First flight to Thailand
In the article “First holiday in ThailandI gave some tips and information that may be useful in preparing for a holiday in Thailand. I also pointed out the numerous websites where information can be obtained about Thailand itself and how to act in specific situations. But the flight itself, is there nothing to say about that? Well, sure and true.
My first flight is a long time ago. No, not at the time of De Uiver, who in 1934 needed no less than 90 hours to fly from London to Melbourne, but 30 years later. In 1964 I flew from Curaçao to the Netherlands during my navy time with a stopover at Santa Maria in the Atlantic Ocean. What a thrill it was to be brought back in a DC-7 after serving in the West for a year and a half. It was not the last time I flew, because the counter currently stands at 996 times in the air, landed at 139 different airports in 96 countries. So one cannot deny me some flying experience.
Air travel Bangkok
Flying to another country has changed a lot over the last 40 years. My first trip to Bangkok took 24 hours because of 3 stops, nowadays it is only about 12 hours and without a stopover. Back then flying was still exciting and it had a romantic side, you could tell about it to friends and family, because so many people didn't fly back then. Now we fly all over the world, there is no country “safe” for tourists anymore and the number of flight movements has quadratically multiplied.
Now you have booked a holiday to Thailand for the first time and maybe it is even the first time that you get on a plane. Friends of yours, who have flown before, will tell you that a trip by plane to Thailand is almost the same as a bus trip from Purmerend to Amsterdam. But nothing could be further from the truth, a flight is a succession of stress-sensitive moments, which you should take into account.
Plane
When you fly for the first time, until then you belonged to the vast majority of Dutch people who have never been in an airplane. Years ago it was estimated that approximately 15% of all Dutch people have flown, due to the ever-increasing air traffic, that percentage will now be somewhat higher, but will certainly not exceed 40%.
We are going to follow the trip to Thailand step by step to see what can happen:
- The decision to get on a plane and travel to Thailand for the first time has already been an exciting one. You've thought it through carefully (“shouldn't we go to that campsite in France again after all”) and in the end the prospect of a tropical country, beautiful beaches, good food, etc. won. However, the tension towards the unknown remains.
- Then the day has finally come when you are going to travel. It has been agreed that a family member will take you to Schiphol. What time he will pick you up is the question: not too late because there can be traffic jams on the way and you can have a breakdown with the car. But luckily, it was a bit exciting when a small traffic jam formed on the way, but you arrive at the airport on time.
- It won't happen to you, but believe me when I say that many holidaymakers find at the airport that all luggage is present, but the travel papers have been left on the kitchen table at home. Panic!
Passport
- The first official “showdown” is at the check-in desk. “Would my ticket be OK, is the travel date correct, would there be a delay”. But the lady behind the counter is friendly, weighs the luggage, hands you the boarding pass with the pre-reserved seat and wishes you a good journey. Well, that's a relief.
- Then passport control by a strict-looking Marechaussee. Don't forget, eh, that passport? Let me tell you that every day the Marechaussee chalks up more than 100 Dutch people to the counter who have forgotten their passports. Unbelievable, but true, they are not only tourists, but also regular business travelers. It also happened to me once, but luckily you can buy a temporary travel document at Schiphol for a short trip. You will need a faxed copy of your passport, which your employer can usually provide. For a longer trip and especially to Thailand (outside Europe) you have a big problem.
- Even if you have the passport neatly with you, there is the tension whether the Marechaussee will let you go. Shouldn't really be a point, because you have nothing to record. The Marechaussee once made a problem of my passport. I had to get out of line and report to the office. It turned out that someone with the same surname and the same initials was listed in a search register of unpaid fines. Fortunately, that was quickly resolved due to the date of birth and place of residence, but it was exciting for a while.
Schiphol Airport
- The next hurdle is the check of your hand luggage, I always find that annoying. People are just rummaging through your private stuff and you know they won't find anything special anyway. It's not too bad at Schiphol, I've already experienced a lot abroad. Had to run the belt of my pants through the scanner, sometimes shoes too and if a red light came on again, just an unabashed search.
