butterfly Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Can any of you gentlemen recommend a good website or travel agency for getting a decent price on a business class flight from London or Amsterdam to Bangkok? Economy prices seem to be falling, but I haven't seen much evidence of the same happening to business class prices. Thanks. Quote
Guest naughtybutnice Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Can any of you gentlemen recommend a good website or travel agency for getting a decent price on a business class flight from London or Amsterdam to Bangkok? Economy prices seem to be falling, but I haven't seen much evidence of the same happening to business class prices. Thanks. You are better off checking the airlines own website for Business Class prices. Any ticket agent has only so many tickets for specific periods allocated to them and often these can be beaten by the airlines themselves. For instance: On EVA Airways own website at the moment it is cheaper to travel Business Lon/BK direct than it is to use Evergreen Deluxe. Departing April 30th: Economy return £494 Evergreen Deluxe £1718 Premium Laurel £1644 I fly EVA Bk/Lon in Business Class twice a month and the price rarely varies by more than a few pounds. Ex of booked flights for this year: February flights: £1673 / 1698 March £1645 / 1662 April £1698 / 1678 May £1705 / 1687 June £1658 / 1705 December 1741 / 1798 EVA are consistently the best priced Business Class product on that route and the only disadvantage that some may have with booking direct through their website is that the flight has to be paid for at the time of booking. Maybe you can find some deals on the Ethiad & Emirates flights at some times during the year but these are usually for selected dates and in my own case of no interest as I only do non-stop flights on this route. Quote
fedssocr Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Perhaps that is true in the UK, but in the US you can save a fair amount by using a travel agent that specializes in discount business class fares. It just comes down to whether the agency you pick uses an airline(s) that you prefer. I contacted a few online agencies here while planning my trip for this year. They were offering me the lowest cost on United for about $1700 less than what I would have paid on UA's own website. They also had deals on Korean Air and some others. Ultimately I chose a ticket on Qatar Airways which was not cheaper than what the airline itself offered but I preferred their product so it was worth paying a little bit more for. Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 I never purchased a business class ticket in my life. I would always purchase economy class. Yet I ended up in business class more often than not. Once I purchased my ticket I would simply call the airline and request a bump-up to business class. They never did it over the telephone, but sometimes the agent would tell me she'll send my request to the gate agent. Sometimes I would be told sorry, but we can't make such a request. Then, just like Thai banks, I would call again in a day or two, get an entirely different response, and the request would be sent. Sometimes I would simply ask the gate agent if I can get a business class bump-up. I didn't get it all the time, but quite often I would find myself in business class. Once I actually ended up in first class . . . from Chicago to London and then first class again from London to Bangkok. All I did was simply ask for it. What can I say? It worked quite often for me and it would save me a pile of cash too. I guess I'm living proof that the squeaky wheel really does sometimes get the grease . . . Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Can any of you gentlemen recommend a good website or travel agency for getting a decent price on a business class flight from London or Amsterdam to Bangkok? Discount business and first class tickets are usually only offered from the country of origin of the flight. So, like naughtybutnice, you can find good prices in Bangkok for return flights out of Bangkok, but it is very difficult to find anyone apart from the airlines themselves offering discounts on return flights from other countries in to Bangkok. I'd check agents and airlines at the London/Amsterdam end. Perhaps that is true in the UK The UK used to have a system whereby airlines would offload some of their tickets to a select group of agents called 'consolidators'. Each consolidator tended to specialise in just a few airlines and was then able to offer these tickets at considerably discounted prices, well below those offered by the airline and other agents. I'm not sure if this system still exists, but if I were in the UK I'd certainly be calling around the agents. I'd also check the week-end editions of the major national newspapers as you will usually find loads of advertisements for discounted front-end tickets in the classified sections. I would always purchase economy class. Yet I ended up in business class more often than not. GB - it seems you are like the main character in the movie "Perfume" which I just watched on Star Movies. A dab of perfume and you end up with the airline staff doing your bidding. Wish I had that knack! When you called the airlines, what did you say? Surely it must have been more than just a simple request for an upgrade? Quote
Guest naughtybutnice Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Discount business and first class tickets are usually only offered from the country of origin of the flight. So, like naughtybutnice, you can find good prices in Bangkok for return flights out of Bangkok, but it is very difficult to find anyone apart from the airlines themselves offering discounts on return flights from other countries in to Bangkok. Sorry I should have made myself clear. The prices I quoted are in fact for travel London / Bangkok /London and are the prices paid by our London office for tickets issued in the UK for business colleagues. I used those figures as the OP was starting out from London. For myself the flights from Bangkok / London / Bangkok are booked via our company travel department and are generally about 10% below those quoted above. I would imagine that punting around you can find a better deal for certain periods but as our travel is essentially company business we deal direct with the airlines for both speed and the option to amend / cancel the bookings without penalty. Sorry for the confusion. Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Surely it must have been more than just a simple request for an upgrade? Well, don't be so "surely." That's exactly what I did. I don't remember word-for-word what I said. What I said was to the effect of, "I'd like to ask if you can put a in request for a business class upgrade if any seats are available." That's about all I said. "Sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't." - Old Lodge Skins, 'Little Big Man' Quote
