General Reports

[QUOTE=Mr Enternational]Thanks for this tidbit. It was very valuable. I was so tired of having to get a new number every time I hit Thailand. When I bought the card this time I mentioned the *1013 to the attendant and she had no idea. She said that she always does it on the computer there at the desk. I did, however, forget to go to the desk on my way out of Thailand but I remembered the *1013 when I got in the plane. It was hard to make out what the recording was saying, but I ended up extending 180 days for a deduction of 12 baht. I think there were 60 and 90 day options for less money as well.[/QUOTE]Before I left March 14 I did an option where I could keep my number for 6 months. But when I arrived last night and turned on my phone it said SIM card invalid. I stopped by the dtac shop in the airport and the guy said it was turned off two weeks ago. He recommended that I go to the 7-11 that is in the airport and buy a TrueMove SIM card. I did that. It was 49 baht and I bought 150 baht of time. True gives you 1 year without recharging. When I added my minutes I got a text saying it was good until June 4, 2011. Also with that chip it is only like 5 baht/min for international calls.

After some stupid drunken bareback in Pattaya with a few girls last January, I went for a full STI screen a few weeks ago. Got the results a week ago and luckily I got the all clear.

Not encouraging bareback btw, I am just saying I was lucky not to catch anything.

[QUOTE=Mr Enternational]Before I left March 14 I did an option where I could keep my number for 6 months. But when I arrived last night and turned on my phone it said SIM card invalid. I stopped by the dtac shop in the airport and the guy said it was turned off two weeks ago. He recommended that I go to the 7-11 that is in the airport and buy a TrueMove SIM card. I did that. It was 49 baht and I bought 150 baht of time. True gives you 1 year without recharging. When I added my minutes I got a text saying it was good until June 4, 2011. Also with that chip it is only like 5 baht/min for international calls.[/QUOTE]
that's pretty much interesting!

[QUOTE=Mr Enternational]Before I left March 14 I did an option where I could keep my number for 6 months. But when I arrived last night and turned on my phone it said SIM card invalid. I stopped by the dtac shop in the airport and the guy said it was turned off two weeks ago. He recommended that I go to the 7-11 that is in the airport and buy a TrueMove SIM card. I did that. It was 49 baht and I bought 150 baht of time. True gives you 1 year without recharging. When I added my minutes I got a text saying it was good until June 4, 2011. Also with that chip it is only like 5 baht/min for international calls.[/QUOTE]With AIS you have a plan that gives you 1 year for 100 Baht recharge. The problem is that you have to use it once every 89 days (Will expire if not used for 90 days, nobody tells you that if you don't ask). The best option when overseas is to send a SMS back to Thailand which they say costs 20 Baht.

Better ask True if that is also the case there. Better safe than sorry.
(If you like me can't afford to lose the number because I use it for my online banking to receive the OTPs [One Time PIN] when abroad).

[QUOTE=Barko]
"Hurry! Cheap seats to Bangkok!" "Book before June 15!" (OK, well sure maybe if you wanted to go in October.) BTW, what I DID find is that you really can get really cheap seats for November & December right now if you have the wherewithal to do it. $625++.[/QUOTE]

What the airline for $625 or website ?

[QUOTE=Weelock]What the airline for $625 or website ?[/QUOTE]

Check China airlines. That $625 fare may not include taxes, so buyer beware.
October is a low fare month, so you will find that when the fares come out in July most of the other carrier will have lower fares also. June, July, and 1/2 August (depending on the carrier) , and December are high fare months.
March, April, September, October, and 1/2 November are low fare months. That is the ariline "general" fare periods. If they need to fill some seats that they will lower some prices on a short term window, but you can judge your airfare prices using those guidelines. You want the lowest prices go in a "low" fare month.

[QUOTE=Lord Farquard]Check China airlines. That $625 fare may not include taxes, so buyer beware.
October is a low fare month, so you will find that when the fares come out in July most of the other carrier will have lower fares also. June, July, and 1/2 August (depending on the carrier) , and December are high fare months.
March, April, September, October, and 1/2 November are low fare months. That is the ariline "general" fare periods. If they need to fill some seats that they will lower some prices on a short term window, but you can judge your airfare prices using those guidelines. You want the lowest prices go in a "low" fare month.[/QUOTE]
China Airlines fares to Asia are always quoted before $300+ of fees and taxes. I'd be willing to bet that China Airlines $625 fare is close to $950 all in. Which is still a very good fare, just not spectacular enough to make you book something this early for November or December if you have any uncertainty at all about your plans - and BTW, I have found that low fare season for travel from the US to Asia on most carriers extends thru Nov. 30 departures and roughly December 20th for the return leg.

[QUOTE=Redfield10]I just received this in an emai. from China Airlines.

I haven't checked it out...but here it is:[/QUOTE]


Redfield

You can fly Cathay Pacific for a little over $1,000 from the west coast including taxes. Rated #2 in the world for service, food and comfort. Personally I like the airline.

China Air has a poor reputation in all respects and is somewhere near Aeroflot for safety records. .

A few dollars more goes a long way for 35 hours roundtrip flying.

Better yet use air miles. I just booked 1st class on Cathay round trip LAX - BKK for a whopping $40.

Guido88

Actually, I flew Cathay in Feb. To Hong Kong and BKK. I didn't really like it. Small, old seats. Unless you upgrade. I was very surprised because I"ve heard so many good things about CP.

I actually preferred EVA and China Airlines. You have the wrong Airlines. China Air is not China Airlines.

[QUOTE=Guido88]Redfield

You can fly Cathay Pacific for a little over $1,000 from the west coast including taxes. Rated #2 in the world for service, food and comfort. Personally I like the airline.

China Air has a poor reputation in all respects and is somewhere near Aeroflot for safety records. .

