Flight Re-scheduling

[Hoopy Frood]

I booked my trip in February for August & so far have had to make 3 alterations to my travel due to flight re-scheduling. Granted they aren't major changes, but now that I've reached 3 changes it's becoming rather tiresome.
First change was Air Asia. Flight from Phuket back to BKK was going to arrive 30 mins before my international flight home leaves BKK. So I changed that over the phone with Air Asia & there was no charge. Flight I changed to leaves just 10mins after the original one I booked on.
Next Thai Air moved both my flight to BKK from NZ & my flight from BKK back to NZ forward an hour (could count that as 2 changes but I'll be generous & call it 1).
Now a 3rd change as I had to change the Air Asia one again as (based on other threads) there wasn't enough time to get to my international flight on time. This time Air Asia charged for the change, but now I have 4 hours between scheduled arriving in BKK & departure of my international flight. I hope that's it!
Haven't experienced this before; is it common?

[faultytowers]

Easier option would have been to have booked "domestic" flights on Thai , you could then have checked your luggage straight through to Phuket and saved time in Bangkok . Also , if International flights are delayed (or re-scheduled) they would arrange to get you on the most suitable connection.

[jingjai1]

Cheaper airlines aren't always cheaper ;-)

[Hoopy Frood]

Originally Posted by faultytowers

Easier option would have been to have booked "domestic" flights on Thai , you could then have checked your luggage straight through to Phuket and saved time in Bangkok . Also , if International flights are delayed (or re-scheduled) they would arrange to get you on the most suitable connection.

That's so obvious I never even thought of it! I did the cheap charlie thing & saw that Air Asia were were cheaper

[K2]

Originally Posted by Hoopy Frood

That's so obvious I never even thought of it! I did the cheap charlie thing & saw that Air Asia were were cheaper

Lesson learned - using LCC airlines when you have critical connections can be a bit of a lottery. Don't really know why Air Asia fiddles with their time table so much - had some annoying experiences with them changing flight times but have never been charged for changing a flight due to their time table changes.

BTW better make sure they have your mobile # - once they changed Mrs flight the day before she was traveling just via SMS - wonder WTF would happen if her phone had have been switched off!

[Captain]

Originally Posted by faultytowers

Easier option would have been to have booked "domestic" flights on Thai , you could then have checked your luggage straight through to Phuket and saved time in Bangkok . Also , if International flights are delayed (or re-scheduled) they would arrange to get you on the most suitable connection.

And if you booked NZ-BKK-HKT on one ticket with Thai (Phuket final destination, not BKK), money difference could even have been less.