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For BMs that fly Business Class ..


Stillearly

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Is there a price point where you think the cost is too much and would you revert to flying premium or economy , or will you try and find less well known/cheaper airlines to still travel in comfort ....

I started flying Business as a reward to myself when I gave up smoking ( 15 years ago ..although with the increase in cigarette prices I am probably currently saving £9k+ a year  ) , but looking at current prices , I'm finding hard to justify spending £3.3k+ on a return flight ...  

 

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Just now, Stillearly said:

Is there a price point where you think the cost is too much and would you revert to flying premium or economy , or will you try and find less well known/cheaper airlines to still travel in comfort ....

I started flying Business as a reward to myself when I gave up smoking ( 15 years ago ..although with the increase in cigarette prices I am probably currently saving £9k+ a year  ) , but looking at current prices , I'm finding hard to justify spending £3.3k+ on a return flight ...  

I did a few BC journeys to Thailand as a result of having various aches and pains. Previously I was flying Premium Economy on EVA.

When EVA weren't flying the route, I did BC with Lufthansa. An experience I will not willingly repeat.

As you say, it is hard to justify the current BC cost of well over GBP3K. I decided that I needed to reduce my number of trips (historically 4 or 5 a year) or revert to Premium Economy. I decided on the latter. My aches and pains have improved so that the PE seating is tolerable, and I really don't get that much benefit from BC. 

I'm aged over 70, and have Gold Status with Star Alliance, and that combination allows me to use the lounges, and the priority lanes at Customs/Immigration irrespective of my ticket.

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28 minutes ago, Stillearly said:

If I do decide to use Premium / Economy I will use 

https://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.php

for both arrival and departure 

I'm currently Silver with EVA so could use the lounge in both London and Bangkok if I travel Premium ( or even Ecomomy from BKK ) 

Sounds like a perfectly reasonable work-around.

However, I have to say that I don't think I could contemplate flying Economy. Showing my age, probably!

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My last return flight was with Kuwait airways. Why? When I booked they were the cheapest by over £1500, and under £2k.... just! It was only after I'd booked that I read the reviews....

But they were great. Flights were on time, food was more than adequate, and the only problem some might have is they were dry. Lounge at lhr was one of the pay to enter one's (but free), T4 at kuwait is new and the lounge there is fine. Just be careful booking your seat, as, like klm, they are 2-2-2, so the window seat needs to clamber over the Isle seat, unless you're in the middle section. 

I wouldn't have a problem flying them again.

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3 hours ago, Painter said:

My last return flight was with Kuwait airways. Why? When I booked they were the cheapest by over £1500, and under £2k.... just! It was only after I'd booked that I read the reviews....

But they were great. Flights were on time, food was more than adequate, and the only problem some might have is they were dry. Lounge at lhr was one of the pay to enter one's (but free), T4 at kuwait is new and the lounge there is fine. Just be careful booking your seat, as, like klm, they are 2-2-2, so the window seat needs to clamber over the Isle seat, unless you're in the middle section. 

I wouldn't have a problem flying them again.

Great info and as I don’t bother with booze on planes or pre departure that would suit me. Only issue is I have other family travellers with me so until such a point as I travel alone ( or just myself and the wife) premium economy does us. That said when I do get older and if I fly alone when the Mrs spends more time in Thailand, a cheaper, direct or non direct BC will be in order to make a very long journey pleasant. 

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My flight back to middle America involves two stops and about 28 hours of door step to door step travel, so BC has always been expensive compared to what you guys would pay flying from Europe or Australia. A decade ago it was around $3,500 USD return. My last, pre-pandemic trip it was $4,600. So factoring in a reasonable price increase, my current limit on what I would pay would be around $5,000.

Unfortunately Delta, the airline I've been loyal to, and has treated me well throughout my working career and into retirement has priced themselves out of the market with BC prices currently around $8K. I did manage to find a $5K flight with United for a flight in early May. Hopefully they're at least equal to Delta's BC product.

