SAA
South Africa’s largest domestic and international airline, South African Airways, was established in’34. SAA was created as one of the first national airlines on Earth. SAA has its main, modern hubs in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Transnet, a public transport company, is the owner of SAA. More than 2% of SAA’s stocks are held by its nearly 9,000 employees.
It serves 31 cities in 25 countries, carrying more than 7 million passengers per year. Recently a member of the exclusive Star Alliance, the connection vastly extended the number of destinations SAA flies to. Skytrax, the British experts on aviation ratings, declares SAA one of the best international airlines in terms of products offered and service standards. Employees receive intensive advanced training programs to help SAA maintain its reputation for excellent customer service.
One of the top airlines in the business is the SAA. The SAA, or Suid-Afriaanse Lugdiens in Afrikaans, is always ranked as the top performer, safest and money making airline. There are also many other catagories in which they rank high.
In’34 the first cities served by SAA were Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Later, SAA added flights to Kenya, British East Africa and Uganda signaling an entrance to the international market. In WWII the airline was more or less shut down but by’45 SAA had achieved it’s long term goal of opening a European route by introducing a flight to Bournemouth.
The SAA brought the 707 to it’s airline in the’50’s. It was the next one in line, after the UK, to operate a pure jetliner flight. These jets would finally start to fly non-stop to the UK and it’s European neighbors within two years. Then New York was added as a stop in’69. The fleet now claims a fleet of more than 45 aircraft.
SAA’s loyalty program, Voyager, has nearly 2 million members. Members can earn airmiles on SAA as well as for flights with their partner airlines and Star Alliance members. SAA backs up its commitment to customer service by investing millions each year on in-flight entertainment. Passengers may choose from more than a dozen movie channels, video games, music and travel information.
They can also enjoy the Boabab Lounge at Johannesburg, which offers workstations complete with computers, faxes and printers. SAAs Cyclad Premium Lounge in Johannesburg was voted the third best in the world in a Skytrax survey in 2002.Business and first-class passengers are pampered even more. Business class offers the best business flat bed seats in the industry, according to Skytrax.
In the first-class cabins, SAA offers these features:’0-degree, lie flat bed, possibly the widest in the industry at 29 inches wide. Each seat has its own electronically controlled ottoman, and large, private television screens with audio-video on-demand.
Business class travelers enjoy most comforts during their travel. Starting from the fully adjustable seats with an adjustable headrest and pneumatic lumbar support to the large private television screens with the audio-video-on-demand.
South African Airways travelers who fly economy have available to them private televisions including audio-visual-on-demand and they are treated to a choice of two savory meals which are enhanced with a selection of South African Wines.
Safety and maintenance are very important to South African Airways. They have the largest maintenance facility in Africa, located at Johannesburg. Not only do they do their own maintenance, they also do maintenance on British Airways and Air France planes.
Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for South Arica’s leading Flight comparison portal, which includes South African Airways amongst others.
Get Flights to Ko Chang
Tourism in Ko Chang has increased dramatically just in the last few years.Ko Chang, part of the Trat Province, is about 330 km from Bangkok and is Thailand’s second largest island and the largest in Ko Chang National Park.
Trat is sevred by two daily flights out of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Bangkok Airways. There are many flights to Bangkok, and the competitione leads to low prices. Flights to Bangkok from Britain leave from London’s Heathrow Airport. Qantas and British Airways fly to Bangkkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore on their way to Australia via the so-called “kangaroo route.” Taiwan’s Eva Airways and Thai Airways also serve Bangkok.
Ko Chang has three seasons including the cool season from November to February, the hot season from March to May and the rainy season from June to October. In general the climate is hot and humid with lots of rainfall, 4,000 mm per year.Direct door-to-door mimibus transfers will get you from Trat to Ko Chang and fares include the ferry crossing.
If you go to Ko Chang, you need not worry about getting around and transportation. The community is laid back and while there are public modes of transportation, you will find that the good old fasioned method of walking is still a very popular option as well.
It has become a favorite for Bangkok families on holiday. The island is home to a variety of wildlife including birds, snakes, deer and elephants and offers ideal spots for snorkeling, diving and jungle hiking.Ko Chang’s recent growth as a tourist destination is due in large part to its proximity to Bangkok, just 5 hours away.
The best known of the 47 islands of the Mu Ko Chang National Park is Ko Chang. If you’re an adventurer, you can take part in an 8 hour tour of the Than Mayom Waterfall and the Khlong-Plu Waterfall. If that isn’t enough, you can plan an overnight camping excursion in the jungle. If you’re looking for luxury, you can enjoy Thai villas at the Aiyapura Resort and Spa. You will be sure to enjoy the surrounding tropical gardens and breathtaking ocean views.
The best beaches are located on the west coast and they offer the finest accommodations as well as night life, Sai Khao and the White Sand Beach is the most popular on Ko Chang. There are beach bars, jazz clubs and night club that offer entertainment. You can stay in the thatched huts or wooden bungalows for a natural experience. You also have the option of luxury suits that offer air conditioning, televisions and pools.
