Day Thirteen
Lao Airlines Economy Class ~ A320-200 ~ Vientiane, LA to Bangkok, TH ~ 640p – 740p

Given the late departure time of my flight to Bangkok, this day started with a visit to the Pha That Luang temple that was mentioned above. Returning to the hotel at about 3:00pm, I took a late lunch and then got a ride from the hotel staff straight to the airport. The airport is very close to the downtown area and so was only a ten minute ride from the hotel. I was charged the equivalent of about $5.00 USD for the ride.



The International Terminal at Vientiane


After having flown 194 airlines, you’d think I’d be nonchalant over the prospect of flying aboard yet another new airline. Yawn… flown one, flown ‘em all… Nothing could be farther from the truth. The fact that I’m actually aware I’ve flown upon 194 different airlines should tell you all you need to know about my level of enthusiasm for such things. My passion burns as bright today as it did in my younger years. Each airline is unique to me and the prospect of experiencing a flight aboard a new and different one still comes with a lot of anticipation.

Even though I’ve flown aboard many single aisle Airbus aircraft, I haven’t flown Lao Airlines’ version. As such, there’s still plenty of excitement and anticipation as I board what is for me a new and different airplane. What’s it look like inside? What’s Business Class look like? What color is the carpet? What color are the seats? I know, I know what you’re thinking. Still, I am unrepentant. This is exciting stuff!



Lao Airlines’ Airbus A320-200


Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport consists of a small domestic terminal and a new international terminal. I arranged to arrive two hours early in order to check out the airport lounge operated by Lao – Japan Airport Terminal Services. This lounge is not part of the Priority Pass network and so would have cost me $14.00 USD to use.

Lao Airlines’ check-in counter was just opening as I arrived at the terminal. Thankfully only a handful of people were in line ahead of me and the check-in process seemed to go fairly quickly. I was processed quickly with no questions about keeping my roll-a-bord with me as a carry-on. Right! Off to the lounge!

Not so fast, Bucko! Unfortunately, the lounge was on the airside of the security checkpoint. A security guard posted at the entrance to the immigration hall informed me that passengers on my flight would not be allowed to enter until 6:00pm. Whaaat? That’s practically boarding time! Still, his Ingrish wasn’t good and my Lao was non-existent so further debate seemed pointless if not impossible. I headed back into the non-air conditioned main terminal and found a small café where a cold bottle of Beerlao Gold proved to be as tasty as it was refreshing. A couple of electric fans also contributed to a more comfortable stay.

By the time I finally cleared immigration, it hardly seemed worth the money – even at $14.00 – to pay a visit to the lounge. On the other hand, had I known the flight was going to be operating almost an hour late, I would have gladly handed over a small handful of colorful Lao Kip currency. Unfortunately no announcements were ever made. Our aircraft could not be seen from the central waiting room and there was no airline representative present at the gate podium, so I had no way of knowing when we were leaving.

Time passed slowly in the hard metal and plastic chairs. I watched my fellow passengers – a mix of locals and Europeans. The Europeans began to become more concerned as time wore on. I was more irritated than concerned. I mean, there’s nothing I can do about the delay but at least let us know what’s going on. After all, we’re not a bunch of cattle headed for slaughter. We’ve got lives to live and things to do. If the flight’s two hours late - fine. Just let me know so I can plan accordingly. In my case, that plan would’ve been to hit the lounge for a bit of food and drink, not to mention a more comfortable seat.

Finally, I decided to take action – in a roundabout way. With no Lao Airlines personnel present, I went to the lounge and told a member of the reception staff that I’d heard Lao’s flight had been delayed until 1000pm. As such, I was curious about the amenities offered in the lounge. Perhaps I’d pay the $14.00.

Delayed until 10:00pm? Whoa! That certainly raised some eyebrows. A phone call was placed – assumedly to Lao Airlines. About three minutes later two uniformed Lao Airlines personnel arrived – the same two who’d checked me in – and headed over to the gate 2 podium. Well alrighty then. What’s up? An announcement was made that the flight was delayed until 7:45pm. Boarding would begin about 7:20pm. Fine. Now at least I knew what was going on.

