Bangkok residents can tap a low-fare by taking a Thai Air Asia flight to connect with the long-haul service to Sydney due to start 1 April.

AirAsia X will operate the Kuala Lumpur-Sydney route daily and the departure time offers a reasonably good connection for ex-Bangkok passengers to transit conveniently between flights.

Thai AirAsia’s flight departs at 1830 arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 2140, while AirAsia X’s flight departs Kuala Lumpur at 2340 with an ETA in Sydney of 0945 on the following morning.

On the return sector, the Kuala Lumpur bound flight will depart Sydney at 1055 and arrive at 1730; with the connecting flight to Bangkok departing at 2220 with an ETA at Suvarnabhumi Airport of 2320.

AirAsia has been offering checked through baggage services for some time in its bid to compete head-on with full service carriers on selected routes.

British Airways will cut its Bangkok-Sydney services 3 March, reducing  available seats on the sector by a 747 load daily.

Fare options

AirAsia’s regular fares start from Bt18,595, including taxes and surcharges. Checked baggage costs Bt920 for 15 kg and Bt1,080 for 20kg, pre-booked via the website. Meals and entertainment will cost anotherRM30 or around Bt300).

AirAsia X offers a so-called premium class with almost flat bed seats, a free 20 kg checked baggage allowance, meals with water, a pillow and blanket. This low-cost version of business class sells at Bt63,107.

A premium economy seat on Qantas (very similar standard of service) costs Bt90,000. It is a nonstop service to Sydney, while  AirAsia X is a one stop.

In economy class, Qantas quotes Bt33,095, while its full business class fare costs Bt106,655.

QF’s ex-Sydney flight will depart at 1230 and arrive in Bangkok at 1850. It returns at 2055 and lands in Sydney 0900. Not much between the ETA’s of these two airlines. A passenger can save around Bt30,000 at the expense of a starting the trip about two hours and 45 minutes earlier on the AirAsia combination.

Other carriers operating nonstop services are Thai Airways International and Emirates.

THAI sells its online Fly-to-the-World promotional fare at Bt27,740 economy fare and Bt73,075, business, but travel must commence by 31 March. The lowest regular fares is Bt30,200, economy class and Bt89,115, business.

THAI operates 11 flights weekly departing Bangkok at 1915 and arriving in Sydney at 0720. The return flight departs at 1000 and arrives at Suvarnabhumi at 1630.

Emirates sells its economy fare at Bt31,420 and Bt91,265 in business on its daily service.

In the one-stop category, Singapore Airlines quotes its economy fares from Bt28,750 and business class from Bt174,370. It operates twice daily from Changi Airport with the shortest connecting time of around one hour.

Malaysia Airlines also offers a service  twice daily with its economy class fares starting at Bt29,485 and business fares at Bt99,100. Connecting time in Kuala Lumpur is two hours outbound and four and a half hours inbound.

Vietnam Airlines and Garuda Indonesia, both operate daily services, but the tedious waiting times in boring airports is a factor to be considered.

Vietnam Airlines, via Ho Chi Minh City, quotes its lowest fare at Bt27,965 with an horrendous seven and a half hours downtime on the outward leg and it gets worse with a 16-hour delay on the way back.

There are no time savers with Garuda either, but it does offer a slightly cheaper fare of around Bt26,000, but only until 31 March and with seven days validity.

This round of Smart Saver fares remains valid until 31 March for booking and travel ex-Bangkok.

Based on the lowest regular online fares, discounts on business class fares are between 7% and 33%. They are available for 14 Asian destinations as well as Los Angeles.

The biggest discount is to Los Angeles service at 33%, resulting in a business fare of Bt115,345 followed by Shanghai and Beijing; 28% to give passengers a  Bt33,230 fare to both cities.

Business fares to Tokyo, Japan are discounted by 7%  to Bt55,870. To its home base, Hong Kong, Cathay cuts the fare 26% to Bt20,765.

Other business fares to key destinations are: Bt16,350 to Singapore; Bt37,755 to Seoul and Bt25,270 to Mumbai.

In economy class, five cities in North America are also eligible – San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Vancouver and Toronto.

Discounts range from 8% up to 33%.

Seoul gets the deepest discount, 33% down to Bt17,085 while Mumbai, only -8% to Bt11,870.

Hong Kong economy fare is also cut by 26% to Bt9,530.

Economy fares to other key destinations are: Bt8,410 to Singapore; Bt18,915 to Tokyo; Bt14,600 to Shanghai; Bt12,845 to Delhi; Bt39,445 to Los Angeles; Bt41,605 to new York and Bt41,115 to Vancouver.

