GoSh4rks

If anybody never resolved their HKT flights and still has an unconfirmed Bkk-hkt segment on their record: I just called in to see if I needed to formally drop that segment just in case it may cause some funny business upon check in and/or the return legs. CSR was able to drop the segment with no re-ticketing is required. No need to worry about needing current award space on the partner segments.

Maybe that’s common knowledge but I was slightly worried I would run into issues with having to reticket into open space.

WineCountryUA

Dropping a cancelled flight segment is generally no problem

frappant

Apparently a lot of Saver Awards available from end of March through October for SE Asia, centered mainly around the UA SFO-HKG nonstop flights.

There are a bunch of 82.5k and some 99k outbounds, with varying layovers in HKG. Some are like 18 hours. With the uncertain entry rules, even booking an overnight near the hotel seems like a uncertain option.

There are some SFO-HKG-BKK Saver awards but the HKG-BKK is on Thai Airways. Wasn't that airline on the brink of bankruptcy even before the pandemic? Has anyone flown them recently?

The SFO-HKG-SIN Savers aren't that appealing, at least 9.5 hours layover in HKG.


Maybe UA isn't expecting a lot of ticket sales on SFO-HKG so it made a lot of biz award space?

The other part is that summer months seem to have a lot of rain in both Thailand and SIN.

restlessinRNO

Thai Airways (TG) has, in a sense, emerged from bankruptcy. They have been operating multiple international flights for several months now. I don’t think they will stop flying. ✈️

rankourabu

I would be more worried about SFOHKG being continuously postponed like it has been to date rather then TG not flying....

goodeats21

Routing through HKG used to be a frequent routing for me to BKK (pre-covid), but am steering clear now due to the issues you raise.

I have flown Thai multiple times this year and would have no concerns booking them.

Agreed. Thai government would never allow them to go bankrupt / loss of public face.

Agree 100%

Polytonic

I see a lot of 99k routings on BR metal outbound, but the return is proving particularly challenging. There's very little I space coming back across the Pacific without routing through HK.

Rather annoyingly, I can't force the return through TPE using Excursionist Perk as UA considers it to be in a different region from SIN and HKG.

JayhawkCO

I just booked a DEN-SFO-HKG-BKK for 82.5k miles. Even if there are issues with Hong Kong layovers (mine is only 2 hours), SFO-HKG being resumed, or Thai Airways crapping the bed, the likelihood of a schedule change in the next ~7 months is high enough that I could get UA to change the routing to my specifications (assuming I'm on their metal as much as possible). I certainly wouldn't mind just DEN-NRT-BKK.

My annoyance was that Japan was in a separate region from Taiwan too. I scored an F ticket from NRT-ORD on NH and was trying to use the Excursionist Perk to let me travel within South Asia while starting one end in Taiwan and finishing the second in Japan, but that didn't work either

cyborg

I found that moving dates around would show a business award available on EVA from SEAsia to SFO/LAX with reasonable stopover in TPE. However it only appears on certain days of the week. Also, I have had some success speaking to "Qualified" CSR over the phone to help resolve, but today I actually figured out how to outsmart the IT while on the phone with UA by using the multi search tool and performing a hybrid booking of the Intl flights as one segment (including connections) and the TPAC to US segment as the 2nd segment.
YMMV
Cheers,
-Cyborg

cyborg

I waas able to book some TG in conjunction with NH to get reasonable awards between HND and MEL through BKK in Business for 55K as standalone and even able to add that onto an NH F award HND to ORD today for OCT23. Priced out less than separate tix. Depends on day of week and need to be mindful of how the website handles the complexity of the route so you don't get stuck in eco of extra stops.

Cheers,

-Cyborg

Millionmilesgirl

Just finished round trip to / from Australia:

originally I booked IAH -SYD- CHC for 60k each leg, one way tickets. The SYD -CHC (air New Zealand) got changed several times… Back in October, booking update stated that last SYD -CHC is Not confirmed so I called 1K line and they removed both flights to/ from Christchurch… worked great for us as we combined with Fiji.
flight IAH -SYD was very long…….

jrquad

Northern Thailand can be great in the summer months. Just Stay Bangkok or north and it might be great. Rain for a few hours and then sun with less humidity.

Kmxu

How were the service and foods on this long flight? I will take IAH-SYD in about two weeks.

Millionmilesgirl

service was outstanding on both flights - they told us most senior crew is handling this long flight.

food was ok in my eyes - nice to have a starter & tomato soup& grilled cheese sandwich back.

i didn’t have any breakfast but my husband said the fairy toast was horrible 😝

polaris lounge in IHD is getting really busy late afternoon….

below the menus - they had PJs, mattress pads on board - just order early

fumje

You had your nails done during the trip. 💅 At first I thought it was en route. 😁