railways

From Qatar Source:

Qatar Airways today announced a four times weekly Boeing 787-8 Doha – U-Tapao Pattaya service to commence on 28th January 2018. Schedules are as follows:

QR828 Doha 2005 – U-Tapao Pattaya 0630+1 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays
QR829 U-Tapao Pattaya 0750 – Doha 1140 Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays.

Firipu

From routesonline.com and Gulf Times:

Qatar Airways will launch direct flights to Pattaya, its fifth route to Thailand, due to increasing customer demand, it was announced.

The new four times a week service, which starts on January 28, 2018, is in addition to the airline’s existing flights to Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket and soon to be launched, Chiang Mai.

Boeing 787-8 aircraft will serve this route 4 times a week

QR828 DOH2005 – 0630+1UTP 788 x246
QR829 UTP0750 – 1140DOH 788 x357

Looking forward to the ex-EU launch deals

Downunderdesert

It certainly will be interesting to see how this plays out. But the most important thing is getting the brand out there, and now we have another dart on the map.

FlyerTalker688786

A route like this with layout with only 22 Business class seats have a different economics.

The goal is simple: fill the cabin as much as possible at an average higher price. Every Ł/€30-50 extra from per passenger would help the route to survive.

Qatar is counting on Northern European tourists passengers paying a little bit more for the convenience of going door step to Pattaya. Being 40 KMs from both Rayong and Pattaya this route would serve a large area. Like many poster said, there are the official container port of Bangkok, lots of electronic and automobile businesses and agriculture exporting firms. BKK is double the distance at approximately 80 kms. Not to mention Rayong is a big port for petroleum and liquid gas.

That being said, you should also consider how normal tourist would react. To many normal tourists, when your ticket said destination PATTAYA they would think it is right by Pattaya. And when your ticket said destination BANGKOK, their reaction is that it is 2 hours away from PATTAYA.

Bangkok for sure is convenient, so does Pattaya Utapao. It is relativity. For many people living in south Pattaya and Rayong. UTP is much more convenient. Even for some one lives in north Pattaya, they would prefer to drive to UTP than BKK. There is a psychological line between Bangkok and Pattaya/Rayong in their head. Many of my Thai friends would rather stay in the vicinity of Pattaya/Rayong than going north to Bangkok.

Last, Bangkok is so crowded with all ME airlines includes EK, EY, WY and GF etc. The yield and price will be constantly under pressure. Going to somewhere less carrier would dare to go yet there are potential traffic is a good move by QR. There is no point for QR to add another BKK frequency as the competition is just too fierce. But fly to somewhere in Pattaya or Hua Hin may serve better in the long run.

GGLwannabe

I was interested in having an extra option on flights into and out of Thailand, but having checked availability for early April, I discovered that Qatar have only loaded flights to UTP until March 24th. Prices don't seem to be super-attractive either - the only ex-Europe flights I can find sub Ł2000 are from Helsinki, at about Ł1550.

Does this indicate that QR is not fully committed to this destination, and are just planning to suck it and see; or is it that they see this solely as a leisure destination, and will run flights only in the tourism high season - i.e. October through to end-March?

msm2000uk

While I cannot comment on the 'commitment' aspect to UTP, what I would say, is that when a new route is launched, it can take 3-6 months before the Promo Fares are loaded for the destination.

As such, don't expect to see fantastically cheap offers to UTP for a little while yet.

M

FlyerRed5

Thessaloniki (SKG) announced 4x weekly commencing in Summer season 2018 eff. 27MAR18

https://www.qatarairways.com/en/pres...Press-releases

msm2000uk

A major number of posts have been deleted due to being Off-Topic.

Regrettably, I appeared to be the one who started the OT discussions, so apologies about that (and to those who are subscribed by email to this thread).

M

Downunderdesert

We need Greek islands!

Agent69

Caribbean islands would be better

Downunderdesert

well, trying to be a little realistic!

Sam Bee

Hearing unsubstantiated rumours that QR have acquired slots for a new old destination.... London Gatwick, the return...

From March using an A359, slots acquired arriving 06:45, departing 08:45.

Will try and find something more concrete to back this up. But it's not an airport they will struggle to get slots with due to the demise of Monarch. Not sure what Cathay's loads are like on their A350's from Gatwick, but friends stuck down back will always take it over their 777's from Heathrow...

And I still say they should send ULR319's to USM...

msm2000uk

EK to very very well out of LGW, and that is likely who QR will be targeting.

M

Sam Bee

Indeed, and i'm seeing far less of EK being cheaper from LGW than LHR (other than the Ł3 difference in PSC). Purely anecdotal, but there you go.

Downunderdesert

not a rumor. Was planned for 2019 but now bringing forward to 2018.