All fares include taxes and surcharges and are subject to change due to currency fluctuation and offered on limited seats.

Indian-based carriers will now slug it out in the budget travel sector with yields continuing to drop against rising fuel costs.

Thai AirAsia launched its service 14 December 2010  offering a daily service. It will stagger the pull-out starting with a reduction of services, 14 February, from daily to four a week. It will close the route entirely 24 March.

Its sister carrier, AirAsia X, will also drop Delhi and Mumbai 23 March and 1 February  also due to high costs.

The Bangkok-Delhi route is busy with four full-service carriers competing in the so-called premium segment – Thai Airways International (twice daily), Cathay Pacific Airways (daily), Air India (daily) and Jet Airways (twice daily) and one low-cost carrier- Indigo Airlines (daily).

Price-wise, passengers were enjoying basement fares on Thai AirAsia especially if they were willing to plan far ahead by six months or more.

For short-term bookings the airline failed to compete with Indian carriers that were prepared to shave fares to below breakeven to secure market share.

The regular Delhi fares start from Bt9,744 if there is no checked baggage. Checked baggage costs Bt370 for 15 kg and Bt450 for 20kg. You have to book online in advance even for the baggage allowance. At check-in, baggage costs Bt530 for up to 15 kg only.

Air India sells the lowest fare at Bt11,005 including meals and checked baggage of 20 kg.

Jet Airways dumps fares and its latest round sold a seat for only Bt7,940.

With cut throat competition crossing the airline segments , low-cost airlines are in a financial bind as their operational costs are rising almost to the level of legacy airlines. The best deals this month are around Bt8,300 using web specials or Bt10,210 on a special economy category, depending on travel dates. The lowest fare will reach Bt12,000 in the summer schedule.

Indigo Airlines quotes its lowest fare at Bt6,730 with 20 kg free baggage allowance same as a full-service carrier.

Thai Airways International stays clear of the fare war selling at Bt18,505. If you book and travel ex-Bangkok by 31 March, the best deal is Bt14,190 under its Fly-to-the World campaign.

Cathay Pacific Airways has fewer flights and quotes Bt14,265. Its promotional SuperSaver fare for departure until 31 March sells at Bt12,945.

Above fares include taxes and surcharges and are subject to change due to currency fluctuation and may not be available at certain periods.

SAS’s Spring Sales is an online offer valid for booking only until 29 February, while travel ex-Bangkok is allowed from 12 March until 15 June, but the return journey must be made by 20 June.

SAS deals start around Bt30,000 and are very competitive even when compared with airlines providing nonstop services or one-stop to other Scandinavian cities.

To its home-base, Copenhagen, SAS pitches the fare well below Thai Airways International, its main nonstop competitor in the market, with a Bt26,530 fare. THAI’s Fly-to-the-World fare starts at Bt36,500 valid for bookings until 31 March. For travel from April, THAI sells at Bt38,995.

Egypt Air has the lowest fare at Bt25,275. But the downside for saving Bt1,255 is a three to four hours wait in Cairo to connect to Copenhagen. The airline flies the route five times weekly.

If the SAS’s cheap fare alludes you then Air Berlin sells a one-stop service to Copenhagen for Bt29,771, but again the connecting time is five hours and 30 minutes on the outbound sector and it flies just four times a week to Berlin, down to two in the summer schedule. The fare will go up to Bt32,830 if you want the shorter connecting time of two hours.

• Emirates sells at Bt30,630 booked by 10 March for travel ex-Bangkok within 25 March. Downtime in Dubai is around three hours on both sectors. Outside promotional periods fares soar to around Bt40,000.

• Finnair sells at Bt33,160, under a promotional Enchanting Europe fare bookable by the end of January with travel before 15 June (black out period 1-15 April). Downtime in Helsinki is one to two hours.

• KLM sells at Bt33,220, also to be bookable by 31 January with a travel period 1 February to 31 May. Downtime is around two hours.

• Turkish Airlines starts its fares at Bt33,688 with a connecting time in Istanbul of between two and three hours.

Taking a look at keys Scandinavian destinations, to Helsinki, SAS beats Finnair, the flagship carrier by a Bt10,000 margin. Finnair quotes the lowest regular fare at Bt40,165, while SAS’s fares go as low as Bt28,775.

On the Oslo route, Thai Airways International operates nonstop from Thailand daily during the winter schedule and five times weekly in the summer schedule. However, the SAS Spring Sales fare of Bt28,940 is tempting and the transit time in Copenhagen is less than one hour. THAI’s promotional Fly-to-the-World fare is Bt36,145, while the regular fares start from Bt38,635.

