6 Airlines, 6 countries in 30 days

[Hvr]

So a month away, six different airlines and six Asian countries, let the fun begin.


And it does early. My first trip is QF1478 CBR-SYD 1310hours Y class on Tuesday 28 October followed by QF1 SYD-BKK 1805 hours in J class.


As a QFF-SG I check in at the business desk at CBR where I have dozens of times before and tell the GA I am going through to BKK. She is not happy, whether it is dealing with an international customer or not I don’t know, but life suddenly becomes very frosty. I had two separate PNRs which I have previously combined so I present them both.


She punches away and prints off my boarding passes, puts a yellow first class tag on the bag and sends it away. I ask if the upgrade has come through to which she snaps, “no all business class passengers get that tag”.


Something is definitely wrong here.


The she tells me to put my carryon bag (a small Antler bag with one pole) onto the scale. It is way too heavy at more than 10 kilograms but knowing I am transferring to an international flight in a premium cabin I didn’t think it was going to be an issue. Boy was I wrong.


I was told in no uncertain terms that it was too heavy for the Dash 8 and had to be checked in or that I had to at least put some of the contents into my checked luggage (which had already been sent down the chute). So when I asked for it back this was another huge drama. It was returned but boy was I in the poo. Asking to retain possession of my passport while I was doing this just seemed to aggravate her even further.


So I transferred some minor items into the main luggage and went back to her knowing this wasn’t going to be good. I asked if it was possible for the bag to be gate checked but was told no way, it had to go into the hold.


So I grabbed my camera gear out of the small case and left the laptop inside and asked for it to be checked through to Sydney. Another huge imposition done with great sighing and complaining. I wondered if I would ever see it again.


I then looked at my boarding pass (11C to SYD) and was checking the rest when I was snapped at for the last time “don’t bother checking it is all there”. I walked through security and saw that I have 3A for the SYD-BKK leg. Now I am pleased, the upgrade has come through.


Head up to the new Business class lounge which only opened the previous day at CBR AP. I passed my boarding passes to the door lady who saw the black business class pass and welcomed me into the lounge. I said that I thought I had been upgraded and she confirmed it and said she would arrange a First class BP for me. It will be ready when I depart the lounge.


The new lounge is of course a totally different lay out. I didn’t really look at the food options still being upset about the treatment downstairs at check in and wondering if I would ever see my bag again. Still it was all very nice and new and almost empty.



People will need to adjust how they talk, I overheard a conversation that probably shouldn’t have been had in public and would never have been heard in a noisy room that is the basic QP. Sorry can’t remember a word of it now.



My only very minor criticism is that you really cannot see much of the tarmac. Still I suspect it will be awhile before I get there again.


Boarding is called and my new First class BP is ready with a smile and pleasant comments about enjoying my flight. Thank you, it really is appreciated. As I walk to the gate I see some people with the premium hand luggage tags for their over sized luggage preparing to put them on the trolley for gate checking. This increases my unhappiness at being forced to check a heavy but regulation sized bag.


Uneventful flight to SYD and a mad dash to the baggage carousel to see if my bag has arrived. Fortunately it has, now I can breathe easier. Pack it all in (no problems or bulges, just heavy).


Show my BP to the transfer desk and am given another priority Immigration pass and it is off to the F Lounge for the very first time ever. A quick flash of the BP and I am in the hallowed halls.



I am greeted at the reception desk and offered a tour. I opt for the brief tour wanting to see if there is a chance of a massage. There was an appointment available hour or so away and I gladly accept the booking.



In the meantime I have a very nice minute steak and fries followed by the most exquisitely topped hot chocolate ever. A very enjoyable massage and eventually boarding is called. I proceed and walk to what I think is the front of the elite boarding line (but was just a spare queue which wasn’t being used).



The GA sees the BP and tells me to wait there, after a couple of phone calls she comes to me and quietly tells me that there will be a delay of approximately 30 minutes, a problem with the door. A discreet thank you and I head back to the lounge telling another F pax that he may as well return with me.


Eventually the new boarding time arrives and this time I join the correct queue and make my onboard for my very first trip in F. I am greeted by name at the door and guided to my seat. Oh the joy, to think that this is where I will spend the next nine or so hours.


I really enjoyed my F experience, the pyjamas and amenity kit, the very professional attention to food and beverages, and the very personal attention all combined to enhance the flight. A small but important point, when I declined alcohol for the first time explaining that I did not partake at all a note was made and I was never offered alcohol again. Instead I was always offered a soft drink or a hot beverage. Very much appreciated.