- The worst thing that happened to me in this area was a trip from Bangkok to Amsterdam. A friend of mine collects hippos in all kinds of shapes, images, etc. She has about 500 of which I bought quite a few abroad. At the airport there was a nice example of a kind of paper mache, about 40 cm high, which I could not resist. Bought, neatly packed as hand luggage, no problem, I thought. However, I had a complicated return journey, as I flew back via Amman, Cairo, Larnaca. I had another business appointment in each of those places. The trouble had already started in Bangkok, the packaging had to be opened and the hippo was inspected. I just managed to prevent them from cutting the beast open to see if I was smuggling anything in. This inspection was then repeated every time upon arrival and departure, and Schiphol Airport was also viewed with suspicion.
Fear of flying
- Yes, the plane was delayed a bit, but boarding is pretty smooth. You still had some trouble stowing your hand luggage by another passenger, who had almost all of his household with him, but you're seated. You wonder if you're not going to get airsick, but don't worry, the bags to throw up are within reach.
- Takeoff (and landing) is a critical part of the flight. The driver, sorry the pilot, has to perform so many actions that you think, he can just make a mistake and it's over. Fortunately, that man has had his plane take off flawlessly hundreds of times, so that the chance of a wrong action is less than minimal. Yet!
- So, you are now at cruising altitude, you relax a bit with a snack and a nice glass of beer or wine. Whoa, wait a minute, you've read what can happen in the medical field, haven't you?
- So alcohol or not? I don't have a problem with it, quite the contrary. I make myself cozy with a few beers and don't have to worry about flying. Yes, fear of flying, isn't it normal that you step into such a metal tube, close the doors and go into the air? My motto is, flying is for birds and not for people. Always happy when the box has landed safely and rolls to the station building. If you also have a fear of flying, then you are certainly not alone! Lufthansa has determined in a survey that 30% of all travelers, experienced or not, suffer from some form of fear of flying.
- Fear of flying, what for? Crashing, you read that so often! Yes, it happens and not always with planes from notorious countries. If I hear a strange noise again or there is turbulence, then I am not comfortable either, but the chance of crashing is smaller than winning the jackpot in the State Lottery. But yes, that's statistics, you can also reason, what's in it for me, that the chance is extremely small, but it will happen to me.
- The pilot also sometimes hears a strange noise or sees a red light somewhere that should not be red. For example, it may happen that he decides to make a precautionary landing at an airport that was not planned in advance. That happened to me on a trip from Amsterdam to Bangkok, when we made an unplanned stopover in Karachi. What a stress came then! Many passengers who complained to the crew (I miss my connection, I am late for an appointment, people are waiting for me in Bangkok, etc.) All very unreasonable, because the captain did not make that decision just like that. However, the crew – in this case from KLM – is very well trained to deal with these kinds of situations, where I would have rebuked long ago.
Thailand
- Hey, hey, finally arrived in Bangkok in one piece. With a crumpled body from the long journey on the way to the first hurdle, passport control. It can happen that several planes arrive more or less simultaneously and then you stand in line for half an hour until it is your turn. Passport is in order, but wouldn't that officer think something about refusing you entry to Thailand. No, luckily it stamps without any problem and you can stay in the land of smiles for 30 days. Phew! One less problem.
- On to the baggage carousel and let's hope that your suitcase will also be on the belt. Well, luggage transport is a whole organization and sometimes things go wrong. It happened to me several times, that my bags were loaded on the wrong plane, so that I had to buy some toiletries and clean clothes on the spot. In all cases, the suitcases were still neatly packed after a day or two hotels Delivered. It doesn't have to be the airline, by the way, because I recently got a call from a good Thai friend who had been in the Netherlands for 3 months. Another Dutchman had recognized her suitcase as his own and happily took it to his apartment in Jomtien. There he realized that he had taken the wrong suitcase and after a number of phone calls with Bangkok and myself, all this was rectified. Both passengers did not have a name tag or recognizable sticker on the outside of the exact same suitcase, so it was not surprising to be mistaken.
