United Airlines discontinuing all service to Thailand

[firecat69]

The real key with ANA and United is make sure you buy the ticket from UA and then it is recognized as a UA flight and you get all the same mileages etc.  

 

The only thing you don't get is to use upgrade certificates because they can be used only on UA metal which of course sucks.

 

Be interesting to see if ANA goes to a larger plane or an additional flight because they cannot begin to service that route with their current equipment.

 

I just flew in on a loaded 747 and those passengers cannot be conveyed on a 757.

[vinapu]

Thai uses double decker A-380 on BKK -Narita leg, now we know why

[Guest anonone]

The real key with ANA and United is make sure you buy the ticket from UA and then it is recognized as a UA flight and you get all the same mileages etc.  

 

The only thing you don't get is to use upgrade certificates because they can be used only on UA metal which of course sucks.

 

Be interesting to see if ANA goes to a larger plane or an additional flight because they cannot begin to service that route with their current equipment.

 

I just flew in on a loaded 747 and those passengers cannot be conveyed on a 757.

Mostly correct, but the flight on ANA also means no Economy Plus (which is free to United elites) or any lifetime mileage accrual for million miler status. I would also track PQD (Premiere qualifying dollars) carefully to ensure accurate credit.

 

ANA is showing a change to a 777 later next year, but still not enough to cover the loss of an entire UA 747 or 777.

 

UA is very reluctant to use Thai Airways, as they are not part of the Joint Venture between ANA and UA. Thai has a lot of capacity on the NRT-BKK route. The demand is there, UA just chose to abandon the market and not compete for the business.

 

Idiots.

[firecat69]

Truth is UA is pushing me to DL.  I hate SkyMiles and their award search engine which is why I left DL.  But now DL offers incredible BC fares RT to Atlanta.

 

Keep in mind I threw away a cheap economy ticket return over a year ago so I could start my RoundTrips from Bangkok. That makes the fare 30% or more less. Ridiculous I know.

 

I have used DL to get to and from Seattle and UA onward.  But that means even though  I am Platinum with DL I never upgraded  on Domestic flights because my hometown is Atlanta.

 

I love Seattle as my port of entry. Absolutely the best Customs and Immigration in the USA. Always fast, no stupid questions and a Welcome Home with a smile.  A real pleasure compared to many others such as DTW,JFK,LAX etc..

 

But now I will be forced to consider DL which means my POE will be LAX but at least my Domestic flight will continue in BC.

 

On the trip to Bangkok it will be a direct flight ATL-NRT which is a longer leg then I like because I rarely sleep.  But the fare is the same as I was paying from SEA and I eliminate 2 hotel nights in SEA where it always rains.

 

I hate UA for forcing me back to DL>

[Guest jimnbkk]

I'd take spare shirt, sock and undies in carry-on just in case you luggage flies next day, when checking in BKK make sure they put red tag ' short connection' on your luggage to increase chances it flies with you all the way

Good idea.  I'll do this for sure since I'm not going home right away.

 

Minimum Connect Time at NRT is actually only 45 minutes for this connection. But that assumes everything is on time.

 

 

Since you're flying in economy I would try to get a seat as close to the front as you can and let the crew know you have a short connection. They may let you get off right after business class. 

 

I tried to get a seat on the ANA flight, but I cannot through UA and when I try and do it on the ANA site, they don't recognize the reservation code.  Since it's occuring 2 months later than my flight to Thailand, I can do it when I leave USA through IAD. 

[fedssocr]

 

 

I have used DL to get to and from Seattle and UA onward.  But that means even though  I am Platinum with DL I never upgraded  on Domestic flights because my hometown is Atlanta.

 

I love Seattle as my port of entry. Absolutely the best Customs and Immigration in the USA. Always fast, no stupid questions and a Welcome Home with a smile.  A real pleasure compared to many others such as DTW,JFK,LAX etc..

 

 

 

Get Global Entry and you don't have to deal with any of the officers at arrival. You do have to go through a background check and perfunctory interview to get the status. It also gets you a "trusted traveler" number which should get you Precheck through security at U.S. airports.

 

I returned through JFK (terminal 4) last month and there were plenty of Global Entry kiosks open. Was through to baggage claim in about a minute. (But there were also no lines at the regular immigration either so I am sure most of those folks got through fast). You get a little receipt from the kiosk that you hand to the customs officer and they basically wave you through.

[firecat69]

I tried that when it first came out. Paid my $100 and got turned down.  No recourse to find out why except through Freedom of information Act.

 

I have better things to do with my time so that was the end of that.

[vinapu]

 

I love Seattle as my port of entry. Absolutely the best Customs and Immigration in the USA. Always fast, no stupid questions and a Welcome Home with a smile.  A real pleasure compared to many others such as DTW,JFK,LAX etc..

 

 

Speaking about stupid questions by US border service. In beginning of July I was entering USA to attend my friend funeral, barrage of questions included : ' you are renting or living in your own home' and  ' whom you are living with at home".

 

Compare it to landing in any European country where usually question is 'how are you"

 

In Soviet times I was in USSR four times, none of entry subjected my to even remotely similar investigation.

 

I wonder if Americans realize how  much their cherished freedoms are curbed in recent years and how brainwashed they become if they think this is right?   