Klong Prao Beach has a steeper, sandy beach with a beautiful rocky landscape in its northernmost area.Kai Bae Beach is similar to Klong Prao. You can hire canoes and kayaks, and there are plenty of dive shops. Bang Bao Beach is a fishing village built on stilts. Hire a boat and fish or snorkel to view the rich coral life.
On Khlong Prao, Chang Chutman offer half-hour and hour-long elephant safaris into the interior. You can also go on foot, preferably with a local guide. Start at the southern end of the island.
The Monkey Training Center in Ko Chang demonstrates the abilities of its monkeys, mainly coconut gathering.
Tom Martens is the content coordinator for bestukflights.co.uk the UK’s premier flight and travel comparison portal which includes a detailed section on Travel to Thailand and Flights to Ko Chang
Flights to Krabi
Krabi Providence is on the west coast of Southern Thailand is very similar to other Thai destinations. They offer beautiful beaches and major tourist centers that cater to 2 million visitors.
Krabi International Airport (KBV) is about 15 km from the city centre 40 km from Ao Nang and 23 km from Had Yo two of the province’s best beaches.Most flights into Krabi originate from Bangkok via several airlines: Thai Airways (also offering flights from the UK to Bangkok), Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Firefly and Air Asia.
Taxi and hired car are also affordable options. Krabi is hot and humid all year round, with the hottest usually in April. Many hotels, bars and ferries close during the rainy season during the fall. High season spans from November through April peaking during Christmas and New Years.The local Songthaew, public passenger pick-up vehicles, offer convenient transport to various local tourist attractions.
Krabi’s most unique feature, Phang Nga, a massive limestone karsts, rises high and steep from the flat rice paddies. Krabi’s natural coastal attractions never fail to impress tourists. Beaches are white and sandy with clear water, fascinating coral reefs, caves and waterfalls. Numerous islands are also available to explore.
When you go to Krabi, you can find a variety of things to do and places to stay. This is the most developed beach in Ao Nang. You won’t go hungry either, there is a great selection of restaurants as well as places to stay.
Rai Leh is the place that backpackers and hikers tend to enjoy more because it has great rock climbing and smaller beaches. Ton Sai is where you will find affordable bungalows will avoiding all the tourists. It is also within walking distance of Rai Leh.
Four surrounding islands, Ko Jum, Ko Lanta, Ko Phi Phi and Ko Siboya offer quieter escapes for travelers seeking solitude.Had Yo is the last untouched beach in the Krabi province. It offers spectacular views of Jum Mountian and Ao Nang’s cliff walls.
rabi is more than beaches and islands, however. Take a look at some of the other local attractions’ Krabi Town, the provincial capital, has memorable landscape featuring the prominent landmark Khao Khanap Nam. Created by two hills approximately 100 meters high that flank the Krabi River running between them, Kho Khanap Nam offers distinctive vistas accessible by a 15 minute long-tail boat ride from Chao Fa Pier. Visitors can canoe in the mangrove or a stroll to dinner at the night bazaar. Find authentic cuisine at Chao Fa Pier and the bazaar on Maha Road.
Pra Nang Beach (Princess Cave Beach) is less about sandy beaches and more about the area’s limestone scenery. A fascinating network of cave systems is home to the Pra Nang Beach considered to be the most beautiful beach in the world. The huge cave is believed by fishermen to be the home of a mythical sea princes. You can get to the Princess Cave Beach by boat or by foot.
Proncess Cave Beach, better known as Pra Nang Beach, skips the sandy beack look and focuses on the area’s gorgeous limestone scenary. It is considered to be the world’s most beatiful beach and is home to a network of wonderous caves. A local myth that is believed by the local fisherman is that the huge cave is home to the mythical sea princes. Proncess Cave Beach is accessable either by foot ot by boat.
Tom Martens is the content coordinator for bestukflights.co.uk the UK’s premier flight and travel comparison portal which includes a detailed section on Travel to Thailand and Flights to Krabi
Find Flights to Bangkok
All flights to Bangkok from the UK are out of London Heathrow. British Airways and Quantas offer Bangkok flights, as well as flights to Singapore and Hong Kong, as one of its stopping points on the “kangaroo route” to Australia. Also try Thai Airways and Taiwanese carrier, Eva Airways.Cheap flights to Bangkok are easy to find thanks to healthy competition for this route.
The new Bangkok International Suvarnabhui Airport (BKK) is now open offering the largest enclosed terminal building in the world, a sign that Thailand is keeping up with major destinations in the region. Each airport is less than’ miles from Bangkok, and you can get there by taxi, hired car, or bus.Bangkok has two airports. The Don Muang Airport (DMK) was one of the busiest in south-east Asia.
Temperatures and humidity are comfortable while flights, hotel rooms can be twice as high as in the off season. In the off season, you’ll find lower prices, as well as hot, humid and rainy weather. Monsoon season lasts from June to October.Peak season, November to March, in Bangkok may be more expensive, but is really the only time to visit for most people.