Did my actions precipitate the arrival of the gate agents? Who knows? Is this a bad thing? Am I now to be considered a pushy Westerner for not taking a go-along get along attitude like so many of the locals appeared to do? Pffft! To my way of thinking, it’s 2018. Laos is trying to promote tourism, and not from neighboring Thailand or Cambodia but rather from presumably rich western countries. Its airline is part of that effort. Better get with the plan then, fellas. Don’t treat us like mindless cargo. Most reasonable people are fine with the occasional delay. It happens. At the very least, just keep us reasonably informed though.

Once upon a time, a flight aboard the national airline of Laos provided real potential for more adventure than most passengers were willing to broker. Back in the 1960s you might find yourself aboard an ancient DC-3 or DC-4 while during the 1980s the airline operated aircraft from China and the Soviet Union such as the Xian Y-7 or the Antonov AN-24. In 2003, the company was re-branded Lao Airlines and, after operating a collection of 2nd and 3rd hand Boeing 737s, took delivery of the first of two new Airbus A320s in 2011. That’s right – New! The aircraft I flew upon tonight just happened to be the first of the new Airbuses. At only 7 years old, it was delivered new to Lao Airlines in 2011.

After years of flying in the relatively boring and unimaginative dark blue or grey aircraft interiors favored by airlines from North America and Europe, I was mildly surprised and more than a bit appreciative of the jungle green interior of Lao’s A320. The aircraft featured a two-class layout seating 16 in Business Class and 126 in the main cabin. Business Class seats were arranged in a proper 2-2 configuration rather than the chintzy 3-3 layout favored by most European airlines. The seats were wide and plush with about 40” seat pitch. Very nice indeed.

Upon checking in, I had asked about the cost of upgrading to Business Class. When told it would be an additional $210.00 USD for the 55 minute flight to Bangkok, I determined that I could get better value for my money elsewhere. So it was that I continued on past the bulkhead separating the cabins and took my seat in 5C.



The view from 5C


We had an all-male crew this evening. The boys did an excellent job of getting us all seated while the crew up front performed admirably in providing general forelock tipping to Business Class passengers along with complimentary pre-departure beverages. As I watched it all from the vantage point of my seat at 5C, I must say the reality of having to sit in Economy Class seemed much more stark after having flown across the Pacific to Asia in First Class on Cathay Pacific.

The service on tonight’s 55 minute flight to Bangkok consisted of a snack box featuring a bun containing a simple chicken patty. Also included were a cup of water and a packet of ketchup. Ketchup and chicken… Maybe in Asia that works, but not for me. Thankfully I’d brought along a few extra packets of Grey Poupon Mustard. Ah… much better!



Lao Airlines Snack Box


The contents…


The 55 minute flight went by quickly. No sooner had I wolfed down my sandwich than it seemed we’d begun our descent into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. With a population of over 8 million people, Bangkok’s city lights extend a long ways out from the airport. It seemed as if we were flying over suburban area for almost half the flight while setting up for our final into Suvarnabhumi.

Following a two-point landing, we taxied in and parked a good ways down the C concourse. This was not good news. It meant a long walk up to the main terminal and then beyond to immigration. Along the way I passed a sign indicating that immigration was just 450 yards distant. This after already trudged a couple hundred yards.

Sigh… Plod on…

Once I finally reached immigration, clearing it was a breeze. Emerging into the Arrivals Hall, I called my hotel and was informed that my ride would be arriving within 15 minutes. Perfect!

Following are a few pictures of my room at Summit Windmill Golf Resort and the view from my balcony. This is my second time staying here. What a wonderful place!



Summit Windmill Golf Resort Living Room


Summit Windmill Golf Resort Kitchen


Summit Windmill Golf Resort Bathroom


Summit Windmill Golf Resort Balcony


Summit Windmill Golf Resort Nighttime View from Balcony



Day Sixteen
Bangkok Airways Economy Class ~ A320-200 ~ Bangkok, TH to Chiang Mai, TH ~ 1225p – 145p

Chaing Mai sits 320 miles north of Bangkok and is well served by three local airlines – Nok Air and Thai Air Asia out of Don Maueng Airport and Bangkok Airways out of Suvarnabhumi. Fares ranged from $35.00 to $65.00 USD one way, so I was well positioned to affordably add to my collection of 195 airlines flown so far.

During my dozen or so transits through Bangkok over the past ten years, I couldn’t help but take notice of Bangkok Airways’ colorfully painted aircraft. These are not logo jets but rather unique artistic works that use airplanes as canvasses with colorful artwork representative of the exotic and cultural destinations the airline serves. The overall effect is both alluring and appealing.