[Bob]

I've heard a few complaints from others regarding treatment by the US border service but I've never experienced any of that.  After checking my paperwork, 9 out of 10 times I get a "welcome home."  Once, about 2003 or so, I was treated rather discourteously by some old dude in Detroit but, other than that, I've had no complaints.

 

The US no doubt has over-reacted to the various terrorist threats (perceived and/or real) but I actually feel a bit more comfortable knowing that the people I'm cooped up with in an airliner are not likely carrying any weapons. So, just from my point of view, I think the security (or at least feeling of security) is a fair trade off for the inconveniences encountered. .

[vinapu]

I understand what you are saying but I was crossing by car and I carry passport of US friendly country , not Sudanese or North Korean

[firecat69]

We are really talking about 2 different things here, TSA is responsible for security on flights and  Customs and Immigration is there to make sure you have the right to enter the country.

 

Let's face it Customs and Immigration are basically a joke.  They have no idea when someone overstays their visa and they have let millions enter the country illegally.  When a citizen returns it should be does the face match the passport photo and thats it .  Unless they have a reason to question goods being brought in all they should do is pass the passport through and say welcome home.  

 

Many countries hate the way we treat visitors and make it hard for them to visit. Brazil will tell you the reason we have to get a Visa to enter their country is because we force them to obtain a Visa.  India China and many others the same .  Last time I checked these countries are not or have never been on a terrorist list.  This costs us hundreds of millions of dollars in lost Tourist spending.

 

And from personal experience Detroit is the worst Customs and Immigration and I would pay more never to have to use Detroit as a Point of Entry.

[kokopelli]

Agree, Firecat, Detroit is the worst. All the more reason to get Global  Entry and skip all the hassle of questions and search.

[vinapu]

Best  way to skip all the hassle of questions and search is to pick up another country to visit unless one is an American , than there's no choice , everybody needs to come home at times.

 

Sorry if I sound bitter but read my post # 83 to find why

[kokopelli]

vinapu; US Immigration also treats returning single American males as third class citizens whether returning by air or car or rail.

I have also been hasseled by Canadian Immigration when entering Canada with various types of stuipid questions.

[vinapu]

You are right, at not time I'd say that crossing other side of border is any better. Once I was charged duty on half full bottle of vodka on basis that I did not spent 48 hours outside of country which is required  for duty free import of alcohol.

 

I'm pretty sure that Europeans reading  this thread are puzzled what we are talking about as most of them are crossing, say Germany to Poland the same way like New Yorkers crossing   42th street from Grand Central

[bkkmfj2648]

vinapu; US Immigration also treats returning single American males as third class citizens whether returning by air or car or rail.

I have also been hasseled by Canadian Immigration when entering Canada with various types of stuipid questions.

I could not agree more with this statement. I went home to New York at the end of September for 1 month and I was picked out of the line for "a special interview". The TSA lady made it sound like I won a prize and said come with me. When I responded to the question that I have lived out of the USA since 1999 - they get weird and want to know every country you have lived in. They took my laptop from me and then wiped the external borders of it with a peice of paper. When I asked what were they doing with my computer they did not respond to me. Then they let me go.

 

I don't believe that I will be retiring in the USA when I finish working. I hate the way they treat us "fellow Americans". If I complain to my family or friends they say that I am being un-American and un-patriotic. What happened to the America I left in 1999? I feel they have been brainwashed or body-snatched.....

[vinapu]

 I hate the way they treat us "fellow Americans". If I complain to my family or friends they say that I am being un-American and un-patriotic. What happened to the America I left in 1999? I feel they have been brainwashed or body-snatched.....

When communism died and communist propaganda with it vacuum was filled with capitalistic propaganda American people  people succumbed to the same way like Soviet people to communist one.

 

Soviets were sniffing for imperialists everywhere , now Americans and not only them are seeing potential  terrorist in everybody with shoes on his feet.    

[t0oL1]

 .

 

 

I've heard a few complaints from others regarding treatment by the US border service but I've never experienced any of that.  After checking my paperwork, 9 out of 10 times I get a "welcome home."  Once, about 2003 or so, I was treated rather discourteously by some old dude in Detroit but, other than that, I've had no complaints.

 

 

I have traveled 12 to TH and only gotten rousted by border service one time,

also in Detroit. I will not purchase another ticket routed through that airport again.

After 28 hours of airplanes and airports,  I don't feel like smiling as they ask

stupid nosey leading questions.

[kokopelli]

 They took my laptop from me and then wiped the external borders of it with a peice of paper. When I asked what were they doing with my computer they did not respond to me. Then they let me go.

 

...

 Typically swab for drugs, explosives but then maybe semen?    I think they do this just to make it look like they are in control. I have had this done to my luggage several times just to hassle me and yes, Detroit.

[fedssocr]

vinapu; US Immigration also treats returning single American males as third class citizens whether returning by air or car or rail.

I have also been hasseled by Canadian Immigration when entering Canada with various types of stuipid questions.

 

Yeah, Canada has given me a hard time over the years as well. It's like they don't believe anyone would want to visit their country on holiday.

[Guest blazer]

Indeed, United is still booking flights to BKK with its own flights and partners.

 

Recently booked a United award flight from ORD to BKK, via SGN.  United allows one free stopover in Asia.  Flying from ORD to SGN on United metal, then stopping over in SGN for 10 days, then flying Thai Airways to BKK.  On the return flying to Tokyo Narita on Thai,  then on United metal to ORD.  Total cost 80,000 points.