Guest Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 As a result of the depression, many companies now insist their staff fly economy for ever longer distances. The proportion of business class seats sold may decrease, so I guess it's got to be worth asking about free upgrades if they have empty seats up there. Quote
fedssocr Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 As a result of the depression, many companies now insist their staff fly economy for ever longer distances. The proportion of business class seats sold may decrease, so I guess it's got to be worth asking about free upgrades if they have empty seats up there. And if that doesn't work and you don't mind paying a small amount you can ask how much it would take to get an upgrade or make an offer. Airlines are struggling and an empty seat doesn't make any money at all. How recently have you been upgraded for free GB? Did you buy the cheapest possible ticket and ask for an upgrade or were you on a full-fare ticket? Quote
Guest laurence Posted February 19, 2009 Posted February 19, 2009 Free upgrades for non-elite flyers just does not happen on any kind of regular basis especially now. Sometimes the airlines do tease new flyers with an upgrade to Business to get them hooked. That has happened to me on NWA and THAI. To get upgrades now to Business it takes money, miles and luck. Typically from the USA to BKK it is a $3000 economy fare + 30,000 to 60,000 miles. But EVA does seem to have the best deals. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Free upgrades for non-elite flyers just does not happen on any kind of regular basis especially now I cannot recall getting any upgrade prior to joining the lower tiers of the elite status of a couple of airlines. Since then, as I have progressed through the tiers, I guess I'm upgraded on long haul once every 5 or 6 flights. I sometimes try to check seat availability on flights and then reserve the most heavily booked one in the hope my luck will be running. The site - http://availability.publicbackup.com - is very useful for finding out how heavily booked flghts are at any one time. Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 How recently have you been upgraded for free GB? Did you buy the cheapest possible ticket and ask for an upgrade or were you on a full-fare ticket? It's been six years. It's also been that long since I last asked. Since moving to Thailand, I have been back to the USA only once. I didn't even ask for an upgrade for that trip because I had bulkhead aisle seats both ways, so that suited me just fine. I imagine I had the cheapest possible tickets every time I asked. I always bought my tickets through Rhonda, of Norcross Travel, and her prices invariably beat any other price I was ever able to find, by hundreds of dollars. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Just for information of those with Asia Miles, Cathay Pacific has announced it is now offering instant upgrades for miles at all airports. These can only be booked when checking in at the airport. And if you have an economy ticket, the ticket must be in one of the four following classes - Y, B, H, K - i.e. the cheapest tickets don't qualify :-( Quote
Guest Astrrro Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 It's been six years. It's also been that long since I last asked. Since moving to Thailand, I have been back to the USA only once. I didn't even ask for an upgrade for that trip because I had bulkhead aisle seats both ways, so that suited me just fine. I imagine I had the cheapest possible tickets every time I asked. I always bought my tickets through Rhonda, of Norcross Travel, and her prices invariably beat any other price I was ever able to find, by hundreds of dollars. Well, I thought I was the squeakiest wheel around but GB has me beat! Twice, I was upgraded to first class. The first time was totally random, back in my college days when they sold too many Economy seats. Another time a flight was canceled from Key West and they gave us first class if we could make our way to Miami. But I thought free upgrades were for the elite fliers. Or it seems maybe they now are. But I'm a pest about bulkheads and emergency exit rows. And am always trying to find a better seat. On long flights it really matters. So at the airport I'll have them check for empty rows. And have them recheck at the gate. I'm very polite, but it never hurts to ask. Quote
Guest buckeroo2 Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Free upgrades for non-elite flyers just does not happen on any kind of regular basis especially now. Sometimes the airlines do tease new flyers with an upgrade to Business to get them hooked. That has happened to me on NWA and THAI. To get upgrades now to Business it takes money, miles and luck. Typically from the USA to BKK it is a $3000 economy fare + 30,000 to 60,000 miles. But EVA does seem to have the best deals. I am looking to book my next trip and I try to fly EVA when I can. For the 2nd of June and a mid-week return 3 months later, EVA website is quoting a price of US $3200 for a R/T economy deluxe seat. When I checked the same flight a few weeks ago , the website quoted a price of $1300. I was hoping with the world economy in a downward spiral, the price might come down - not go up by 200 %. That price is a joke for an economy deluxe ticket. Quote
Guest laurence Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 That seems strange buckeroo. Maybe check it again. Was this one of their hot deals or a regular fare? I have seen business class at $3200 but only up to a two month stay. Often times with EVA fares they quote one price but when you go to book there are no seats left. Quote
fedssocr Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Airfares can change very quickly. Since you have some time for sure it is worth keeping an eye on fares and jump on it when it gets cheap enough. Perhaps they changed their fare rules. Often times the cheapest fares have 30 day maximum stays, so if you are planning to stay 3 months you may end up having to pay more. Quote
Guest buckeroo2 Posted February 22, 2009 Posted February 22, 2009 That seems strange buckeroo. Maybe check it again. Was this one of their hot deals or a regular fare? I have seen business class at $3200 but only up to a two month stay. Often times with EVA fares they quote one price but when you go to book there are no seats left. Thanks for that suggestion. I am using their regular fare search on their website looking for a R/T ticket from SFO to BKK on 06/02/09 and returning on 09/01-09 on economy deluxe- exactly 90 days once I arrive in BKK. The fare listed is $3266 - if I decrease my stay by 1 day - to 89 days - the fare is $1395 - I would never have thought about a 90 day rule - thanks for the heads up. Quote
