I thought when I started organizing my trip for September that I found Bangkok Air had some nonstop flights between these two cities. Now I can't seem to find them or anyone else doing it. Did I make that up, or was it dropped?

I'm looking to go from Bangkok to Siem Reap to Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai and then back to Bangkok. Or do it in the opposite order. Any suggestions -- will it be necessary to return to BKK between Luang Prabang and Siem Reap? I did find flights on Lao Airways between Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai but nothing comes up now for Siem Reap Airlines -- do they no longer exist? Was hoping to use a Discovery Pass for all these flights.

odd, as i lookeed not long ago and they were definately showing i just did a quick search on expedia and no direct... contact Eddie at SEAtours he may be able to help you. (did you check siem reap airlines own website?)

Doesn't Lao Airlines fly between the 2 cities and participate in the Discovery Pass program?

I seem to recall that these flights are only available in the high season (winter). So perhaps you if you're looking at the current summer/low season schedule those flight aren't available?

Hmm. I had looked at Lao Airlines for Luang Prabang - Chiang Mai but not for Siem Reap -- Luang Prabang. But yes it is there (these are all for September.

So looking at my dates and the days they fly non stop, it looks like I'll fly BKK to Chiang Mai on a Monday, spend 6 nights in that area to the Golden Triangle or Mae Hong Son -- still have to figure out how to spend my time up there. Then on the following Sunday can fly to Luang Prabang for three nights, then Siem Reap for 4 nights before flying back to Bangkok.

Looks like a plan to me, if I can figure out how to book the Discovery Pass and the actual flights.

You have to call Bangkok Air to buy the Discovery Pass and book the flights.

And you can do that all at once -- buying the specific flights as well as the pass? I think I remember reading here that wasn't easy to get anyone who knew what they were doing.

Yes, you can do it all at once. Try to call one of the US numbers while the ofice is open, otherwise, you get a call center in India which may or may not be able to help you.

I flew last august from SR to LP so it can be done with Vietnam Airlines (they are in partnership with Laos Airlines I think).

From LP to SR there are direct flights on mon/tues/wed/ ($220) but they are operated in conjunction with Vietnam Air and not available on the Bangkok Air Pass. The indirect flights through Paske on mon/thur/sat can be booked on the pass. This is the summer schedule and may change in the winter months

All flights between CM and LP are bookable on the pass.

Siem Reap Airlines is not operating any flights that I know off.

Thanks, Scotters. Do the flights that stop in Paske count as two international segments or one?

Hmmm. Now I'm confused again. While I have an email into customer service at Bangkok Air and also one to LaoAirlines, it seems that there are NO flights at all on Sept. 16 either direct or connecting through Pakse -- although there is the Thursday before this and other Thursdays. I just don't get it. Is there something that day that I'm not recognizing -- like a holiday?

Strange as there are flights the previous and following thursdays but not the 16. Don't know why unless it is a mistake on the schedule.

The indirect flight through Paske counts as 1 international flight on the pass.

OK. Well perhaps I'll hear from either Bangkok Air or LaoAirlines.

And thanks for the info about it counting as one international flight. That's what I was hoping for.

Is this Discovery Pass thing as impossible as it sounds? I got an email back from Bangkok Air from my asking about flights from Luang Prabang on Sept. 16. Here is their reply:

"We check flight detail with Lao Airlines and found that Luang Prabang to Siem Reap on 16Setember2010 is already fully booked for Discovery Airpass. We have seats available again on 23September2010, but we could not guarantee seats for you right now as they always have the movement of flight."

So what does that mean? I should just forget trying to use the Discovery Pass for that segment? Meanwhile, Lao Air doesn't even show a flight on that day, so it seems odd they simply say that the Discovery Pass seats are gone. I'm working 4 months ahead and Discovery Pass seats are already gone? Is this going to happen on my other segments as well -- like the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang segment? Maybe I should just drop going to Luang Prabang at all between Chiang Mai and Siem Reap and just fly between those two (connecting in Bangkok)? Too bad, it just seems like it is impossible to include Luang Prabang at all.

Discovery Pass seats are limited. It sounds like because Lao Air moves the time and days of that flight around, Bangkok AIr can't/won't book it until that is firm.

I'd say go ahead and call Bangkok Air and see which segments are available to you on the Discovery Pass. I can imagine that flight between SR and LP gets fully booked early as it's the only way to get between those two places quickly and easily..

Well, pretty clearly there are NO seats available for me from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap on the Discovery Pass! Right? In fact, right now it looks like there is NO way to get from LP to SR on the day I need to get there, so I guess I will cancel my Luang Prabang stay.
I'm just not the type to "wait until I get there" and then decide where I'm going to go and when. I'd rather extend and confirm the Northern Thailand/Golden Triangle portion of the trip than play the whole thing by ear.

NP
Are there direct flights though, say on another day?

Or, you might buy that segment separately. There may be seats that are available if you aren't using the Discovery Pass.

I agree, I wouldn't wait and play it by ear on this part.

FWIW, ExpertFlyer isn't very clear about this, either, sort of showing no availability for the direct flight on the 16th. EF does show that seats are available from Luang Prabang to Siem Riep on the 16th by going through Bangkok, departing at either 2.20pm (Bangkok Airways on both segments) or at 8.00am (Lao Aviation on the first segment, Bangkok Airways on the 2nd).

According to the same source, the 10.35am non-stop flight on Vietnam Airways is available on both the 15th and 17th.