Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

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fountainhall

Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by fountainhall »

For the last 9 years, Emirates has run a daily A380 service between BKK and HKG with fares on its excellent business class service not much more than economy on the other legacy carriers. Those who enjoy the flat bed seats and the excellent bar at the back upstairs will have to make do in future with the less plush and more cramped older 777s. The lounges are still worth it but the 7-across seating is pretty much similar to CX and TG.
Papa

Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by Papa »

Very sad news.

Over the last few years, I did on a couple of occasions travelled on Emirates flat beds between BKK and HKG. If memories still intact, it was just under 13k bahts return. Absolutely big bang for the buck. But for me, the worst thing was their return flight to BKK arrives around midnight, well past my bed time.

I guess now the options might also include Hong Kong Airlines. They also offer flat beds at competitive prices on some of their flights. But then again, as I understand it there are concern about the commercial viability of this airline.
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Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by Gaybutton »

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe a flight between Bangkok and Hong Kong is about 2½ hours.

Speaking only for myself, I think I can manage to survive that long without luxury accommodations. For me, on a relatively short flight my interest is solely the price of the flight. The "lowest bidder" gets my business . . .
fountainhall

Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by fountainhall »

Gaybutton wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe a flight between Bangkok and Hong Kong is about 2½ hours.
That is indeed about the average flight time, although as HKG is now subject to flight management control and this will remain until the third runway is ready, you can be stacked for a good 30 minutes before landing. Also, on departure, as on my TG flight last week (cheapest economy!), you can spend 50 minutes taxiing before taking off.

But if the price difference is only a matter of Bt. 2,000 - 3,000 between the cost of back of the plane economy on CX and the luxury of Emirates A380 business class, I'd often pamper myself. Enjoying premium lounges with the best F&B I have ever come across for any business class, Grey Goose vodka or 5-star brandy with canapés in the bar at the back of the upper deck after a full meal and really excellent wines, it was well worth it in my book.
Papa wrote:I guess now the options might also include Hong Kong Airlines.
Unfortunately, I think you will be disappointed. Not perhaps in the flight experience but in departure times and cost! The problem with HK Airlines is their departure times. They have five flights ex-BKK to HKG, only one of which I would consider - 03:35. 04:14, 08:25, 11:25 and 20:50. The 11:25 is always the most booked and therefore the most expensive. Similarly the only one I would consider taking for the return departs HKG at 18:00. If you can book months ahead, you'll get a biz saver fare of US$343 which is a fantastic deal. If you book weeks ahead, it will cost $1,741! I just booked biz class on those two specific flights for end-June at US$416.81. That's just Bt. 2,300 more than CX economy for flights on the same dates and roughly the same times.
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Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by Gaybutton »

fountainhall wrote:if the price difference is only a matter of Bt. 2,000 - 3,000
In your case I can understand. I believe you travel back and forth between Bangkok and Hong Kong relatively often. I've been to Hong Kong a grand total of once, before I even lived in Thailand, and that was a stopover for a couple days on my way to Bangkok from the states.

I might go to Hong Kong again once of these days, but I doubt it would be any time soon.

Actually, I'm hoping to go to Taipei to see the next Gay Pride parade (and maybe even get lucky enough to hook up with one of the boys in the parade. I certainly wouldn't dream of insulting any of these young gents by saying no) . . .

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Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by Captain Kirk »

Gaybutton wrote:I certainly wouldn't dream of insulting any of these young gents by saying no . . .
My type, the one on the right. Just saying like.
Jun

Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by Jun »

I wouldn't kick them out of bed either, but suspect we are not going to get the chance.

As for the airlines, I don't understand why anyone would run an A380 on a short haul route. A more normal approach is to run A320/737s with more frequent flights.

As for a 3:35 am departure, who would buy that ? The airline would have to pay me to take a flight at that time.
fountainhall

Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by fountainhall »

Jun wrote:I don't understand why anyone would run an A380 on a short haul route. A more normal approach is to run A320/737s with more frequent flights.
The daily A380 Emirates HKG flight is an extension of one of Emirates 5 daily flights in to Bangkok from Dubai. I think another goes on to Australia. This sort of extension to a flight route has been common for decades. 15 years ago I used regularly to take Finnair's MD11 on one of its 3 weekly flights BKK/HKG and KLM on its daily Boeing 744 flight BKK/Taipei. I have even taken Lufthansa's B744 BKK/Kuala Lumpur. BA used to extend one of its daily LHR/HKG Boeing 744 flights to Taipei on some days and to Seoul on others. The benefit for passengers is that prices were a lot lower because there was only one flight and often at not the most convenient times. So business class was/is way cheaper than other carriers.

These extensions gave these airlines an opportunity to tap into a market they otherwise could not access or where there was not enough traffic to justify non-stop flights from their home base.

As for tyres of aircraft on the BKK/HKG route, the density of traffic means there are hardly any single-aisle aircraft. There are 20 daily non-stops all using wide-body aircraft. Additionally there are three flights operated by Air Asia's single-aisle A320s.
Jun wrote:As for a 3:35 am departure, who would buy that ? The airline would have to pay me to take a flight at that time.
Totally agree. I'd never even consider such a departure time no matter the price. But there are loads of Chinese tourists who connect to those flights from Hong Kong. And I think also lots of young Hong Kong and Thai passengers attracted by the lower price.
fountainhall

Re: Emirates Axing the A380 from its BKK/HKG route

Post by fountainhall »

Just to let anyone thinking of a Hong Kong trip know that EK has reintroduced the A380 on the route. It seems to be every day of the week but I have not yet been able to check this.
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