Thai customs
- Great, finally through Thai customs. You have placed your suitcase on a trolley and walk in a column past the men who can inspect your luggage. Of course you have nothing illegal in your suitcase, but it is still annoying if you are picked out of the queue. Don't make eye contact with those officials, because a beckon from them is then made easier. Fortunately, nothing to worry about, you walk into the arrivals hall and you are in Thailand! Sawasdee hood!
This was a long story with all kinds of nasty things that can happen to you during a flight. I didn't write it to appease your fears, increase your anxiety, or manipulate you into giving up on the journey.
Flying is (reasonably) comfortable, you get to your destination quickly and it is also safe (safer than in a car on the way to France, for example). For me it was very common that, even if you have a lot of flying experience, you sometimes find the whole flying adventure exciting, nerve-wracking or anxious.
Let's start by saying that flying is extremely safe. But still 'food for thought' to highlight another side.
The statistics that indicate that flying is much safer than driving come from the aviation industry. The number of fatalities per km flown is then compared to the number of fatalities per km driven. Complete nonsense of course. Most flight accidents happen during the takeoff/landing phase and not during cruise flight. A flight of 1 hour is therefore roughly comparable in terms of risk to a flight of 12 hours, very different from a car. In addition, planes cover much longer distances than cars. So yes, viewed per km, flying is of course much safer. However, if you look at the number of deaths per flight/car TRIP made, independent of distance, then you get a completely different result and flying is not that much safer than driving a car.
That doesn't change the fact that, again, flying is one of the safest ways to get from A to B.
Robert, the theory you describe about safe flying or safe driving doesn't make much sense. Both are therefore not 100% safe, so you run a risk, that's for sure. In Lesson 1 Statistics during my studies in Economics, the professor showed a jar containing 100 balls, 99 black and 1 white. He asked what is the chance that you will get that one white ball out of the pot with 1 grip? We had learned our lesson and said in unison: chance of 1%! Wrong, said the professional, because there are only two possibilities, you take that cue ball or you don't take that cue ball, so the chance is 50%. It was meant as a joke, of course, but I still think about it a lot, because there is a very large grain of truth in it.
I use this example because that 50% chance also applies to a flight (or a car trip). You arrive safely at your destination or not. If fate befalls you, one can say: Yes, the statistical probability that that plane would have an accident was mimic. It did happen though, so what to do with all those statistics.
The comparison with a car ride – which I myself mentioned in the story – is also flawed. If I want to go from A(msterdam) to B(angkok), I can't go by car, if I want to go from A(lkmaar) to B(reda), I can't go by plane. So you usually have no choice.
.
I think flying is fairly primitive, being there two or three hours before departure is ridiculous enough and boredom has already set in before the (long) flight starts. Then you sit for hours in a chair that is too cramped with people around you, where you would normally walk around with a wide berth.
Then the food, wrapped in plastic that you can open with great difficulty, then you get the elbow of a neighbor or woman against the plastic spoon or fork that you try to move towards your mouth with great difficulty so that your clothes are already covered in spots.
Then the toilet visit, sometimes you stand in line and once you're inside, previous visitors often have quite dirty things! No, flying is worthless, only this is the only way to get to my beloved Thailand!
That is the disadvantage of 'cattle class', a refined form of livestock transport. In my time as an active journalist, I often had the privilege of flying business class or even first. In fact, business is the only way to arrive at a destination rested and not disheveled, albeit a rather expensive one. Now that I have to pay for the tickets out of my own pocket, only economy remains. Unfortunately, but it's no different.
eva airline has the evergreen class, which costs a little more,
about 100 euros for a return, and then you're already there
a lot better,
gr Cor
cor, totally agree
cor jansen says on 25 February 2011 at 09:58
eva airline has the evergreen class, which costs a little more,
about 100 euros for a return, and then you're already there
a lot better,
100 euros more expensive? tell me where you can book those tickets.
as it stands now, you are 250 to 300 euros more expensive with a month ticket.
