[steve@thaib]

Originally Posted by cotambear

Hmm. This wasn`t aimed at you personally.

I know, I agree with you (mostly) and as you correctly point out pretty much said the same thing myself

[Sleesy]

Originally Posted by MajorTom

I have used them twice from both Oslo and Gothenburg to HKT. You land in Sarjah(UAE) for about an hour for refueling.

Gets you very quick to Phuket.. Can be very cheap sometimes when they have problems selling all the seats.
A while after the tsunami i got a round trip for 30K Bath.
(Didnt go home after two weeks though, so ended up buying a new ticket )

Problem is you have to go on certain dates, not a very flexible system.
Also often a lot of noisy kids and drunk people on board.. I dont bother about that very much though, i can suffer for 13 hours when i know what awaits me.
And if you are over the average tall, its hopeless. Not very much legroom.

My mate lives in Shrewbury so I guess he will fly from Manchester and save some motorway time (2 hours) but that's a very good point about kids and drunks; Although he has 4 of the first former and can be one of the latter !
Cos of the former he can only do 7 days in LoS

BTW MY preference .....I fly London to LOS next tuesday on Eva Air, 2 nights BKK then Nok Plus to Phuket...Should make Bunny Bar nice and refreshed for the Friday night....

Sleesy

Ps Anyone need any Branston ?

[geespot]

Originally Posted by Sleesy

My mate lives in Shrewbury so I guess he will fly from Manchester and save some motorway time (2 hours) but that's a very good point about kids and drunks; Although he has 4 of the first former and can be one of the latter !
Cos of the former he can only do 7 days in LoS

BTW MY preference .....I fly London to LOS next tuesday on Eva Air, 2 nights BKK then Nok Plus to Phuket...Should make Bunny Bar nice and refreshed for the Friday night....

Sleesy

Ps Anyone need any Branston ?

Jeez m8 just miss ya, am on EVA air on thurs to BKK

G