None of this has stopped Bangkok from luring travelers from all over the world. It offers overwhelming choices in shopping, ancient culture and legendary night life.
World-class nighttime entertainment is a stroll away and shoppers can find everything from antiques to designer clothing. Thailand’s culture center since the’th century, Bangkok is also the country’s bustling capital. Peaceful Thai villages nestle among glass buildings and stylish restaurants.
You also have the option of taking the BTS sky train, subway, bus or river taxi. Drivers are aggressive in Bangkok, so if you want the convenience of your own car, hire a car and driver for the day.Getting around Bangkok on foot is an option, but it is slow. Tuk-tuks and cabs are inexpensive and almost always faster than walking.
The drivers will try to talk you into going on special shopping trips or insist the attraction you want to see is closed. They will offer to take you for free if you will stop at their friend’s shop on the way. All these are scams in which the driver gets a cut of what you spend buying trinkets at an over-inflated price.A word about tuk-tuks: all fares are negotiated, so do not get in until you have settled the fare.
Some places you will want to check out will in Bangkok are the National Museum and the Grand Palace. The National Museum will allow you the opportunity to learn the history of Thailand. While the Grand Palace allows you to see one of the most famous architectural symbols. And it is sill in use by the Thai Royal Family for ceremonies
The Reclining Buddha, a huge structure of 157 feet long and 49 feet high, stays at Wat Pho, Bangkok’s most eminent, oldest and largest temple. The Buddha is laminated in gold and decorated with nacre that covers the soles of its feet. There is every night at Joe Luis Theater an exclusive presentation of puppets. The puppeteers are skilled dancers, also participating on stage, playing an important component of the show.
Tom Martens is the content coordinator for bestukflights.co.uk the UK’s premier flight and travel comparison portal which includes a detailed section on Travel to Thailand and Flights to Bangkok
Booking with Thai Airways
Thai airways is known as one of the best service providing airlines.It has won many awards including “Worlds Best Cabin Staff and stood second in 2007 in the Best Airline in the World. Suvarnabhumi in Thailand is the place where from, it operates most to different places to the world.Few other airports from where it has the non stop flights include Chaing Mai International Airport, Don Mueang International Airport and Phuket International Airport.
It was’60 when Thai Airways International Public Company Limited was created. It was an endeavor undertaken by Thailand’s domestic airline, Thai Airways Company and Scandinavian Airlines System as partners. The government of Thailand then took full control of the industry after a 17-year partnership when it purchased SAS’s interests in the company.
Initial departures started from Bangkok to nine other countires in Asia. By’80, the primary trans continental flights were to Australia, then to Europe and finally North America. After the company had merged with the Thai Airways Company, it went through a period of rapid growth.
The Star Alliance network was founded in’97 with Thailands Thai Airways being one of its founding members. The main purpose of the Star Alliance was to create a network through which member airlines would codeshare with each other, thus expanding the flights offered. Thai Airways, through additional partnerships has expanded its list of travel destinations to include Africa (contract ending Jan. 16, 2009), countries in eastern Asia like China, Japan and Korea. Countries in western Asia and Arabia such as Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, European countries such as Denmark, France, Germany, Spain Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, United States and even countries as far Australia and New Zealand. Currently, the Thai Airways route from Bangkok to Los Angeles is one of the longest non-stop commercial flights.
Thai Airways has a fleet capacity that comprises 89 aircraft. The largest aircraft that they have in the fleet is the Boeing 767-400 that has a seating capacity of 389 passengers.
There are four travel classes that an airline may offer, which include Royal First, Royal Silk, Premium Economy, and Economy.
Passengers of Royal First class enjoy flat bed seats that also comes with touch screens, multi-media entertainment, and automated massage systems. There are over 20 meals to choose from. These options are usually available on Europe to Australia and some intra-Asian flights.
Royal Silk is the equivalent of the business class and includes angled, lie-flat business class seats that offer lumbar massage. All seats have 17-20 touch screens and AVOD and IFE.
Premium Economy Class is available on intercontinental flights from Bangkok and Los Angeles on the Airbus A40-500. Fewer seats are available on these planes to offer more room for the reclining seats and leg rests. These seats also come with 10.5 touch screens with AVOD and IFE.
Economy Class seating is less roomy than the other classes, but includes AVOD.
Thai Airlines has a frequent flyer miles program called Royal Orchid Plus. More than 2,000,000 people all over the world belong to the program. There are three levels in the program, Member, Silver and Gold. You can earn miles for flying on Thai Airlines, and also for code share flights to and from Bangkok, Thailand. You can also earn miles for flights on the partner airlines, which are Alliance and Jet Airways. You can even earn miles for staying at a partner hotel.
Thai Royal First Class, Royal Silk Class and Star Alliance Gold passengers can visit one of the seven Thai Departure Lounges at Suvarnbhumi Airport. The Royal Orchid Spa offers traditional Thai massage, foot massage and spa Jacuzzi suites.
Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for South Aricas leading Flight comparison portal, which includes Thai Airways amongst others.