Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - CX lowers fares dramatically

There is no doubt SARS is a serious crisis for CX. They are now lowering prices to all-time lows. Here in Taiwan, the M class rtn to JFK is now selling for TWD 17'200, i.e. just 450 euros, SFO and LAX for 15'450 (EUR 400) To Europe, CX has gone down to TWD 22'700, roughly 580 euros (prices valid until 6/20). Here's a couple of links of only ticketing sites now all offering these fares (all in Chinese):

http://www.ezfly.com
http://www.eztravel.com.tw
http://www.buylowtravel.com.tw

[This message has been edited by mhtaipei (edited 04-25-2003).]

[This message has been edited by mhtaipei (edited 04-25-2003).]

Assuming Taiwan doesn't do that "ban" (or should it be called something else?) on travel to HK, it's a good deal.

If it does happen I might be forced to drop my CX flight for another airline http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

I was planning to buy my tickets in Taiwan (instead of buying taiwan-bound tickets in the US) because they're seriously cheaper... if we can still go to HK in 2 months' time I might sign onto CX again.

CX sure has not lowered any C or FC fares
ex BKK . I am hoping they would so I can
stock up on my tkt supply for the rest of
this year and next !!!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AA2MM:
CX sure has not lowered any C or FC fares
ex BKK </font>

Nor ex anywhere else, it seems. Too bad for us...

Yeah, those "I" fares in spring 2002 were great, weren't they -- I remember I bought 6 tickets in one go for the whole year. Well, these M class offers above just came out in the last week - maybe there's good tidings for premium travel yet to come.

But for you guys in BKK -- the F and J fares are reasonable ex BKK anyway -- I checked yesterday BKK-HKG-LHR / AMS / FRA online for only 179'000 baht in F and 132'000 baht in J -- that's really cheap compared to starting in HKG, SIN or TPE. So cheap in fact that if the I class fares don't come back I am considering starting my September and December trips to Europe in BKK this year and going F instead of J.

Do these Taiwan-US or Taiwan-Europe tickets allow stopping in HK for a few days?

Most of the C or FC tkts I had...they allow
only same day connection , even over the
12 hrs ( the max allow by US carriers
domestically )....
So , next day connection or a few days
later , it's out of the question : they
are very strict about this , pretty risky
to try to outwit them ( I have known people
who tried this with FC tkts , and in no
uncertain terms , they were told NOT TO
try to pull that again !!! ).

[This message has been edited by AA2MM (edited 04-25-2003).]

**** LATEST UPDATE ****

ezfly.com has just uploaded first class fares (A) ex TPE (rtn, 6/10):

Toronto TWD 128'000 (EUR 3342, CAD 5296)
Vancouver TWD 107'000 (EUR 2790, CAD 4427)

mhtaipei,

Thanks for all these links above.

I was looking for a cheap SQ fare for TPE-NRT, which used to be offered by a TPE agent that I know but it was no longer selling it.

One of the three above seems to sell it. I have to inquire!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AA2MM:
Most of the C or FC tkts I had...they allow
only same day connection , even over the
12 hrs ( the max allow by US carriers
domestically )....
So , next day connection or a few days
later , it's out of the question ]</font>

Thanks. What about if I comply with the outbound leg and then when journeying from USA-HKG-Taiwan, I just skip off at Hong Kong and never use the remaining segment?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mhtaipei:
Yeah, those "I" fares in spring 2002 were great, weren't they -- I remember I bought 6 tickets in one go for the whole year. Well, these M class offers above just came out in the last week - maybe there's good tidings for premium travel yet to come.

But for you guys in BKK -- the F and J fares are reasonable ex BKK anyway -- I checked yesterday BKK-HKG-LHR / AMS / FRA online for only 179'000 baht in F and 132'000 baht in J -- that's really cheap compared to starting in HKG, SIN or TPE. So cheap in fact that if the I class fares don't come back I am considering starting my September and December trips to Europe in BKK this year and going F instead of J. </font>

I think you will get a considerably lower Business-class fare (probably I-class) ex. BKK. Last time I checked with the agent I have usually used in BKK (AW Business) they offered something like THB90.000 BKK-HKG-LHR-HKG-BKK with even a free stop-over in HKG.

I am not sure if they also offer specials for F.

Mads

CX is offering low low fares from ICN (Seoul) to HKG and beyond.

All in coach, HKG for around US$250, BKK for around US$280 return.

The trouble is the 'medical' check up upon arrival in BKK though. You won't be checked if you fly direct from a non-SARS infected area.

ex-HK as well
----
Dear all,

I wish you all and your families good health and good spirit in the current difficult circumstances caused by the SARS outbreak.

I am pleased to attach information (see webpage below) on the just announced "We Love HK" Campaign - especially on how to purchase Cathay Pacific round-trip tickets from Hong Kong to Tokyo for only HK$1,000.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/aboutus/press/0,3845,31342-93408,00.html

Best Regards,
( )

I did a HKG-BKK round trip two weeks ago and the Thai health authorities' check consisted of slapping an adhesive temperature-sensitive sticker on my forehead and asking if I felt OK, and where you were staying. I was also "interviewed" by a guy who asked me a few extra questions. No big deal.

of course if you fly Sing or HKG to Taiwan to make use of these tickets they include an extra two weeks incarceration (quarantine)in the Government camp

Please look at the brighter side: you receive free room and board. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

The problem is not the flight itself, but all the fuss upon entering the foreign nation. Even if you can successfully pass the immigration control without qurantine, HK residents might be seen as "infected people" and be segregated from the others. For example, I read stories that some Hotels in Yokohama (Japan) have refused guests from HK and China. I think it's absolutely rediculous.


