Thailand - Koh Samui to Bangkok - all flights booked out for days!

Hi all,

I am stuck in a travel jam that I am hoping a clever FTer might have a solution to.

I'm currently on Koh Samui with a Bangkok Air flight booked to take my partner & I back to Bangkok on the 9th January.

We need to change our plans and get back to Bangkok by the 5th January. The problem is this: every single flight out of Koh Samui is booked out until the 8th or the 9th.

I've looked at the alternatives - e.g. ferry to Surat Thani and then flight to Bangkok. But there is only one flight available and it's late at night, and this is not a terribly comfortable way of doing it.

Any other ideas? I'm even considering flying to Singapore and then on to Bangkok but this is prohibitively expensive. I am open to expensive solutions but going via Singapore would just be ridiculous.

Many thanks in advance!
Alex

Bangkok Airways waitlists never clear. If it says zero, it's likely SOLD OUT.

However, you could try Thai Airways. Buy a full Y fare, or J class (discount business) and waitlist for earlier dates.

With full fare, push them to confirm any date with even one space. With the J ticket, specifically tell them that you want ANY SEAT, business or economy! Call again and again... get a bunch of waitllists, and push for a confirmation.

You can also standby at the airport, but unlless you're "star gold" other golds will trump you on standby.

Thanks Sean.

I've checked Thai Airways (both Y and J), as well as flights to Phuket, Krabi and everywhere else I could find. All booked out. The only option available was via Singapore which would have been well over $1k which is just ridiculous.

The ferry, bus and flight combo on Nok Air looks like it would be 9 hours (!), plus an hour's drive from our hotel to the ferry. Doesn't sound like much fun but would be an ok last resort.

In the end I just booked a Bangkok Air flight direct from Samui to Utapoa (Pattaya airport) and will get a limo from there to the hotel in Bangkok.

Anyone got any recommendations for a very comfortable limo service from Pattaya to Bangkok?

Thanks Sean.

I've checked Thai Airways (both Y and J), as well as flights to Phuket, Krabi and everywhere else I could find. All booked out. The only option available was via Singapore which would have been well over $1k which is just ridiculous.

The ferry, bus and flight combo on Nok Air looks like it would be 9 hours (!), plus an hour's drive from our hotel to the ferry. Doesn't sound like much fun but would be an ok last resort.

In the end I just booked a Bangkok Air flight direct from Samui to Utapoa (Pattaya airport) and will get a limo from there to the hotel in Bangkok.

Anyone got any recommendations for a very comfortable limo service from Pattaya to Bangkok?
Use http://www.thelimopattaya.com/ 085-739-4949
they are great. Cost will be around Bt1500-2000 in a sedan. Just as a warning if there are two of you and 4 suitcases, book the minivan as their sedans are converted to LNG and trunk space is limited to one large suitcase, a handkerchief and some sand.

Actually, you made a good decision. The Utapao airport is 2 hours from BKK.