A few examples from Bangkok Airways’ colorful fleet


Bangkok Airways bills itself as Asia’s boutique airline. Its fleet of Airbus A320s and ATR-72s offer comfortable seating and service that’s almost as good as that offered by legacy carrier Thai Airways. At $65.00 one way up to Chiang Mai, it was the most expensive option but considering the extra legroom, superior service and the convenience of a Suvarnabhumi departure, I felt the extra money was well spent.

Check-in was a breeze. I was especially thankful that there would be no charge to take my roll-a-bord onboard with me. The only downside to this flight was that it departed from the airport’s domestic departure area over on the A concourse. Although my Star Alliance and Priority Pass membership granted me access to about a dozen lounges around BKK, none of them were located in the domestic departures area.

That said, Bangkok Airways has its own “Boutique Lounge” on the A concourse. I knew this but assumed it must require membership or status to enter. Not so! All that is required to enter is that you be a passenger flying aboard Bangkok Airways that day. Well blow me down! How cool is that?!

As might be expected of a lounge with such a lenient and wide ranging admittance policy, it was pretty crowded. Food offerings were basic crunchy snacks and muffins. A few newspapers and magazines were also available. I did spot a few empty seats but the overall ambience was so crowded that I took a simple look around and then decided to head back to a food court that I’d noticed on the walk down the concourse.

It should be noted that on select routes Bangkok Airlines also offers a Business Class called Blue Ribbon Club that provides wider seats, nicer service and separate lounges. These lounges are different from the standard boutique lounges in that they offer passengers more private space with personal shower rooms, libraries and hot meals available. No Business Class was offered on my flight however.

I wasn’t expecting a meal on the one hour flight up to Chiang Mai, especially aboard an airline that charged only $65.00 for a one way ticket. As such, I stopped by a nice looking Thai food oriented kiosk and ordered a Pad Thai. Two stalls down, an American sounding guy was complaining loudly and even cursing about some aspect of his meal or service. This would have been rather shocking back home but it was all the more so here in Thailand where people rarely raise their voices. Thankfully he vented his anger rather quickly and stalked off into the concourse.

As usual, my flight was departing from the very last gate on the concourse - all the way down at A6. I arrived about 40 minutes before departure. The gate lounge was half full and I was pleased to see that unlike American airports, there was not a big crowd already clustered around the jetway entrance. I took a seat nearby and awaited the call to board.

Boarding proceeded in a surprisingly orderly fashion. It was a welcome change from the circus that so often accompanies the process in many other parts of the world, including the U.S. Entering the aircraft, I was mildly surprised and a tad disappointed to see row after row of beige leather seats. As one who flew often during the colorful seventies, I really miss the bright and cheerful fabrics that highlighted airline interiors back then. Given Bangkok Airways’ colorful exteriors, I was hoping for something a bit more vibrant. Alas.

Well if your only complaint about a flight is with the color and covering of the seat, you’re doing pretty well. In every other respect, this flight was just perfect. I shared my row with a young lady from Canada, leaving the middle seat open. Flight time was just over an hour during which time we were served a surprisingly good chicken curry lunch.



Chicken Curry at 34000’


Following a smooth landing at Chiang Mai’s International Airport, I made my way down to the arrivals level to search out transport into town. I’d read that there was a communal van service for 200 Baht (about $7.00 USD) but was unable to find any evidence of such. I was however surprised at the number of coffee shops/kiosks ringing the check-in and arrivals area. I counted seven of them – more than enough to make any Seattleite feel right at home. As for my ride into town, the first taxi kiosk I checked quoted me 400 Baht. The next one asked for just 250. Sold!


Day Nineteen
Thailand Railways First Class ~ Chiang Mai, TH to Bangkok, TH ~ 600p – 650a

Located off a shady tree lined street, Chiang Mai’s railroad station is a good-looking mid-sized building featuring an attractive Thai style roof. A couple of appealing open air restaurants were located just outside the station and, with the quality of food aboard Thai trains having previously been cast into doubt, I decided to purchase a plate of tasty Pad Hed (stir-fried mushrooms, onions, peppers, chicken and rice) to eat later onboard the train.