Turkish Airlines sells Oslo from Bt33,717 but the connecting time in Istanbul is six hours on the return sector.

All fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges, subject to change due to currency fluctuation and available at limited seats.

The bonus should encourage ticket sales through the SQ FFP network to boost fare revenue in the first quarter.

To be eligible, KrisFlyer members have buy tickets between 18 January and 31 March and travel must commence and be completed within the same period. Bookings can be made via www.singaporeair.com as well as via SQ appointed travel agents. The promotion is not valid for destinations in Southeast Asia.

The bonus miles will be credited within six weeks after travel has been completed.

Dubbed Fly-to-Europe-at-Great-Value, the sales period will last until 30 June (also last outbound travel date). The return journey must completed by 31 December.

Estimated all-in fares to some destinations are: Bt37,775 to Frankfurt; Bt40,295, Stockholm; Bt40,200 Venice; Bt40,885, Paris; Bt39,965, Madrid; Bt40,685, Brussels; Bt40,820, Amsterdam; Bt40,395, Copenhagen; Bt40,175, Dublin; Bt40,050, Helsinki; Bt40,175, Oslo; Bt42,150, Munich; Bt43,500, London and Bt40,955, Zurich.

The fares are not the cheapest even when compared to nonstop services to the same destination with the exception of Frankfurt and a few others in Europe.

A Bt37,775 fare is Lufthansa’s best offer on a flight to Frankfurt compared to Thai Airways International’s Fly-to-the-World 2012 promotion at Bt38,825 valid for travel ex-Bangkok until 31 March. Out of that period, regular fares start at Bt41,315.

To Helsinki, Lufthansa’s Bt40,050 fare is slightly cheaper than flying nonstop with Finnair for Bt40,61, .

Even though THAI is the only carrier offering nonstop flights to Brussels and Oslo, it pitches the fares relatively low to lure traffic. The lowest regular fare to Brussels of Bt39,235 is about Bt1,600 cheaper than LH’s promotional fare. THAI’s Oslo fares start from Bt38,725 compared to LH’s Bt40,175. If they can travel outbound by 31 March, passengers can grab a promotional fare for Bt36,695 and Bt36,235 respectively.

On the Bangkok-Paris route, passengers can find cheaper fares from both THAI and Air France that both fly nonstop with fares at Bt40,170 and Bt39,235 respectively.

LH’s London deal is only Bt145 more expensive than British Airways that sells at Bt43,355, but THAI quotes Bt45,495.

To Zurich, THAI sells the lowest regular fare at Bt39,505, while Swiss Air Lines International, pitches its fare at Bt40,810.

To Copenhagen, Scandinavian Airlines, the home-base carrier corners the market with the lowest fares beginning at Bt37,550, while THAI sells at Bt38,945 and LH at Bt40,395.

To Amsterdam, China Airlines operates a nonstop service from Bangkok with a fare at only Bt34,715 compared to LH’s Bt40,820. KLM, the home-base carrier has the lowest fare at Bt38,395.

In the one-stop category, fares are more competitive to all major European destinations usually on Asian or North African carriers.

For example, on the London route, it is possible to travel to London for Bt30,000. Indian carriers are competing heavily for traffic with Jet Airways quoting Bt29,735; Kingfisher Airlines, Bt33,395 and Air India, Bt30,560. Meanwhile, Egypt Air sells a London fare at Bt30,100. During Jet Airways’ 48 Hour Sales last week, the London fare was sold for Bt22,595.

To Paris, Qatar Airways’ fare is just below Lufthansa’s deal at Bt39,260. Air India’s fares start from Bt26,750 and Royal Jordanian Airlines at Bt33,140.

Above fares are subject to availability and subject to change due to currency fluctuation.

Valid for travel from 1 to 29 February, the Bt990 fare is all inclusive for one-way travel, but limited to the first six passengers on each flight. The one-way fare will be set at Bt1,490 for other passengers.

Kan Air operates two flights a week, on Friday and Sunday, between Chiang Mai and this border town using the 12-seat Cessna Grand Caravan 208B.

Mae Sarieng is 164 km from Mae Hong Son’s provincial town through a hilly region. It stands on the banks of the Salween River bordering Myanmar’s Kayin and Kayah states. The district is famous for Myanmar style temples, Salawin National Park and Mexican Sunflower fields on Doi Mae Ho.