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TerryK:
Please look at the brighter side: you receive free room and board. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif</font>

But you might be exposed to the virus from others who are isolated together with you!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fakecd:
For example, I read stories that some Hotels in Yokohama (Japan) have refused guests from HK and China. I think it's absolutely rediculous.</font>

fakecd, did you read this in English?

They are refusing reservations by people from Hong Kong or China by saying they have no rooms available ....

No, that was on the japanese site, I believe it was either www.nikkei.co.jp (http://www.nikkei.co.jp) or www.asahi.com (http://www.asahi.com)

But the article also claims 5-star hotels in Tokyo are "still" accepting guests from HK and China. But with the level of paranoia in Japan, who knows how things will change over next few weeks. I would keep my fingers crossed.

Thank you, fakecd. I was wondering if that piece of information was picked up by English-language media. Given a prevous post by you, I had thought you might have probably read it in Japanese. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

On a different topic, CX seems to be willing to endorse any CX ticket you may have, even if it is a discounted one, to another carrier, if you cannot make a proper connection at HKG, due to schedule reductions.

I was talking to a CX reservation agent and he told me they would do 'the best' they can to fly me to a destination so that I don't have to have a forced overnight stay in HKG.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Chiangi:
I was talking to a CX reservation agent and he told me they would do 'the best' they can to fly me to a destination so that I don't have to have a forced overnight stay in HKG.</font>

If you prefered to stay on CX (better service, want the miles, etc.) and did have a forced overnight, would CX pay for the hotel?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bedelman:
If you prefered to stay on CX (better service, want the miles, etc.) and did have a forced overnight, would CX pay for the hotel?</font>

I didn't ask that option but I am fairly certain CX would. A forced overnight is common when a connection cannot be made at HKG as a result of a delay in the first flight. The agent I talked to said they want us to fly CX as much as possible but they also don't want to keep us at HKG for several hours just for a connection.

I think CX would offer you miles, though, even if you fly another carrier in liue of CX. It may take longer if you want AA or other partner miles.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Chiangi:
I didn't ask that option but I am fairly certain CX would. A forced overnight is common when a connection cannot be made at HKG as a result of a delay in the first flight. The agent I talked to said they want us to fly CX as much as possible but they also don't want to keep us at HKG for several hours just for a connection.

I think CX would offer you miles, though, even if you fly another carrier in liue of CX. It may take longer if you want AA or other partner miles.</font>

This just happened to me, as I had a BOS-HKG-SYD ticket where the cancellation of the morning SYD-HKG flight now forces me to overnight at HKG. This was an award ticket through AA, and AA couldn't get any answer from CX regarding overnight accomodations due to schedule change.

As the new schedule was a real problem for me, having little time left to get a HKG visa, I ended up cancelling the SYD legs altogether.

Following the original post with chinese websites are there any english travel websites in Taiwan? I have been trying to get some cheap D-fares on from TPE-HKG-LAX but I'm not able to get them on CX. All the International websites (expedia, travelocity etc.) are all showing the HKG price.
In the fare listing on Travelocity it does show a D-fare for US$ 3100 but don't know how to get it. I did call a travel agent in taiwan as well as Cathay but no luck. What is the trick or are these low fares only available for Chinese speaking residents of Taiwan http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

the best english online booking facility for taiwan is www.zuji.com (http://www.zuji.com)

you have two options for English:

1. go to www.zuji.com.au (http://www.zuji.com.au) or www.zuji.com.hk (http://www.zuji.com.hk) (English) and book your ex-twn flight there (fares will come up in Taiwan Dollar, I have booked through .au, it's all the same database)

2, go to www.zuji.com.tw, (http://www.zuji.com.tw,) then manipulate the code in the address line of your browser: change LANG=ZH to LANG=EN and there it is all in English. (here the altered link: http://res.zuji.com/lognlogin.ctl?Service=ZUJITWZH&tr_module=AIRG&LANG=EN)

The only (and IMO ridiculous and annoying) shortcoming of zuji is that they don't show fare classes. So if you are after miles, stay away from the cheapest fares, and to call them to complain about the missing fare information. Because other than that they have excellent fares.

Oh one more thing. Cathay has started offering limited discounted fares directly through their reservation service in Taipei (they have English operators). The number is 886-2-227152333. The fares currently on offer are mostly S,K and M, but to Europe they offer D class for NTD 88160 (EUR 2200). The same on Zuji is 84xxx, both excl. taxes.

mhtaipei, thanks for your help!!! As always flyertalk can give you a solution in 23 mins where others take days, weeks or give none at all.
Much appreciated http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

pleasure to be of use.

i have just discovered that the new version of the zuji web is now online for Taiwan, and chaning the address line doesn't work anymore -- as soon as you search for flights you are back to Chinese. Other options still valid.

I am not sure if Zuji Taiwan will send you tickets to an address outside taiwan though. If needed I can provide a temp postal address.