As for justifying the price, I rationalize it as my one luxury purchase each year. Switching to PE or an economy seat are not options for me as the flights are just too long. If there's ever a time I can't find a BC ticket within my limit, I wouldn't make the trip.

 

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Having family it is very difficult to justify spending money on a BC flight if I had time to travel alone.

In terms of what I would pay if able to travel solo then probably no more than £1500 as economy flights are around the £800 mark when I look at dates I could travel. Probably not many airlines have BC prices at £1500 but that is probably what I would pay to stop buying an economy ticket. Maybe that would get a premium economy!

I will be traveling Finnair business class to Bangkok in Aug or September but only because I am using up miles, just paying taxes which are not much. 

I just wish the Chinese airlines were offering an alternative to travel to Bangkok as I had a very comfortable flight with Air China pre Covid at £525, don't think we will ever see those prices again.  

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I got a couple of great priced Business Class returns with Finnair during Covid but part of that was down to my Oneworld status through Qatar Gold.  That meant I could take the cheapest fare which doesn't include hold baggage or lounge access but still get baggage and lounges as a status perk.

A couple of trips since then I've used miles to upgrade to Business Class and I've got one more to come later this year that again has been upgraded with miles.  After that I'll have to seriously think about the question in the OP.  I've got a bit of time but my hopes that prices revert back to what we were used to don't seem to be going anywhere.

A quick calculation showed that buying miles/avios could result in paying less than actually purchasing a ticket but you need to have flexibility to work with mileage ticket availability.  I'll pursue that route next if prices don't come down again.

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On 4/4/2023 at 10:18 PM, Stillearly said:

Is there a price point where you think the cost is too much and would you revert to flying premium or economy , or will you try and find less well known/cheaper airlines to still travel in comfort

Well, there has to be a limit, obviously, but I haven't reached it so far. I decided, after being in Pattaya for 3 years continuously during the pandemic, that from now on I'd only fly back to the UK once a year instead of twice. That gives me enough money in the budget to be able to pay over four grand if need be, so the low £3,000's is fine by me.

As for flying with a cheaper airline, I'd look certainly, but probably not. After flying with both Qatar and Oman (Oman being my favourite for some years now), flying business in the likes of Air Sri Lanka would probably be almost as bad as reverting to cattle class.

On my last trip back here in October 2022 with Oman, I was recovering from Covid (three years in Pattaya with never a problem, one week back in the pestilential UK and I'd caught it). I really wasn't feeling up to the journey but had to get back to sanity in Thailand (really!), and once we'd left LHR the whole trip was a delight. The flight crew and everyone at the airports in Muscat and Bangkok couldn't do enough to help me. People living there full-time probably don't realise just how bad the UK has become, but if I didn't have family and property there I'd never return again. 

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It is interesting to read comments about not travelling in BC with family because of the cost.

In my experience flying "all over the world" with each of my TWs in BC, it was a complete waste of money because they just curled up in a ball, covered themselves in a blanket and slept the whole journey!

In my current financial situation I will be flying to UK in EVA Economy and booking a lounge either end but for future flights I will fly PE....BC is just way out of my league nowadays!

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I flew BC on United once from Sydney to San Francisco. I did not find it too comfortable since I am a side sleeper, and the place were you place your feet while sleeping is very limited. If choosing BC because of the legroom offered vs the chance to have a very comfortable sleep, then I can understand the choice made.

I have flown economy with Singapore and Thai mostly. I always get a window seat so that I can place the pillow against the window and have a very comfortable sleep.  Of all the airlines that I have flown, Singapore provided the best experience in economy.

Maybe one I retire I will try BC once again.

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I have not looked at this closely in a while as I have no plans to return to the US during 2023. I would like to make a trip in the Summer of 2024.

In late 2021 I made a one month trip. I used points for going over. Incidentally the JAL ride from Tokyo to ORD was great, but the BKK to Tokyo segment not so much so. I did not have enough points remaining for a return, so had to purchase a one way at about $4,500 again on JAL. There were unusual circumstances that forced me into this position.