To the person in front of me quietly lamenting to the FA that your friend did not get an upgrade, I hope you take solace in the fact that I really did enjoy the experience.
A sleep on the flat bed in the nose of the plane was a joy. Being second off the plane just topped of the whole experience. If I could afford to pay for an F class fare would I? In a heartbeat.



The lounge staff as well as the FAs seem to really enjoy their role. I am a good customer and know how to say please and thank you which is greatly appreciated. A win/win situation for all involved.


BKK AP is as amazing as described but at just after 11.00pm local time (3.00am my time) I didn’t really care, I just wanted to get out of there. So I started walking fast for goodness knows how many kilometres and was eventually rewarded with the immigration desk as the remnants from a previous flight cleared.



Through in a couple of minutes and off to baggage collection and my bag with that wonderful yellow tag comes through fairly quickly and it is off to deal with the taxi system.

Next BKK to CEI on Air Asia.
After a couple of days in the sweat pit, scamorama and open sewer that is BKK I am off to Chiang Rai for a few days. AirAsia FD3254.



Well I am there nice and early after getting very good run from the hotel. I check in and receive my Express Boarding sticker, no seats allocated on this airline. Wonder if it will work?


A slow walk around and eventually through security and off to the gate. The signs are still showing an on time departure. A quick look at my BP however shows a departure of 12.15pm. Hmm what is going on? No staff here yet either although the waiting area is filling up.


Eventually staff arrive and start looking busy, finally at about 1.00pm a plane arrives and people start running for the door down to the boarding tunnel.



Well I can join a stampede with the rest of them and am very near the front of the scrum. Have I wasted my money with this Express Boarding?



Actually no I haven’t. Despite the best efforts of some people to push in, the staff are very clear that without the right sticker you are not boarding yet.



I am first to board and claim 1C, lots of leg room and up the front. And I get to play footsies with the FA, well we could but she isn’t interested. Naturally no overhead locker but the one above 3C does nicely for my case which fortunately was not weighed.


The FA welcomes me aboard and then blocks off seat 1A. As the plane fills 1B remains vacant, eventually a gentleman boards, is welcomed profusely and ushered into 1A. He then goes to the cockpit, greets the pilot and returns to his seat. No one takes 1B, I think it is the only vacant seat on the plane.


I am asked if I am prepared to assist in an emergency (of course) and we settle down for a standard flight. I do note that the woman and child in 1D/E aren’t asked but if the worst happens they will be behind me.


After takeoff 1A enters the cockpit and remains there until I deplane, a whole row to myself. Cannot buy this much room on this airline. Snacks were the standard high priced crap. I am first off and head to the relatively quick luggage collection.


Thoughts of AirAsia; well I got there safely as did my luggage. Can you ask anymore from an LCC? Well an explanation about the delay would have been nice but worse things have happened. Express Boarding at 150 Baht was worth it since it was enforced.


Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai by bus. I mention this trip because of how well it was done. I booked the VIP bus the evening before for 280 Baht. Was allocated seat 5A. Turned up at the designated time to see a luxury coach ready at the Chiang Rai bus station platform 4 with appropriate code VV203.



Presented my ticket to the attendant and my luggage was promptly given a tag and placed in the hold. I was then escorted to my seat. The pax compartment had one column of seats down the right hand side and 2 columns down the left hand side.


The seat was wide and had a fair bit of leg room. Reclined to about 150 degrees with no great impediment on the person behind. A foot rest also came up to make it a very comfortable three hour journey. The passenger compartment was completely separate from the drivers’ compartment as was what I think was the toilet at the rear.


We departed exactly on time and as we were leaving the bus station the female attendant came around with a sticky bun and bottle of water for everyone. Two brief stops, one for the routine police check, a quick walk through the cabin and the other for a pax to get off somewhere along the way. Arrived just before the designated arrival time of 4.00pm at the Chiang Mai bus station.


Baggage slips are checked and luggage passed out. The scrum of taxi/tuk tuk drivers made it a bit of a mess but this is Thailand.

Next CNX to BKK, again on Air Asia.

[comint]

I asked if it was possible for the bag to be gate checked but was told no way

Next time (when on Turboprop services) ask for your hand luggage to get tagged "Premium Hand Luggage". (At 10kg, you should get away with it, I have.)

