graylayer02 (imported) wrote: Wed Dec 26, 2012 9:03 pm I use mileage upgrades for those kinds of flights. It's well worth it.

I've considered doing just that. Of course, the whole reason I was able to get to South Africa for a visit was because of using my airline miles.

I'll have to look into it if take a Thailand trip for a snip.

--LT

Losethem (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:46 pm I've considered doing just that. Of course, the whole reason I was able to get to South Africa for a visit was because of using my airline miles.

I'll have to look into it if take a Thailand trip for a snip.

--LT

Africa.. Now that is a place that would be awesome to visit.

For those of you who would never pay those kinds of prices, again, I suggest you look at Star Alliance and their Round the World Fares. You could easily visit South Africa and Bangkok.

And the there's this. For those of us who have had to spend what seemed like months on very long flights, the cost becomes les and less important. I'm 6'6" Tall and if I had to corkscrew that into an economy seat for say, a flight from London to Auckland (one stop in Los Angeles) I'd be certifiable. I used to commute between Johannesburg and Sydney and, West bound, the sun never set, you hung over the Indian Ocean for what seemed forever. Until rather recently Singapore Airlines held the record for the world's longest flight, 22 hours non-stop from Singapore to Newark. They configured the pland in all Business class arrangement but that is still a hellish flight. Bangkok is, for fare construction, considered the halfway point around the world from the United States. That's why fares to and from it vary as the routes the carriers fly have to serve their own countries which can cause deviations in distance. The creation of ultra cheap fares actually costs people money in that the other fares go up to cover these loss leaders. Any carrier will tell you, they make money in the front cabins, not in the back which is also why the service in business and first is so much better. In times past some carriers went to an all business confiiguration which meant more room, fewer seats and better service. The only reason it failed was because travel agents refused to book it; the bulk of their clients redefined "tourist", looking much like those represented in the Duane Hansen Sculpture.

Again, if you have to go to places such as Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, even India and Australia, look at the round the world fares, they come in all classes. If you've got the time and the interest why not see something you've never seen before? And this from experience. When I look back at places I went that are now impossible for political reasons, I'm glad I "wasted" my money then. (It was a helluva lot cheaper.) As much as I'd like to take friends to Victoria Falls or the Red City of Petra, I'd be walking into dicey situations. And that's all probably more than anyone cared to hear. Apologies.

The rub on that sort of thing is having US $15,000 or more for just the travel, at least on the itinerary I priced. I priced it out taking a nice long vacation with Thailand as my last stop (for a penectomy if anyone is interested) and that's about what it came out to. Quite a bit for the average person.

--LT

Where the heck are you guys looking? I got curious and started looking up what round-trip airfare would be from, say, Chicago to Bangkok, and most of the fares that I'm finding are in the $1200-$2000 range. What, are you guys planning on flying first-class or something?

cheetaking243 (imported) wrote: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:57 am Where the heck are you guys looking? I got curious and started looking up what round-trip airfare would be from, say, Chicago to Bangkok, and most of the fares that I'm finding are in the $1200-$2000 range. What, are you guys planning on flying first-class or something?

Yeah, for some reason they're talking about first class tickets...

I know it is nice to have more room, but I travel to Asia a couple times a quarter, always going economy. I'm 6'3" and 230lbs so it is not really comfortable, but so what, if it gets you where you need to go you do what you gotta do.

People are funny regarding money -- somehow being more comfortable for a day is worth $13k. Must be nice!

SplitDik (imported) wrote: Sat Dec 29, 2012 12:55 am Yeah, for some reason they're talking about first class tickets...

I know it is nice to have more room, but I travel to Asia a couple times a quarter, always going economy. I'm 6'3" and 230lbs so it is not really comfortable, but so what, if it gets you where you need to go you do what you gotta do.

People are funny regarding money -- somehow being more comfortable for a day is worth $13k. Must be nice!

I was thinking that earlier, and when I've priced it in my head before I've just used the price of the cheapest tickets I could find, but I imagine after major surgery on your genitalia I suppose you're going to really wish you'd spent the extra and it might make the difference between success and complications, possibly lifelong ones?

I'd be happy to hack the pain for several hours as long as I wasn't actually screaming in the plane but I don't want to ruin my life over money I'd have to be borrowing anyway