LHR-BKK availability
Sep 4, 2004 | 11:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 222
LHR-BKK availability
mrs pfd and i are close to getting to the 105,000 needed in UA M+ for a star business class to south asia. does anyone know what the availability i like on the LHR-BKK route (which i guess is popular)? i guess one could route Via FFT or AMS with either LH or TG. any help would be welcome. think of going next march or april. thanks
Sep 4, 2004 | 3:43 pm
#3
Moderator: LGBTQ+ Travel, India-based Airlines and India; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Asia
Programs: Yes!
Posts: 15,582
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
If you can get it, go for SQ LHR-SIN-BKK
Anyways, on this route it should be REALLY easy to get availability (famous last words
) given the huge amount of *alliance choices you have:LHR-BKK (TG direct)
LHR-FRA/x-BKK (LH or TG)
LHR-CPH/x-BKK (SK or SK+TG)
LHR-ARN/x-BKK (SK+TG)
LHR-CDG/x-BKK (BD+TG)
LHR-VIE/x-BKK (OS)
LHR-FRA/x-ZRH/x-BKK (LH+TG)
etc etc etc
The easiest availability I've found in Business class is on the TG operated longhaul flights due to the (comparatively) poorer business class offering.
Sep 6, 2004 | 3:23 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,638
Just for your reference, I've had no problems getting award seats on SQ flights LHR-SIN and back, for the morning flights each way. (SQ317 to SIN, SQ318 from SIN). The others which depart later on in the evening tend to be fully booked but these two flights usually have good availability. You also get a Lunch+Breakfast LHR-SIN, and Breakfast and Lunch SIN-LHR. Both flights were excellent.
Sep 6, 2004 | 6:45 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 41,216
Originally Posted by pfd
Stargold, how far in advance did you book, and did you have to be very flexible with dates?
As this example shows, you do not have to stick with one carrier but can mix *As randomly.
I hear from other posters, that the *A does not enforce the most direct route for single comtinent hops. We in Australia have to fly as straight as possible, so the LHR-BKK-SIN routing would not permissible for me as there is a more direct route available.
So I cannot fly something like SYD-SIN-FRA-LHR, if I wanted to travel on LH, as there exists SIN-LHR on SQ for the last leg.
Sep 6, 2004 | 7:20 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 222
are you saying that you have to fly SYD-SIN-LHR? so if SQ was fully booked 11 months in advance you couldn't go SYD-SIN-FRA-LHR? seems a bit unfair.
BTW anyone flown TG C to BKK recently? i know SQ is supposed to be the best but would you rather do 12 hrs direct on TG, or 18.5hrs SQ via SIN or 14.5 hrs LH via FRA? All i really care about is a decent seat pitch. (i'm 6'4"). the food/films/service/colours/carpets don't do much for me as i'm an infrequent business traveller (4-6 times intra europe p.a) and anything is better than Y for long haul as far as i'm concerned.
BTW anyone flown TG C to BKK recently? i know SQ is supposed to be the best but would you rather do 12 hrs direct on TG, or 18.5hrs SQ via SIN or 14.5 hrs LH via FRA? All i really care about is a decent seat pitch. (i'm 6'4"). the food/films/service/colours/carpets don't do much for me as i'm an infrequent business traveller (4-6 times intra europe p.a) and anything is better than Y for long haul as far as i'm concerned.
Sep 6, 2004 | 6:36 pm
#9
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Santa Barbara, CA USA: Round the World Travel, Star Alliance. United 1K, Lufthansa Senator, Singapore PPS
Posts: 218
LHR BKK on TG
Getting Star Alliance award tickets on TG is relatively easy. I just booked LHR BKK LHR on TG with United miles for a friend, and was also able to change the dates (before the first flight, as the return is non changeable after).
The TG flights LHR BKK are all non-stop (not direct). As I recall, there are 10 flights a week.
I have to say that the TG Business Class product is Not Very Good, but it is better than Economy.
On an award ticket you can't get SQ on a routing of LHR xSIN oBKK, as that is not a direct enough routing, and they will insist on TG or SK or LH.
I
The TG flights LHR BKK are all non-stop (not direct). As I recall, there are 10 flights a week.
