Programs: Thai Gold, NZ Silver, QANTAS Club Bronze
Posts: 2,862
OT: AMEX works well
BKKROP. I can credit my NZ AMEX to TG/NZ/QF, at 0.6miles for $1NZ (USD $0.78) - I'm enrolled with turbo 2x, so that gives 1.2 miles per 1 $NZ - this is better than when living in Thailand when I variously received 1 mile for THB25 (=$NZ 1).
Programs: THAI Gold, Star Alliance Gold, WorldPerks
Posts: 717
Undecided? Saving Face?
I've been trying to make a booking recently on TG793/792 in November, with no success. I've been wondering when an official announcement is going to be made. Apparently they are not even admitting the route is cancelled within THAI at this time. Today I was in a Royal Orchid Lounge and asked the hostess if she knew anything about the JFK route being cancelled. She proceeded to check and tell me it was all full (all fare buckets 0'd out). I told her that something was going on because it is that way for everyday from July 1st.
Later she told me she contacted marketing and they told her they are not accepting bookings and are considering cancelling the route.
The thought occurred to me: Maybe this is a face saving way to go about it . . . . wait a week or two, and then announce the route is cancelled because of high fuel costs and a sudden drop in bookings.
I have 2 JFK-BKK flights booked on Thai Air for July 31st! I booked and paid thru Thai Air, no point or FF mile used ...plain old cash. I booked on my own , no travel agent. Will Thai Air reschedule our flights or am I just back to square one? I have hotels, tour guides, domestic flights booked and paid for...this is going to be a pain if I have to start rework all our plans.
What if they wait a month before they announce this...that puts me in a bad place if I have to rebook...I will have to pay very high prices if I have to rebook on my own.
I believe that on the JFK-BKK route, even when purchasing the ticket on TG, one option is on LH or other carriers through Frankfurt, where you then pick up a TG flight, or the like. Thus, I would think with a purchased ticket TG would accommodate you that way. Yet, I'm not sure. You may want to call TG, speak with a supervisor, get his/her name, and confirm such an alternative. Good luck.
An interesting article ran in the WSJ earlier this week addressing the impact of skyrocketing fuel costs on long haul Asian air travel:
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Asian-Pacific Airlines Are Forced to Reduce Flights Fuel Hits Mount As Even Strongest Fight to Survive By JEFFREY NG May 30, 2008 HONG KONG -- With the rise in oil prices, airlines across the Asian-Pacific region are scrambling to cut flights and increase surcharges to stanch hemorrhaging cash flow. Fuel costs, which now typically account for as much as 40% of total operating expenses for airlines, have already jumped more than 50% since the start of the year.
"If oil prices stay this high, then the entire airline industry will be fundamentally different in a year's time," said Damien Horth, head of Asia transport research at UBS. It will make the strong stronger and the weak weaker." The result, he said, could be downsizing and restructuring at weak airlines. Mr. Horth said carriers in the region with strong balance sheets and a focus on high-yielding premium traffic -- such as Singapore Airlines Ltd., Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd. -- are better positioned to weather the fuel crisis than less-competitive rivals.
I believe you are mistaken, at least in the case of UA/MP. They are not required to do any such thing. There have been many, many first-hand reports, in the case of schedule change/cancellation on award tickets, where UA/MP have simply canceled the award ticket, redeposited the miles (without any applicable fees) and refunded any associated fees.
I haven't seen many of the reports you mention. I have seen some reports of people being rebooked on UA metal under similar circumstances. I believe that any ticket issued (whether paid for with cash or miles) is governed by the contract of carriage - which in most cases outlines that the carrier will attempt to rebook you an on acceptable alternative.
I phoned Thai Air this morning and the agent told me that the flight is "under review" and they will know something by next week (and that lots of people are calling but they are not doing any rebooking until a decision is made).
In the meantime, I have a hold on 2for1 on Amex with JAL. The price is up $1000 since the time I called two weeks ago when I was trying to decide whether to use miles or 2 for 1 !!