I think the term "gate checked" is an Americanism for this process, and I have witnessed it confuse some Qantas check-in reps!

[docjames]

Nice TR - looking forward to reading the rest of the trip!

I personally would have "quietly mentioned" to the Business Lounge supervisor about the checkin experience if it was that bad.

[Hvr]

Nice TR - looking forward to reading the rest of the trip!

I personally would have "quietly mentioned" to the Business Lounge supervisor about the checkin experience if it was that bad.

I actually spoke to the staff member at the F Lounge in Sydney about my check in experience and he was suitable horrified.

Anyway on to the next flight.
And here I am again. FD3235, due to depart at 1440 hours. Heeding the lessons from my last Air Asia flight I check the flight time on the internet the evening before and see it is due to depart at 1520. So I arrive at Chiang Mai airport just after 1300 and see that the original time is still posted with a note that the new time is 1520 hours.

As I sat in the terminal near the closed Air Asia gates I wonder why it is so quiet. The flight previous to mine departs without the desk opening. What is going on? Eventually I ask the information desk about Air Asia and am told that there are two terminals and they only use the other one.

So I make my way there, it is an adjoining building but you need to go out into the street through the traffic and security again. It was a perfunctory check, no requirement to remove the camera from my pocket or anything. Farangs with a ticket seemed to be waved through.

Up to the counter and I am quickly checked in. I mention the other terminal and the GA says they don’t use it. I ask about putting signs there directing people to the current terminal but he doesn’t think it is warranted. Everything was running late and we didn’t depart until about 1540.

Again Express Boarding is strictly enforced and I am second through the gate and first onto the plane. 1C with long leg room is mine again. A nun was let through first but I was able to pass her on the walkway to the plane. 1A was a man with some status on Thai/Star Alliance judging by his bag tag and eventually 1B was filled, I believe she was an off duty Air Asia employee returning to BKK.

I was asked about assisting the FA in an emergency and naturally agreed. She then said that once I had opened the door she would be off first, I laughed and said I would chase her off the plane if that happened. She thought I was very funny and we both had a good laugh. 1B said she would be second and I said I don’t think so because I would be. Again laughs all around.


Just as the food service was about to begin 1B gave me a slice of wrapped cake so I said she could be second. Big smiles from her at this.

During the flight there was a bit of turbulence and both the FA and 1B looked very worried. The FA sat down very quickly and got her four strap harness on in record time. However after a few seconds it all calmed down and she gradually eased of the belt and resumed duty.

Upon arrival I grabbed my carry on and was third off the plane. Long walk to baggage collection and eventually it came off in 53rd position. Yes I was bored by this stage. As I go through the terminal I am accosted by the taxi and limousine touts and ask the prices. With ridiculous quotes of 1000+ Baht I laugh and walk away. One of them asks me what I think it should be and I suggest 500 Baht. After seeing the hotel location card she offers 600 Baht including tolls and I agree knowing the traffic will be horrendous on a Friday night.

We go to the kerb and the luggage is loaded into the boot. I get into the front seat (I am rather anal about wearing a seat belt, it is ingrained in us as Australians) and then someone jumps into the back seat. I immediately ask the driver about this and he says he is another driver going to the company cars. By now we are just out of the airport and I hope I am going to make it to the hotel alive. However a couple of kilometres down the road the car stops, the man in the backseat jumps out and we move on. I see a row of cars parked beside the road on the other side and he heads over there.

A couple more kilometres down the road he pulls over in a very busy area gets out and speaks to someone and then says he is not going any further and that I have to get out and in to the taxi that is waiting there. The drivers speak and not seeing any other option and it is getting dark, I get my luggage and enter the taxi. He puts on his meter, asks where I am going and again I show my hotel card.

He heads off and then pulls over to the side of the freeway and asks to see the card again and wants a phone number. I point it out to him and he dials a number, listens for a couple of seconds then passes the phone to me, it is saying the number does not exist.

I have another number on my reservation and give that number to him and again it does not exist. He then dials the fax number and I hear the fax tones on the phone. By now I am getting really worried. As we approach the tollway he tells me I have to pay it or we would get caught in the traffic jam and that would increase the fare. 25 Baht to keep moving in what seems to be the right direction doesn’t seem too much to pay. He tried to keep the change and I had to really insist on getting the 75 Baht back.

