Nok air

[dean]

I flew Nok air from Bangkok to Chiang Mai two weeks ago. I was happy with the actual flight but wanted to make several points about the airline. If they lose your checked bag (as they did mine, even though it was a 9:00 A.M. Sunday flight and was less then half full and I checked in 90 minutes in advance), they will not deliver it to your hotel. They finally called my hotel around 8:00 P.M. to say that they had the bag. My hotel was nice enough to send their airport shuttle Van to pick it up. Second, their baggage weight allowance is 15 kilos and they adhere to it very strictly. I came with one empty bag but filled it up at the Sunday festival market. On check in, my bag weighed 22 kilos and I would be charged for 7 extra kilos. I reminded them that they had lost my bag but their response was that one had nothing to do with my bag weight allowance. I told them that was fine, but that I wanted to be compensated for the loss of my bag and having to pick it up. After 5 minutes of this, they said that this was my first trip on Nok air and they would overlook it this time. I dropped my claim for compensation. I'm not sure what I will do in January, when I go back to Chiang Mai. I may send the mechandise that I buy to Bangkok by bus or UPS. Finally, I tried to check in 3 hours in advance but was told that check in was within two hours of departure, so there is no reason to get to the airport before then. Does anyone have any other suggestions, other than fly up and take a train back from Chiang Mai? By the way, I did like being able to get a seat assignment online.

[Guest]

My wife went back home two weeks ago and I booked her a flight here using Air Asia from Bkk to Uth about $20USD. I just checked to CNX and it's about $35USD. I haven't yet been on a flight but my wife said it was very good. I haven't looked at baggage regs. but her bag was about 20kilos and no problem. Check it on line airasia.com Sorry no seat assignments.

[dean]

I don't think that there are any other low cost carriers that service that route, so I'll probably give Asia air a try in January. On a short flight, a seat assignment is not that big a deal but Asia Air has only two flights to Chiang Mai daily, very early and very late but its better than any other alternative.

[check_bin_krap]

Why do you bother? Going from BKK to Chang Mai doesn't cost a lot with Thai. As you had a lousy experience, bag getting lost etc... Can't see why you should fly them again.

 

Domestic flights with Thai are cheap, I can't remember another country with such low prices.

 

Cheers!

[dean]

I just checked with Air Asia (15 kilos) and Thai Airways (20 kilos). Nok just reminded me of Ryanair, the only airline that I have come across where the employees have no discresion on whether to charge the excess fee or not. I think that I'll just be prepared to ship any excess kilos down to Bangkok (since I'll be there for another 9 days). But I will get a clarification from either Nok or Air Asia officials on arrival in Chiang Mai.

[SoiledCowboy]

Couldn't agree with you more c_b_k, the time-old adage of "you get what you pay for" applies here...Thai is still cheap and more so by westerners' money rates and have lots of schedules to choose from, can be booked from any country directly online and you get to fill your rotund stomach on all the free drinks and nibblies at the airport lounge, quite civilised and stress-free!

[thalenoi]

Seems a night on the train out of Chiang Mai is your best option.

 

I had friend visiting me from Montreal, they took a chartered cheap airline. One baggage took 2 weeks to get to the correct airport and they would not deliver at home neither. The rest of their luggage made it several months down the road and I just told them to get the stuff back where it came from....