Looking forward to 2024, I am thinking for 2 seats the limit would be $10,000. Ouch. Maybe we will stay in Thailand and use Zoom. Not right even given my cheap ass. Should go to see my grandchildren and introduce my wife. 

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On 4/4/2023 at 11:18 AM, Stillearly said:

Is there a price point where you think the cost is too much and would you revert to flying premium or economy...etc.

Yes:  The price of an economy class ticket.

The only time I've flown business class was when someone else was paying for it, or I got bumped by the airline.  Neither of these is on the cards any more, so cattle class it is.

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2 hours ago, Rompho Ray said:

Yes:  The price of an economy class ticket.

The only time I've flown business class was when someone else was paying for it, or I got bumped by the airline.  Neither of these is on the cards any more, so cattle class it is.

So nothing to do with this thread ..  thanks 

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On 4/11/2023 at 7:20 PM, Stillearly said:

Just received an email from Emirates...

"Limited-time special fares for your next adventure" 

Bangkok starts from £4,009  ... 

EVA premium it is then .. 5555

Oh fs gone are the good old days er not that long ago when gold members even silver would receive upgrades with emirates every other month 😞

Id never pay for business class myself,at the moment happy enough in eco class,sleep most of the way or watch stuff,time flys by :),,i really dont mind a long journey,time passes to quick like life... at work,at home,in thailand,its nice just to chill out on a plane.

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3 hours ago, Stillearly said:

So nothing to do with this thread ..  thanks 

5 hours ago, Rompho Ray said:

The only time I've flown business class was when someone else was paying for it

On 4/4/2023 at 11:18 AM, Stillearly said:

Is there a price point where you think the cost is too much and would you revert to flying premium or economy

 

Define "to do with this thread" .. thanks

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Screenshot 2023-04-21 at 07.10.32.png

 

Whilst not ideal I have found a flight from Manchester to Bangkok via Singapore for just over £2000.  It is premium economy for the outbound leg and economy for the return leg.  

The plus is that there is only one long-haul flight between Manchester and Singapore.

 

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4 minutes ago, john luke said:

Screenshot 2023-04-21 at 07.10.32.png

 

Whilst not ideal I have found a flight from Manchester to Bangkok via Singapore for just over £2000.  It is premium economy for the outbound leg and economy for the return leg.  

The plus is that there is only one long-haul flight between Manchester and Singapore.

 

ffs

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15 minutes ago, john luke said:

Screenshot 2023-04-21 at 07.10.32.png

 

Whilst not ideal I have found a flight from Manchester to Bangkok via Singapore for just over £2000.  It is premium economy for the outbound leg and economy for the return leg.  

The plus is that there is only one long-haul flight between Manchester and Singapore.

 

OMB that is shocking !!

2200 quid PE out and cabbage class return?? That is absolutely unacceptable to me - even if I could afford it !!

To keep in line with the thread title ... How much was BC ??

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26 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

OMB that is shocking !!

2200 quid PE out and cabbage class return?? That is absolutely unacceptable to me - even if I could afford it !!

To keep in line with the thread title ... How much was BC ??

Business class was over £4000.

 

My issue is that I live just outside Leeds.  LBA is about a 15-minute taxi ride.  The only viable indirect flights from LBA to Bangkok are KLM or Air France if I have a transfer in both AMS and CDG (Paris).  KLM is over £4000 for business class.

Manchester is the next closest airport, however, a taxi to Manchester Airport is likely to be around the £100 or more mark and the return taxi from the airport, if I use the taxi stand at the airport is likely to be close to £200.  If I fly from Manchester that adds on an extra £300.

If I fly Emirates from Manchester on business, I get a complimentary chauffeur car both to and from Manchester Airport.  In making a comparison between Emirates and other airlines the £300 figure has to be taken into consideration.  

From a personal point of view, I prefer a short flight to Europe and then a long haul across to Asia rather than the Middle Eastern airlines which require a transfer halfway.

I do envy those members who are within commutable distance of LHR and who are able to get direct flights to Bangkok.

There are no easy answers.

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