JamesA

From November until March Austrian are flying direct from Vienna to Phuket, twice a week but increases to 3 times over the peak season. These flights used to be Lauda Air but that is now integrated into Austrian.
It 'could' be interesting as although Thai have the non stop JFK-BKK flight offering a one stop USA East Coast to Phuket the Austrian flight gives what I guess is the only other major one-stop service, i.e JFK-VIE-Phuket. I don't know the schedules but it might be of interest to those looking for a same airline thru service with just one stop on the way.

orgy7

how long is that flight?

mrwunrfl

That is interesting. Maybe the IAD-VIE flight connects (easily) to the flight to Phuket. The Asiana Airlines route map shows nonstops from Seoul (ICN) to Phuket. I would hope that their flights from JFK, BOS, and west coast US would connect with the Phuket flight.

Interesting, because both Austrian and Asiana are Star Alliance carriers. Outbound over the Atlantic would probably be a couple of hours faster than across the Pacific.

rkkwan

Well, European airlines seldom sell US-Asia tickets cheap.

And you can go from JFK to HKT with just one stop via Tokyo. Thai flies NRT-HKT, code-share with ANA.

mrwunrfl

The Star Alliance award rules require a trans-Pacific flight to that region (South Asia). The VIE-HKT route could be used in an around the world award. The Central Asia award flights have to be trans-Atlantic. Might be that an open jaw trip using JFK/IAD-VIE-HKT with a return from India would be ok (BOM/DEL-VIE/other-JFK/IAD)

JamesA

Korean and Asia have suspended their Phuket flights though they might start again in high season, not sure in Thai still doing NRT-HKT but doubt it.

VIE-Pphuket should be I guess about 10 hrs, I iknow that when Lauda did the route it operated VIE-HKT-BKK-VIE as they can't fly non-stop ex HKT due to not enough runway length, it's fine for Gulf destinations but not enough for non-stop to Europe. Another 1 stop of course is the Singapore Airlines over Singapore and then the short hop SIN-Phuket with Silk Air.

orgy7

just checking around it seems the cheepest routs are going threw gulf states..

gulf air, kuwait, etc seem to offer best deals but Emerits is TOP notch and prices are good and I'd think they would be quicker since don't have too fly up to HK. But I'm not sure.

I'm thinking about using a "gulf" airline next time I go home. is it a good idea?

rkkwan

I am sure there will be more non-stops flying to HKT from various gateways this winter. On some timetables, I see Condor (subsidiary of Lufthansa) have some flights from FRA. And CX via HKG should also be available again, with many parts of Phuket already rebuilt and reopened for business after the tsunami.

JamesA

OPrgy, Gulf are superb and I rate them well above Emirates, if flying Emirates important to check aircraft type as they use 2 on the BKK route, the A 330 has nice 2 x 4 x 2 seating which is normal, same as other airlines using those, Thai, NW whatever, but, on their 777 in Coach/Economy they pack in 3x4x3 across, that is 10 across when almost everry other airline only puts 9 across!! So the Coach seat on an Emirates 777 is very very narrow! Service wise I rate Gulf also ahead of Emirates. Etihad and Watar Airways also good, but Emirates has the most flights and the most European destinations, actually I think 1 of the Emirates flights is 777 and the others are A 330, so worth noting that!
if you are flying BKK into Europe it's about 6 to 6.5 hours into the Gulf and then depending on Euro destination another 6-7.5 onwards, so 2 reasonable hops.

JamesA

Water Airways ? Who put the W next to the Q?

I mean 'Qatar Airways"

But orgy I though you were going to east Coast not Europe? if going east Coast Emirates has a non stop Dubai-JFK.

orgy7

actually I'm getting kind of tired of the trans pacific trips and was thinking about going eastward and stopping over in some country too break the Long trip up.. I'm just trying too figure out which airline has the cheepest fares and dosn't go too a place i've already been too.