A few dollars more goes a long way for 35 hours roundtrip flying.

Better yet use air miles. I just booked 1st class on Cathay round trip LAX - BKK for a whopping $40.

Guido88[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Guido88]Redfield

You can fly Cathay Pacific for a little over $1,000 from the west coast including taxes. Rated #2 in the world for service, food and comfort. Personally I like the airline.

China Air has a poor reputation in all respects and is somewhere near Aeroflot for safety records. .

A few dollars more goes a long way for 35 hours roundtrip flying.

Better yet use air miles. I just booked 1st class on Cathay round trip LAX - BKK for a whopping $40.

Guido88[/QUOTE]Guido,

That is wrong info asia mile LAX to BKK take 85,000 mile round trip on enconomy ,they don't have any seat for redemption booking until end of sep ,I try to book a seat 6 month ago for June no chance ,I have to buy a ticket from SFO to HK cost 1600 usd for mid June for my business trip ,I have over 180,000 mile some will expire soon and all tax will cost about 180 usd included dep tax in bangkok not 40 usd .

Fast Eddie 48

[QUOTE=Guido88]Redfield

You can fly Cathay Pacific for a little over $1,000 from the west coast including taxes. Rated #2 in the world for service, food and comfort. Personally I like the airline.

China Air has a poor reputation in all respects and is somewhere near Aeroflot for safety records. .

A few dollars more goes a long way for 35 hours roundtrip flying.

Better yet use air miles. I just booked 1st class on Cathay round trip LAX - BKK for a whopping $40.

Guido88[/QUOTE]Hmm, sure Guido, but steer clear of the Australian Merlot. Heartburn city. ;)

I'd been a Marco Polo Gold for a long time, (Diamond 2 yrs) and got free bumps frontwards on nearly every flight. But I quietly let it fall into Green a while back. For me, the Thai Air nonstop became the only way to go.

Cathay uses older planes, the seat pitch in econo is 32", the total flight times for most LAX-BKK and return flights are 20 hours including a BIG PITA stop at NewHKG.

Thai Air, the econo seat pitch is 34.5" and takes 14-15 hours non stop. That's as fast as you can go without being onboard your own Gulfstream G650. Heh.

Side note regarding other carriers I've used when my impending dates were unavailable. Compare: Discount carrier EVA's seat pitch is 33", total flight time 17 hours including stop in TPE. Also, I rarely use ChinaAirlines, but it has better connections and flight departure-arrival times than almost all carriers, seat pitch 32", ttlfltt also 17 hrs, their safety record has been excellent for over 10 years, (the ratings you are looking at must be old, for years pre 1997.) In any case, I personally would not mention ChinaAirlines and Aeroflot in the same sentence. I think you must be referring to Air China, that would make more sense.

OFD (Open for discussion) Cathay's food is a LITTLE better and the flight attendants are a definitely nicer/cuter.

Cathay used to be great, I mean really really great. But now IMHO, their econo class for long haul has slipped into "pick one" oblivion status. It is far better than US carriers, most certainly, but it would be a long stretch of the imagination to compare it to Singapore or Malaysian Air. (Short haul flights are a totally different story, CX is right up there with any carrier in the world.)

Guido I looked and looked, and couldn't find any of the Cathay $1000 SFO/LAX-BKK RT promo fare seats anywhere. The real price right now seems to be hovering around $2300.

[b]A quick tip regarding all flights including First Class. Save yourself vast amounts of time & hassles this summer:[/b] Use your "online check in" option, make sure to get into the "online check in" line early at the airport, then you'll simply blow through check in, maybe 3 minutes. (Also, you're smart, so if you are late or have a lot of luggage, use the SkyCaps, a $20 tip is waay worth it. Try it, you'll see!) :D

[QUOTE=Guido88]China Air has a poor reputation in all respects and is somewhere near Aeroflot for safety records.

Guido88[/QUOTE]Not flaming, but can you elaborate about their safety records?

[QUOTE=Redfield10]Actually, I flew Cathay in Feb. To Hong Kong and BKK. I didn't really like it. Small, old seats. Unless you upgrade. I was very surprised because I"ve heard so many good things about CP.

I actually preferred EVA and China Airlines. You have the wrong Airlines. China Air is not China Airlines.[/QUOTE]Redfield,

I fly with Cathay about 16 time a year for business ,they might not have the best service I give that honor to Singapore airline , they have the most flight and best connection ,cathay have 5 flight a day from west coast USA 3 from LAX and 2 from SFO to Hong kong and 6 flight a day from HK to Bangkok ,they use the new plane for the long haul flight to US and Europe and the older fleet in ASIA .

Fast eddie 48

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48]Guido,

That is wrong info asia mile LAX to BKK take 85,000 mile round trip on enconomy ,they don't have any seat for redemption booking until end of sep ,I try to book a seat 6 month ago for June no chance ,I have to buy a ticket from SFO to HK cost 1600 usd for mid June for my business trip ,I have over 180,000 mile some will expire soon and all tax will cost about 180 usd included dep tax in bangkok not 40 usd .

Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]Correct. I read the US$ 40 tax comment and was somewhat suprised , as it recently cost me HK $ 1400 ( US $ 180 ) on a CX redemption KL /HK/ Heathrow.

Plus as you rightly state, so hard to get redemption on long haul flights.

Interesting with Malaysian Airlines, I just go to the check in counter, and if they have seats, they will issue you a boarding pass immediately, and deduct the mileage there and then. Perfect!

[QUOTE=Redfield10]...I actually preferred EVA and China Airlines. You have the wrong Airlines. China Air is not China Airlines.[/QUOTE]China Air does not exist, it is Air China. But the one with the poor safety record is the Taiwanese China Airlines. I would never fly them if avoidable.