I have to say that the TG Business Class product is Not Very Good, but it is better than Economy.
On an award ticket you can't get SQ on a routing of LHR xSIN oBKK, as that is not a direct enough routing, and they will insist on TG or SK or LH.
I
Sep 7, 2004 | 4:18 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,638
Originally Posted by pfd
Stargold, how far in advance did you book, and did you have to be very flexible with dates? i may have to wait until after xmas to book for a march or april trip. do you think this will be OK?
I would definitely avoid TG if you could possibly help it - their J class is, simply, substandard. Unless you could and would be willing to pay USD600 per person (or thereabouts) to upgrade each leg. See the TG board for details, but I was under the impression that it was also possible with an award ticket. In that case, TG F is apparently very good.
Sep 7, 2004 | 2:56 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Sydney NSW Australia
Posts: 2,337
Originally Posted by weero
I hear from other posters, that the *A does not enforce the most direct route for single comtinent hops. We in Australia have to fly as straight as possible, so the LHR-BKK-SIN routing would not permissible for me as there is a more direct route available.
So I cannot fly something like SYD-SIN-FRA-LHR, if I wanted to travel on LH, as there exists SIN-LHR on SQ for the last leg.
So I cannot fly something like SYD-SIN-FRA-LHR, if I wanted to travel on LH, as there exists SIN-LHR on SQ for the last leg.
As an AC member, I can get a reward from say PER to Nth America via SIN and Asia/Far East, but under the M+ scheme I could only get a PER reward to NthAm via AKL and NZ. Have also seen a AC reward from SYD with a routing via SIN to SHA for a stopover, then on to LHR and return under the mileage system rules, so it can be a far more flexible option.
Sep 8, 2004 | 8:18 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: MEL
Programs: BA Gold; VA Velocity Gold; LH FTL; Marriott Gold; ICHG Platinum AMB; Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,393
Originally Posted by Al B
That depends entirely on your host FFP plan. UA uses direct routing (as does M&M AFAIK) however others, like AC, would check that particular routing under mileage limitations or routing restrictions pending the filed routing of the fare of the carriers involved.
As an AC member, I can get a reward from say PER to Nth America via SIN and Asia/Far East, but under the M+ scheme I could only get a PER reward to NthAm via AKL and NZ. Have also seen a AC reward from SYD with a routing via SIN to SHA for a stopover, then on to LHR and return under the mileage system rules, so it can be a far more flexible option.
As an AC member, I can get a reward from say PER to Nth America via SIN and Asia/Far East, but under the M+ scheme I could only get a PER reward to NthAm via AKL and NZ. Have also seen a AC reward from SYD with a routing via SIN to SHA for a stopover, then on to LHR and return under the mileage system rules, so it can be a far more flexible option.
LHR-CPH(SK)-SIN(SQ)-BKK(SQ)-HKT(TG)-BKK(TG)-FRA(LH)-LHR(LH).
What they wouldn't have allowed is LHR-LAX-SIN, or backtracking (e.g. LHR-NRT-SIN).
Sep 8, 2004 | 2:26 pm
#13
Moderator: LGBTQ+ Travel, India-based Airlines and India; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Asia
Programs: Yes!
Posts: 15,582
Originally Posted by House
I've found MAM pretty accomodating if you would like to try a particular carrier or routing.
I managed to book an F award for LHR-FRA/x-NRT(NH)-HKG(NH) // SIN-LHR(SQ) squeezing every drop of leeway (open jaw in different regions, stopover in addition to the 'two' points of turnaround etc and all on my choice of carriers, despite there being open availability on the LH operated flights. ^
Dec 15, 2004 | 9:42 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 222
well, looking at the TG vs SQ product offerings, it was a bit of a no brainer. so mrs pfd and i are off to SIN over next easter with SQ. availability wasn't that good (not a surprise given it's a holiday period) but i managed to get out on a tuesday and back 13 days later. some internal MH flights SIN-PEN-LGK-SIN (Y 
) and some very nice looking hotels. E&O Penang, the Datai, & the FS in SIN. I'll post a report on the hotels when we're back.
) and some very nice looking hotels. E&O Penang, the Datai, & the FS in SIN. I'll post a report on the hotels when we're back.