As we keep going and caught in another traffic jam he gets me to talk on the taxi radio and tell them where I am going. Then he tells me to talk to someone on the mobile phone and tell them where I am going. Eventually I see an area I know and realise we are nearly there.

We get to the hotel and the meter is showing 233 Baht, as my luggage is carried into the hotel I hand him 240 Baht. Then the screaming starts. I am ushered into the hotel by the staff and asked what happened. I tell them about the limousine company abandoning me in the middle of nowhere and paying the toll etc. As the driver continues to carry on I ask for the Tourist police to be called and for them to assist.

The manager comes out and asks what happened, the driver tells his story in Thai (which I don’t understand) and then me. I explain that with the meter on and being required to pay the toll under threat of a higher fare I understood that I was paying the price on the meter. My contract was with the limousine company which literally dumped me in the middle of nowhere.

I again ask for the Tourist police to be called so that the mater can be resolved. The manager explains to the driver what I had been through and what I wanted. After a little more discussion between the manager and the driver (away from myself) the manager suggests that if I pay 100 Baht to the driver the matter will be resolved. I decide it is a cheap price to pay to finish the matter and finally have dinner. I pass the money to the manager who I see passing it to the driver.

I have been hassled and people have attempted to scam me here in Thailand (BKK especially) but this was the first time I was really scared for my safety. Still I guess it could happen anywhere. The journey continues.

Next BKK to REP.

[meloz]

It sounds like you have been to Thailand before, yet you seem surprised?

You wasted some time and a few bucks, no big deal, the journey can be as enjoyable as the destination, be it good or bad. At least you will have some good dinner party tales. Expect the possibilty of the same in REP, but don't forget it's all an experience and a cheap one at that even if you do get burnt for a few dollars. The majority of people in SEA are laid back but are chasing a buck, play the game and the experience can be much more rewarding.

If you thought the taxi drivers were bad in BKK, the kids in REP will do your head in. Along with the tuk tuk drivers, hookers, book sellers, happy pizza parlours, land mine victims. You will only experience all of this if you choose to venture into the township away from the 4-5 star hotel strip ($1-$2USD tuk tuk). In my opinion you would be mad not to venture into town for a street stall meal, feed a few kids, drink 50 cent beers and try and catch a Kick box fight. I'll bet you are one of a few farangs there at the boxing, which means it is the real deal, $2USD entry.

Make the effort to view the sunrise at Angkor Wat and head for the right pond for good pics. Get there early (half hour before sunrise) and hear the local chants and drums eminating from the forest. Quiet times are 11:00 - 13:00 at most wats when the tour groups are having lunch. You can then get pics at most places without people in them, the heat is worth it. Driver should be had for $15-$20 USD a day.

Enjoy.

Sabai sabai. Mai pehn rai.

Meloz

[QF009]

Yikes that sounds scary. Glad to hear you're still alive to tell the tale! I've encountered scammers in BKK and HKT but nothing that elaborate, or at least none that I'm blissfully unaware of anyway. Just some bargaining with cabs and tuks tuks but that's it. For that matter not many, if at any at all, cabs in Malaysia follow the metered fares either though fares are usually pre-set in advance instead of some random figure the cabbie throw at you expecting you to bargain. Only other SEA experiences are Singapore and Bali which are a breeze in comparison.

[drron]

Scary stuff.Reinforces the old saying-never deal with a tout.We must be very fortunate-15 times to BKK and the only scam is heading back to the airport they try the fixed price deal-usually 100 baht over what it should be-I really dont care and for the sake of a pleasant journey agree-maybe I am one of the fellows to blame as they now expect it.

[Hvr]

Actually it is my first visit to BKK so still learning experience. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[serfty]

I did some research on BKK taxi's before using them.

Here's a post of mine on how it should work:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/comm...tml#post150567 (Travel time to Bangkok Airport)

[ArseneV]

Wow, what a scam!
Your first time there so no biggie. Watch out for the 'Hey! You can't wear shorts at a temple' scam and the 'This suit shop is selling cheap Versace suits to raise money for the Tsunami appeal'.

Enjoy Cambodge, it's beautiful!

REP has changed heaps in the last year. I was there in 07' and the kids, beggars, touts and scammers were abundant but by this year (January) they were pretty much non existant. They've really cleaned up the area. However, i'm really suspect about where these kids etc have all gone, the Cambodian govt is evil after all.

Sikhanoukville on the other hand.....