courtesy overnights in Asia?
Jul 17, 2006, 4:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Colorado
Programs: United Premier
Posts: 100
courtesy overnights in Asia?
I work for a non-profit and fly economy. I often travel to ChiangMai or Yangon via Bangkok from LA but I don't want to be up walking around when my body clock strikes about 2am. For medi reasons I can't sleep sitting.
In the past five years I have regularly taken the second flight out of LAX
on Japan Air that ran on Fridays purposefully so that it missed the NRT-BKK
connection. So JAL would give me a voucher for one of their two hotels in
Narita. I'd get to Narita at 5pm about the time my body said I was really tired, enjoy myevening of rest at the comfortable airport hotel, a delicious Japanese buffet breakfast, take a late morning flight to Bangkok, go immediately on to Chiang Mai and get there feeling great and ready to work. Others who had pushed through Tokyo and arrived at Bangkok at midnight couldn't get to Chiang Mai until the next day anyway, but they were wiped. I was pretty proud of discovering this (but pride goes before a fall....)
But now it appears that JAL has dropped that second flight, so I can't seem to miss the connection. So, what to do to still sleep on solid ground by 2am West Coast time.
I've checked on the new Thai flight direct from LA, but it leaves near
midnight, which defeats my purpose entirely. Has anyone done this and could comment on how much farther down the seats recline?
Cathay looks to be a good option since they allow a free stopover in HK, but lodging near the airport is over my non-profit budget and I am a woman traveling alone (and usually loaded down) so don't want to go too far afield.
Can anyone suggest a new routing US to Bangkok that might get me my sleep before I turn into a pumpkin? I prefer flying out of LA, but could fly out of most places since I'm actually coming from Colorado which doesn't have any direct Asian routes anyway. If I am flying in winter, I'd rather go for LA as the gateway than say Chicago because of the risk of missing my connection due to weather. I would like to collect miles on AS, AA or United.
Thanks!
In the past five years I have regularly taken the second flight out of LAX
on Japan Air that ran on Fridays purposefully so that it missed the NRT-BKK
connection. So JAL would give me a voucher for one of their two hotels in
Narita. I'd get to Narita at 5pm about the time my body said I was really tired, enjoy myevening of rest at the comfortable airport hotel, a delicious Japanese buffet breakfast, take a late morning flight to Bangkok, go immediately on to Chiang Mai and get there feeling great and ready to work. Others who had pushed through Tokyo and arrived at Bangkok at midnight couldn't get to Chiang Mai until the next day anyway, but they were wiped. I was pretty proud of discovering this (but pride goes before a fall....)
But now it appears that JAL has dropped that second flight, so I can't seem to miss the connection. So, what to do to still sleep on solid ground by 2am West Coast time.
I've checked on the new Thai flight direct from LA, but it leaves near
midnight, which defeats my purpose entirely. Has anyone done this and could comment on how much farther down the seats recline?
Cathay looks to be a good option since they allow a free stopover in HK, but lodging near the airport is over my non-profit budget and I am a woman traveling alone (and usually loaded down) so don't want to go too far afield.
Can anyone suggest a new routing US to Bangkok that might get me my sleep before I turn into a pumpkin? I prefer flying out of LA, but could fly out of most places since I'm actually coming from Colorado which doesn't have any direct Asian routes anyway. If I am flying in winter, I'd rather go for LA as the gateway than say Chicago because of the risk of missing my connection due to weather. I would like to collect miles on AS, AA or United.
Thanks!
Jul 17, 2006, 11:55 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Colorado
Programs: United Premier
Posts: 100
I'm just more familiar with BKK, but the others would be okay. Can I get through to Yangon, from anywhere but Bangkok? My next trip will be Yangon rather than Chiang Mai.
I looked at Malaysia Air through Kuala Lumpur for a few minutes, but they don't give miles for either the United or AA groups.
Thanks for helping
I looked at Malaysia Air through Kuala Lumpur for a few minutes, but they don't give miles for either the United or AA groups.
Thanks for helping
Jul 18, 2006, 1:26 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Currently living in MAD
Programs: *G and whatever else I can match to....
Posts: 914
I agree with doglover's suggestions. I have had forced overnights at Singapore and KL (in KL, MH paid for the hotel; in SIN, SQ did not cover the cost). However, on both of those occasions I would be arriving in SIN/KUL around midnight and leaving again early in the morning (but my destination was Phnom Penh; the schedules may be more favorable for your routings).
- Michael
- Michael
Jul 20, 2006, 6:16 am
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
I also love to force overnights in Japan, particularly on JL because their hotels are nicer than NH and their policies are friendlier than NH/NW. I suggest you find a travel agent that is tight with JL (I use one in Costa Mesa; you can pull up the number by searching for 714 and Japan), get them on the same page as you, and let them work it. The trick is to book into a fare class that's available on your transpac, but not on the same day connection.