Chiang Mai Railroad Station


Boarding was announced about thirty minutes prior to departure time. Americans (by accent) and Caucasians (by appearance) were everywhere. Chiang Mai is a popular stop on the Thai tourism circuit, and looking around at my fellow passengers, I could just as easily have been at an LA suburban station.

My First Class Sleeper was located directly behind the large diesel locomotive. Because the train had backed into the station, that meant I had to limp on down past a dozen or so cars before finally reaching my sleeper. The staff at the station, seeing my gait, quickly offered a wheelchair down to my car. No thanks – not my style. They then insisted on taking my roll-a-bord and escorting me down to my car. Well, okay then, if you must. Thank you.

Thailand Railways’ new First Class passenger carriages are painted a silvery grey offset by twin orange and fuchsia striping. They added a pleasant accent to the otherwise grey and cloudy day. As we made our way down the length of the train, I also took note of the attractive grassy islands on the platform between tracks. They added a nice natural touch to an area that at most stations is little more than utilitarian concrete.



Making my way down to Car 1 – the First Class Sleeper


Grassy islands accent the Chiang Mai platform


Honestly, the railroad staff could not have been more helpful or gracious as they offered me assistance up the stairs into the train (none needed, thanks) and delivered my bag to my room. This was the exact same room type that I had on my recent ride from Bangkok to Nong Khai, so I won’t elaborate further on its amenities. I will however take a moment to show you some of the second class sleeping accommodations available on this train since I took a few minutes to check them out. They were located just one car back and appeared to be very popular with the backpacker set.



The Second Class Sleeper


Individual seating area in the 2nd Class Sleeper


Individual seating area in the 2nd Class Sleeper


Returning to my car, I was soon visited by a representative from the dining car who asked if I’d like to pre-order a meal that could be delivered to my room. Whoa, now! This level of service certainly wasn’t offered on the train to Nong Khai. Perhaps the Chiang Mai train warrants better service. Had I not already ordered a takeaway dinner from the restaurant outside the station, I would have surely rolled the dice and taken my chances. It’s been my experience that good service is also accompanied by good food and vice versa. Next time, perhaps…

Departure was right on time. Thankfully my car seemed well enough insulated that I heard very little noise from the locomotive up front. As we rolled through the leafy suburbs of Chiang Mai, I dined on a pretty good batch of Pad Hed (My favorite remains the version made at Fairbanks’ Bahn Thai Restaurant) washed down with a can of deliciously chilled Singha lager.

I slept well in my nicely air-conditioned compartment – so well that it took some vigorous knocking on my door by the car attendant to alert me to our impending arrival in Bangkok. The time was 6:20am. Unfortunately we were right on time.

At the station I met my pre-arranged ride to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport. A flight aboard my 197th airline awaited…


Day Twenty
Vietnam Airlines Economy Class ~ A321-200 ~ Bangkok, TH to Ho Chi Minh City, VN 1120a – 130p

My good duty of the day consisted of helping a middle aged American couple find their check-in area. It all seemed pretty clear to me – a big board indicated by letter where each airline’s check-in area was located, and if you knew your alphabet then you simply followed the letters to the correct spot. I get the sense that some people just convince themselves that travel is going to be difficult and so arrive at the airport expecting to be befuddled. We FlyerTalkers – experienced travelers that we are – know the drill. Calm down. Take in and process the information available to you and work it out. The alternative of course is to do nothing. Sooner or later a guy like me will show up to lend a hand.

Check-in and Immigration was a breeze. Unfortunately, the walk to the E-Concourse was not. Suvarnabhumi is a huge airport. Its terminal is the fourth largest single-building (563,000 square meters or 6,060,000 square feet) in the world. The check-in counters I used were located on the opposite side of the airport from the gate assigned to this flight. And of course that gate was the very last one down the E concourse. It was about a half mile walk along a broad brightly lit corridor lined with colorful upscale shops. Most of those shops looked to be doing brisk business, too. I’ve never understood the compulsion to go shopping in an airport where more often than not the prices are artificially high and your purchase leaves you with just one more thing you’ll have to lug around the airport and onboard your flight. But that’s me. It would appear that in Bangkok at least, views like mine may very well be in the minority.

Although I was flying Economy Class on the short flight over to Ho Chi Minh City, my Priority Pass membership provided me a wide choice of lounges to visit at Suvarnabhumi. Thankfully, three of those lounges (Miracle Lounge, KLM/Air France and Oman Air) were located at the junction of the E and F concourses. I decided to start with the Miracle Lounge, previously known as the Louis’ Tavern Lounge.

