Thais become new budget jetsetters
 

This article covers airlines that were discussed in this forum:

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/0...eut/index.html

since jamesA posted about this i have tried to contact them with no luck???

yep. I tried too keep the fact that asia had a budget airline under my hat, I was afraid that the backpacker or Expat mafia would get me if I let the well healed Fodorits know.. oh well..

anyways big sale starting today on BKK flight with air asia.

all the links could be found at kooloo.com ,e.g. airasia.com

Thanks mr wunfrl, kooloo.com a good tip, I really like those little comments about each of the airline sites, it really helps to see an obvious human desription for a change,

Thai Air Asia is up and running, a few teething problems but going OK with 737-300's. Orient Thai's One-Two-Go still does not have any form of on-line booking and is not that well known, Thais Airways own new budget off-shoot is to be called NOK AIR ( "Nok" means Bird ), the webiste just has a simple welcome message at the moment in Thai and English, hope they really DO pain the planes like on their website, great, bird's beak at the nose of the plane, fun style which certainly will appeal greatly to the local market, I envisign them having Chickens doing the 'Birdie Song' at check-in!! They are also being brilliant in selling tickets through 7-11's across all of Thailand, I anticipate Nok Air being a huge success. They plan to start around June. Bob, I wouldn't hold your breath to get email answers, almost no-one responds to any emails locally, we still use phone and fax.

One more comming soon: Blue Water Airways using a Cessna Seaplane 12 seater doing trips over Phang Nha and Phi Phi in Thailand, almost $150 for a trip but looks exciting. Due to start any day now. No website yet.

I hope NOK flopps. since it is owned by thai airways. And as you know many major airlines around the world (with some succes) have set up thier own temperary sudo budget airlines just too kill of the compatition. then go back too using thier regular expensive routs.

on ONE 2 GO's website they too mentions that they will sell threw 7-11's.. famaly marts, and watsons.

LET THE AIRLINE FIGHT BEGGIN

The difference with Nok Air is that Thai actually 'want to' stop flying on many domestic routes. Thai has to adibe by 'controlled fares' e.g BKK- Udon Thai/Khon Kaen/Phitsanulok etc are 55-60 min flights, the 'controlled' fare is about $40 one way for full service, they would be happier for another budget carrier to t/over, charge the same but offer no-frills. Thai has to use 744/777/330 on domestic 1 hr hops and it's not economic.