I'm currently booked in premium economy on the October 21 JFK - BKK flight. My travel agent talked to Thai yesterday and basically got the same information that DC related that the flight was still under review and that they would be in touch once a final decision was made. Interestingly enough, the agent noted that Thai flights from JFK to BKK around that time are showing a code share flight via ANA through Narita. I checked up on the ANA website and they do offer premium economy on the JFK - NAR leg. They show an arrival time in BKK of around 9:00PM vs. a 4:10PM arrival on the nonstop. I'll pass on what eventually happens in my situation. I do need to arrange the flights to make a 6:00 AM departure on Druk Air on the 23rd. Never a dull moment!!
Just got off the phone with a Thai Air customer service rep in NY. He said those flights are under review. They will vote at the next board meeting whether or not to cancel the route or not. If they do cancel the route passengers will have 2 options, get a full refund or get rescheduled on another airline. He claimed that they will honor your travel dates and they will do the rescheduling. I hope that's what they do...I would hate to wait 2 weeks and find out they are just refunding the money and have to find a flight on my own.
Just when I thought all the detail of our vacation were done!
I do need to arrange the flights to make a 6:00 AM departure on Druk Air on the 23rd. Never a dull moment!!
I would be very careful scheduling your druk air flight for the next morning. If there is a delay t BKK you will likely not be able to travel to Bhutan as these flights are often at full capacity with no possibility for re-booking. If it were me I'd plan at least 24 hours for the transfer.
Just got off the phone with a Thai Air customer service rep in NY. He said those flights are under review. They will vote at the next board meeting whether or not to cancel the route or not. If they do cancel the route passengers will have 2 options, get a full refund or get rescheduled on another airline. He claimed that they will honor your travel dates and they will do the rescheduling. I hope that's what they do...I would hate to wait 2 weeks and find out they are just refunding the money and have to find a flight on my own.
Just when I thought all the detail of our vacation were done!
TG will only reaccommodate pax who purchased their ticket on TG stock as mentioned before. If one redeemed miles for this flight, then (s)he will have to contact the airline (s)he used to make the reservation. And, in case of UA, MP will insist on reaccommodation on next available award inventory space.
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I'm reading FT on Friday night because I have 6AM flight on Saturday morning...
KKjay77 - Are you saying that Thai Air will not reaccommodate me even tho I booked directly through them and charged the full fare to my credit card?
A few of my problems...
1. I have an ORD-JFK JetBlue reservation before and after the "cancelled" JFK flights. Do I just lose out on these?
2. If I have to rebook I'll just fly out of ORD not JFK. I only booked out of JFK because it was non-stop.
3. I have a Phuket-BKK flight booked on Thai Air for return to JFK. This flight will need to be changed as well. Will I be charged?
4. Do I try to get a refund from Thai Air and just rebook now?
KKjay77 - Are you saying that Thai Air will not reaccommodate me even tho I booked directly through them and charged the full fare to my credit card?
A few of my problems...
1. I have an ORD-JFK JetBlue reservation before and after the "cancelled" JFK flights. Do I just lose out on these?
2. If I have to rebook I'll just fly out of ORD not JFK. I only booked out of JFK because it was non-stop.
3. I have a Phuket-BKK flight booked on Thai Air for return to JFK. This flight will need to be changed as well. Will I be charged?
4. Do I try to get a refund from Thai Air and just rebook now?
I don't know what to do next?
HELP
What should I do?
What I'm saying is that TG will most likely only reaccomodate ones who books directly with TG (either online or using TA).
So you will be fine with JFK-BKK portion.
To answer your additional questions;
1. Your separate B6 reservation is technically not protected, so you may or may not loose on this.
2. If you ask TG agent, (s)he will try to accommodate you, I believe. But TG is only responsible to transfer you from JFK to BKK.
3. Is HKT-BKK on same PNR as your BKK-JFK flight? Regardless, since both of them are on TG flight, TG should reaccomodate you without charge. But if both are on the same PNR, then it would be much easier to get this done.
4. I don't think TG will refund you the ticket price now. They'll only do so when they announce the official cancellation of the flight.
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I'm reading FT on Friday night because I have 6AM flight on Saturday morning...