There are nine Miracle Lounges scattered about the airport and they are all pleasant and well stocked facilities with comfortable seating and a nice variety of foods and liquor on offer. The F Concourse lounge was no different:



Miracle Lounge self-service bar and seating


Miracle Lounge food and drink area


A nice selection of hot tidbits


I fixed myself a cup of coffee and retired to an open table to put in a bit of work on this trip report. The Wi-Fi signal was strong and I ended up getting distracted and downloading a couple of recent String Cheese Incident shows instead.

With a little more than an hour to go before boarding of my flight to SGN, I decided to change locales and pay a quick visit to the Oman Air Lounge. Located at the head of the E concourse, it sported an attractive glass walled entrance and a friendly receptionist. Inside, it was a very small facility indeed. Still, it offered all the amenities of many larger lounges including a nice looking shower room – one each for men and women. I poured myself a glass of Jack Daniels and put together a tasty plate of snacks from the food service area.



Oman Air Lounge seating


Oman Air Lounge self-service bar


A nice selection of nuts and hot tidbits


After a half hour, I made my way down the length of the concourse to my gate. These concourses at Suvarnabhumi are certainly some of the most modern and well-designed I have ever seen. High, wide and rounded, they offer spacious walkways and people movers running the length of the concourse. Large windows allow natural light to flood in while plants, trees and Thai artwork complete the stunning promenade.



Walking down BKK’s E Concourse


Down at the gate, my 8 year old Airbus A321 was looking very nice in Vietnam Airlines’ attractive green and gold livery. This aircraft represents the backbone of VN’s regional fleet with 57 of them currently in operation. As I walked down the jet way and entered the aircraft, I was immediately impressed by the spacious 16 seat Business Class cabin. Seating was of course a proper 2-2 configuration with about 45” pitch between seats. Prior to the flight I’d gotten an email with an offer to upgrade into Business for about $80.00 more but as it was only a one hour flight, I decided to pass.

Continuing past the divider into the Economy Class cabin, I was equally impressed with my attractive cloth upholstered seat with its generous 32” pitch. I mouthed a silent prayer that I’d opted to pay a bit more to fly VN as opposed to the less expensive VietJet which crams an additional 26 seats into its A321s.

Shortly after leveling off, the flight attendants rolled a cart down the aisle distributing trays of cold snacks. Each tray consisted of a couple slices of cold luncheon meats, some sliced vegetables, a small splot of potato salad, a roll and a small fruit plate. I cut the roll in half and made a sandwich, accented with a sachet of Grey Poupon mustard which I supplied from my baggie of miscellaneous condiments.



Lunchtime on Vietnam Airlines


It looked to be a hot hazy day as we descended through puffy white clouds and lined up for the final over the broad expanse of Ho Chi Minh City’s urban sprawl. I wonder how different the view was for American troops 50 years ago flying into what was then Saigon aboard MAC chartered 707s from airlines like Braniff and Continental?

We parked remotely next to another A321 and then bussed into the terminal. Normally I’m not a big fan of remote parking, but in this case that bus ride saved us from what looked to be a pretty long walk had we parked at what looked to be the last available gate on the concourse.

My Visa On Arrival process went fairly smoothly. In all, I spent only about an hour from the time I disembarked the aircraft to the time I stepped into the taxi that delivered me to my accommodation for the night, the rather oddly named New Space Hotel. I found this property at Hotel.com and booked a Deluxe Double Room for just $43.00 USD all in.

Overall I thought the property looked a little better in the hotel.com pictures than the reality of my room. In a general sense it was nice enough but there were only two electrical outlets in the room – both singles – one of which served the refrigerator. The other served my bedside lamp. There were no outlets in the bathroom. Additionally the hotel restaurant was only open for breakfast. None of the eateries on the nearby streets looked like they’d pass an American style restaurant inspection, so I opted for a big bowl of dried chicken and vegetable soup that came as part of the for-purchase items available with the room. Two cans of Heineken washed it all down for a nominal fee.

I slept well on the big queen sized bed. My wake-up call at 5:15am allowed time for a quick shower before making my way down to the lobby where the front desk had arranged for a 6:00am taxi back to the airport.