Only a 2 month ticket will be cheaper.
Waited a long time last year, when a ticket was booked online for 869 uero Evergreen de Luxe, now 'first class'
gr
Harry
looked for a while, but can book them with about 150 euros
extra, but for all tickets, keep looking for a bargain,
can currently still book for March with China for 660 euros,
this is economy, can't with air berlin for that price, plus longer time
to dusseldorf by train, and price
gr Cor
No, that is not first class but a business class, recommended
When reading the story, I had to think back to the time when applause rose after a reasonably soft landing. EVA has indeed increased its prices for green class considerably and saves at least 250 euros.
I come to a month ticket p / m 145 euros
gr Cor
Dear Cor,
I don't know in what period, but would you please send me the link where you are 150 euros more expensive? for evergreen deluxe.
gr
Harry
Yes, Joseph, that's right. In my observation many Americans applauded after landing and probably also people who flew for the first time. Think of it as a release of inner tension.
Another nice story Gringo. I would advise everyone to leave home on time. Certainly towards Schiphol. It often happens that they arrive too late due to traffic jams, accidents, road works, etc. The plane won't wait.
And I would like to advise everyone to get to Suvarnabhumi especially early. Queues at passport control of 45+ minutes are more the rule than the exception in the last 4 months. I was never at the airport more than an hour before departure, but nowadays I have to be there at least 90 minutes before departure. Play it safe and make it 2 hours.
I'm going to Thailand again soon with Eva air [ evergreen classe almost 900 euros]
Have arranged everything train ticket, airline tickets domestic flight, receive an email 4 days before departure that my return flight has been cancelled, great.
As for waiting times, I never have a problem with too long waiting times, leave home on time and you don't suffer from anything, I am at least 4 hours before departure at the airport.
I've never had a problem with long queues.
So far, however, always flown with the night flight (departure BKK around 03:00)
Are you talking about these departure times?
I missed my flight with KLM a few months ago (5 minutes late). Reason: more than an hour and a quarter for customs. Checking with 4 people while there may be 200 waiting. Was also a night flight. Two weeks ago there were maybe 50 people, but with 12 checking officers I was through within 10 minutes. So make sure I'm on time because it's a costly matter to miss your flight. And a tip when you arrive in BKK. Note the counters where two officials work. They usually go faster. And avoid queues where people from Africa are standing. They are usually checked extra.
Yes, nice those desks with two officials. Hurry up fairly quickly, until one of the two decides to take a break.
Despite years of flying experiences with KLM, my first trip to BKK turned out to be a very exciting experience. I hadn't flown in 10 years due to a flight ban (expelled) and moreover I had developed a real fear of flying ( bad weather ) in the last few years of flying so this long trip for the first time in years was very exciting. My desire to do something new in my life was bigger than my fears and I decided to go anyway. On to the sun, palm trees and brown ladies.
I have not regretted it. Even if it failed here, it was still a unique experience that not many other fellow countrymen can share with me.
The most interesting part of your response is my 10-year flight ban. How do you manage that?
That was an unintentional gift from my ex. At the time, she spoke to a security officer while checking in on a simple holiday flight to Greece. The use of the word "bomb" seems to be a sacrilege among the airlines. She tried to explain it, but that bitch of an official thought it was reason enough to help our holiday to the moon. The result was that she and everyone involved (including a baby!) were deported from the plane. A month later it turned out that we had been banned from flying for 10 years. And that for a container of warm milk for the baby, she said: "this is a bomb" instead of "this looks like a bomb". The society in question is now bankrupt.
Immediately thought of you 😉
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/9321245/__NL_er_cel_in_voor_bommelding__.html