Low cost travel from UK to the LOS

[manarak]

Suppose there was a low-cost airline flying from London Luton or London Stansted to U-Tapao for a fixed all-in price of 600 USD ?

The price never changes through time, except fuel price variations are either credited or debited.

- Airbus A330 (well-maintained, leased with the crew from a major european company)
- nonstop flight
- weight limit per passenger: 100 Kg including passenger weight, hand luggage and checked luggage
- one class only (coach)
- no service except sandwiches and water/coke/etc.
(no other or hidden costs)
- weekly schedule, 1 flight per week

Would you fly with that airline?


Same question for those who fly from low-cost airports in Germany, France, etc.

[katoeylover]

No

First Utapao is a crap destination and stansted is too far away from anywhere (unless you live in Essex)

I like choice and £600 is not cheap for a low cost flight - this next trip I am flying Thai for just over £500

[whore]

He said 600 USD

[Guest]

is that stopping in belgium,ukraine, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma or is it direct...

[seamus]

What's the news, Air Asia gonna start flying to LOS out of Stansted now ?

[Guest]

Stansted is only 30 mins from my house however, I'm not prepared to fly coach class for 11 hours even if it was free  

[Ivor Biggun]

I think there may be a bit of confusion. Air Asia has a scheduled flight Stanstead to KL. I know people who have used it and have been more than satisfied with the service ( including all the add-ons like food, drink baggage, etc!) As far as I am aware there are NO scheduled direct UK-U Tapao flights- it doesn;' make sense. If they did exist Suvarnhabuni would be the likelies destination. It is however possible that CHARTER trips are going into U-Tapao, as hapens with the busses flying in from Russia.

Edit- sorry, read 'suppose' as 'supposedly' but stand by my comments on the current service. I heard a rumour that AA may look at a route into a Northern Airport if the Stanstead route continues to be a success. So long as it's not Roin Hood Airport we should be OK. Another possible option is that Phuket is a new AA hub so watch this space.

[robbo]

nothing wrong with U Tapao,how much closer do you want to be dropped off near pattaya?
been hearing for a while that budget flights may start to BKK,but i cant see it,ive paid anything from £475 to £600 and that with some of the best airlines in the world,i think only if tickets were at £300 or less would they be a meaningfull temptation and viable option,anything less than that sort of discount then may as well pay a bit more and have some comfort and good service.

[katoeylover]

(whore @ Oct. 21 2009,01:40)  He said 600 USD

I know - £420

still wouldnt pay it for a no-name, no frills airline.

[Snick]

Manarak, you starting a business ?
A few suggestions
Get some LB as Stewardess, or at least keep one stored in the bathroom...its a long flight
Arrange for transportation from U-Tapao to Pattaya ( I hate paying 1000B for my phuket flight, and then 600 Baht for Taxi !)
For $600, I might be tempted to visit England on my next visa run.

Can you arrange a U-Tapao to Sao Paulo flight ?, I think I can get some people on that flight.

[manarak]

just playing with the variables for now.

Transportation from U-Tapao to Patts would be included.

Biggest problem is the aircraft.
None of the traditional low-cost aircraft (A330, B777) are capable of flying the distance in high density configuration, and high density is required for low cost transportation.

So there is a real chance of great leg room because the seats would have to be spaced in order to keep the max takeoff weight.

I pulled the price of 600 USD out of my ass.
It may well be 500 USD.

The idea is to make the plane full and to sell all seats on each trip thanks to the price and the practicality of being delivered directly to the brothel.

Luton was a mental lapse of mine, the runway is not long enough.

[whore]

The idea is to make the plane full and to sell all seats

Thats the idea most airlines operate. But you could be on to something.

One flight a week on the busiest day for flights to Thailand from London, probably a saturday. Offering a 400USD direct flight to Thailand. The airbus A330 would be perfect with a range of 12500km and 250 seats, that would be about 100,000USD a return flight. I wonder what the running costs of something like that would be, like airport charges, fuel, pilots and public liability.

[whore]

A airbus A330 costs 180m USD and lets say just for talks sake, you were making 80,000 USD profit on each return flight and only operating 1 flight a week out of london it would take you 43 years to start making any money and by then Pattaya will be 5mtrs underwater and all the ladyboys will have webbed feet because the polar ice caps will have melted because of co2 emissions from low cost airlines like yours.

[manarak]

LOL !!

well, the A330 is not the perfect plane because the range of 12500 Km is calculated with a rather low-density configuration. Read: few seats, therefore expensive.

The big idea is to:
- not use the A330 with a configuration of only 250 seats, I would like 400 in there
- to make a buck from the beginning, lease the aircraft instead of buying, remember: "if it floats, flies or fucks..." ??


I'd be very interested to know about other airplanes that could fly the distance with a high density config.

This or doing a fuel stop.

Which airplane would be optimal if we factor in a fuel stop?


Is there software out there helping to calculate such things?

[whore]

It would lose its appeal with me if there was a stopover. I would always pay abit extra for a non stop from London.

Email or call Airbus and tell them your name is Frank Abignal and you want to buy one of there planes, am sure they will be able to answer all your questions.

Or you could get one of these and make 18 stopovers on your way to Thailand. Just becareful flying over the middle east.

The Cessna Skycatcher