Other promotional fares, launched earlier, will expire 31 January. They include: Bt1,990, Pai; Bt1,890, Phitsanulok, Nan and Mae Sot and Bt1,490 Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son. All fares are all inclusive, per sector.

Call 02 551 6111 or 086 341 5697 or visit www.kanairlines.com .

Booking can be made online until 20 January,while the departure ex-Bangkok is open until 29 February (blackout period: 22 to 25 January). Ticket validity is one-month except Singapore which remains valid for 14 days.

The roundtrip fares per person are Bt7,450 to Singapore; Bt22,600 to Maldives; Bt24,680 to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport; Bt24,900 to Tokyo’s Narita Airport and Bt24,945 to Osaka.

Compared to other full-service carriers flying Bangkok-Singapore, the SQ’s deal (two people travelling together) works out the cheapest. Thai Airways International sells Singapore from Bt9,620, while Cathay Pacific Airways pegs its lowest fare at Bt9,265. Only the low-cost carrier, Thai AirAsia’s betters the deal with a Bt6,760 fare but there are restrictions.

On flights to Japanese cities, THAI beats Singapore Airlines with its Fly to the World 2012 campaign selling at Bt18,475 to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Bt18,695 to Tokyo’s Narita Airport and Bt18,735 to Osaka.

All Nippon Airways also offers lower fares than SQ quoting Bt23,165 to Haneda Airport; Bt23,385 to Narita Airport and Bt23,235 to Osaka.

Japan Airlines’ fares are higher than competitors at around Bt26,300 to the three Japanese destinations.

Flying nonstop to the Maldives, ex-Bangkok, Bangkok Airways’ Web Saver fare is slightly cheaper at Bt22,435 than SQ, but it is limited to four flights weekly. Singapore Airlines operates 10 flights a week to Maldives, but there is a four-hour wait between connecting flights at Changi.

Malaysia Airlines through its Kuala Lumpur hub sells the Maldives at around Bt25,000.

Sri Lankan Airlines pitches the cheapest fare at Bt18,295, but the connecting time on return journey is an unacceptable 14 hours. The airline provides accommodation for required transits of eight hours or more. On the outward leg down time is three hours.

The fares include associated taxes and surcharges and subject to change due to currency fluctuation.

The latest campaign, dubbed Fly to the World 2012, is good for bookings until 31 March and departures through to 31 March. Ticket validity is 14 days for economy class and one month for business class.

Compared to its lowest standard fares, discounts vary from 8% to over 30% in economy class and from 4% to 20% in business class.

Economy class fares on most of Asian routes save more than 20%; Tokyo (36%), Yangon (33%) and Seoul (29%).

Sample economy fares are: Bt36,865 to Zurich; Bt41,155, London; Bt31,605, Moscow; Bt27,740, Sydney; Bt17,405, Seoul; Bt16,025, Shanghai; Bt18,695, Tokyo; Bt12,125, Taipei; Bt9,620, Singapore; Bt8,040, Vientiane and Yangon and Bt14,110, Delhi.

Business class fares are: Bt106,965 to Zurich; Bt111,255, London; Bt80,105, Moscow; Bt73,075, Sydney; Bt39,745, Seoul; Bt33,055, Shanghai; Bt54,080, Tokyo; Bt26,375, Taipei; Bt19,120, Singapore; Bt14,655, Vientiane; Bt15,830 Yangon and Bt30,300, Delhi.

When compared to other full-service carriers offering non-stop services from Bangkok, most of the offers are competitive. The best offers are on flights to Tokyo, Sydney and Zurich.

On the Tokyo route THAI quotes Bt18,695, while other carriers sells above Bt20,000. Singapore Airlines’ Festive Special fares for a group of two persons and above sells at Bt24,900, while All Nippon Airways sets its lowest fares at Bt23,385 and Japan Airlines around Bt26,300.

To Sydney, Qantas and British Airways fail to compete with their Bt31,590 fares vaild until March when compared to THAI’s Bt27,740 fare. Emirates’ Global Sales available for bookings until the end of January and travel through June is also higher at Bt28,110.

On the  Zurich route, direct competitor, Swiss Air Lines International’s best offer is Bt3,000 more expensive at Bt40,680 compared to TG at Bt36,865.

Above fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges, but are subject to change due to currency fluctuation and may not be available on some flights.

Travel period will begin 10 April and end 15 June.

All-in fares are: Bt26,530 to Copenhagen; Bt28,640, Aalborg; Bt30,095, Helsinki; Bt30,165 to Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger; Bt30,185, Gothenburg and Bt30,260 to Stockholm.

Visit www.flysas.com.