Cambo

When being with a whole family, think "bigger" and consider a private jet to BKK with subsequent VIP handling for departure at BKK. Might be much cheaper than elevated pricing J all the way to somewhere, for the entire family.

With VIP handling, you might be able to just avoid the entire arrival theater and being dropped right at the departure.

The next thing to consider is to have a far away destination, not requiring PCR testing before departure and during transits. This implies very limited PCR testing, maybe even none, and your stranding risk goes down to.

Also, with a private jet, you'll have very limited contacts, so limited opportunities to get infected.

gisanim

Just checked Google flight, 1-way HK to Seattle via NRT on ANA J class departing on 12 Mar is $13,853. Need to purchase through UA website.

estnet

Why do u think u have to spend 5 days in BKK - first the rules are changing, but even now when a day 5 test is required it IS NOT if you leave before day 5! Now, award availability is a different issue.

Cambo

Assuming USD, for a family of 6 or so, that'll be a small fortune to fly just out of Hong Kong ..... Better go the private jet route to BKK.

moondog

Or fly to BKK for $127 pp and by separate onward tix. I realize this is a pita for 6 people with luggage but the $50k price difference is nothing to sneeze at.

sxc

No, that's HKD. There's also pricing of around HK $17k through ICN.

This is just checking on google flights - not sure if it's phantom availability.

Cambo

Yep, quite a hike, though OP considered the family size and hauling around the luggage a major issue, so, yeah, there are solutions for that ;-)

My choice would be the el-cheapo BKK route (much more expensive than the suggested USD 127, given the luggage fees, and potential weight limitations at all).

Cambo

Could be HKD. It's a major PITA on this board that the $ sign is used for every currency with Dollar in its name, instead of using the official designated currency name. Maybe moderate on that, to avoid misinformation/confusion.

moondog

Ah okay. I also assumed USD because I'm used to seeing numbers like that now. But, those are obviously good fares.

brunos

You cannot transit in BKK unless you are on the a single ticket. That means doing the Test&Go system, spend your first day at a SHA++ hotel to do your arrival PCR and get the Thailand pass in advance. The price difference is indeed worth considering it. if you can get an operating HKG-BKK.

It seems much easier to fly to America than to Europe.
Trust me, I have been trying to find a solution to CDG for next week. Taking advantage of the no pre-departure test requirement (just in case).

littlevoices

Just curious, not that I am likely to do it, but how much would a private jet cost at the moment to BKK or HKT?
A friend is sharing one from HKG-LON with her dog for "only" 160k HKD (one seat only mind), which to be honest for a ~12 hour flight appears very good value for money for what will presumably need to be a fairly substantial jet to go so far. Cathay used to charge not that much less for First in the good old days. I presume that means about 20 seats so 3m HKD or so to London?

Cambo

Private jet flying goes in pricing per flight hour, "made for you". Which implies the flight leg itself and the relocation of the aircraft. The latter can be significant, but also zero, when you have flexibility around date/time of flying.
The hourly pricing starts roughly between USD 6K and 10K for a small business jet, also depending on the "age" of the airplane.

The flight time between HKG and BKK is roughly 3 hours. So, a cost between USD 18K and 30K.

Your example: Given a 12-hour trip, this is no longer a small business jet, so something with a little under 20 seats, a Bombardier Global 7500 or so, hourly pricing something like USD 18K.

160K HKD shared with 15, would be something like 2500K HKD for the whole flight, IE USD 300K, amounts to USD 25K per flight hour, including the relocation of the aircraft (especially potentially empty back to Asia - or empty to HKG .....).
Or, if she flew out and return, that would be 24 hours flying and significantly less "empty" flying, reducing the costs to USD 12.5K per flight hour.

Just to give you an impression. As said, pricing highly depends on you clinging to your own schedule and the empty legs of the airplane.

littlevoices

Thanks for the info Cambo, I can see why people are recommending a private jet to Thailand then as when you consider salaries, desperation to escape and the lack of any travel/increased savings over the past few years it becomes "affordable" for a typical international family based in HK... maybe I should spend some of my saved COVID travel budget on that one day soon :P

Cambo

Reports about the Thailand Test&Go practices:

HON/UA (Page 4 & 5)

Referred to from:

ChristianKiev

Where a statistically unbelievable amount of people do seem to test Day1 PCR positive and subsequently get approached by private hospitals to "quarantine" / "recover" with them. And when ordering right away another PCR test elsewhere, this test comes out negative.

Or so to say, a TIT experience, ruining a lot of people their holidays.

Kongduino

For scenario #1 I don't see why not. The main issue will be interlining, for your luggage. But CX and JL interline (or used to before Covid, at least), so this shouldn't be much of an issue.

For scenario #2, the issue will be the luggage indeed. ANA and CX don't interline, AFAIK, and you won't be allowed to pass through Immigration to pick up your luggage, then onwards through Customs, to go upstairs and check in again. There's no "quotes" about entering the country – you would definitely enter Japan...
It would be nice if NRT and/or HND had a luggage retrieval service like in HKG for the ferry, allowing check-in without entering the country... But, such a service would probably a huge mess to organize...