Mumbai07 Sep 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Bangkok
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About Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines or more popularly known as Saudia, is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and is based out of Jeddah. The airline's main hub is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The secondary hubs for Saudi Arabian Airlines are in Riyadh and Damman's King Khalid International Airport and King Fahd International Airport, respectively. With respect to revenue, Saudi Arabian Airlines is the third-largest in the Middle East and falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways. The airline caters to a slew of domestic routes and international routes spread across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Much of the domestic and international charter flights are deployed and operated during the Ramadan period and the Hajj pilgrimage season. In 2012, Saudi Arabian Airlines joined the SkyTeam airline alliance and is also part of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. It is a non-profit non-political organization that comprises of airlines from 18 countries and has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.
The airline came into existence in 1945 following the reception of a Douglas DC-3 as a present to King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud by the then US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This gave the kingdom a nudge to put their resources towards building their civil aviation. Saudia Arabian Airlines was also founded at the same time and fell directly under the government rule with all its controls handled by the Ministry of Defence. The airline's management contract was handed over to Trans World Airlines (TWA). The first airport for the airline's operations was in Kandara Airport, located close to Jeddah. However, the airport has been demolished. Its early operations consisted of flights heading from Lydda (present-day Israel) to accommodate transport for Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah. Following this, Saudi Arabian Airlines introduced various domestic route operations such as Jeddah-Riyadh-Hofuf-Dhahran. The airline also brought in delivery of two Boeing 720s and became the fourth Middle Eastern airline to operate a jet aircraft. In 1963, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia announced that the airline would become a registered company instead of complete independence.
Later, Saudi Arabian Airlines purchased DC-6s and Boeing 707s. The airline further extended its reach from domestic routes to international routes with connections to destinations such as London, Mumbai, Sharjah, Frankfurt, Tripoli, Geneva, Tehran, Rabat, Tunis and Khartoum. By the 1970s, the carrier changed its name from Saudi Arabian Airlines to Saudia. Further, the airline also included Jumbo Jets to its fleet that was leased from Middle East Airlines. These jet planes were mainly deployed for operations in the London sector. During the same period, Saudia also operated Special Flight Services (SFS) that were reserved for the royal family and Saudi Arabia's government agencies. Following this, the airline expanded its international route network by chartering services to Rome, Stockholm, Paris, Kano and Muscat. A joint service of Pan Am/Saudia started in 1979 between Dhahran and New York City. In the 1980s, Saudia accommodated Horizon Class, a business class service, to enhance its in-flight services. In 2016, the airline announced that they would be starting a low-cost carrier subsidiary going by the name Flyadeal. Launched under the Saudia Group's SV2020 Transformation Strategy, the airline began operations in 2017 with flight services to domestic and regional destinations.
Fleet size of Saudi Arabian Airlines
As of 2020, Saudia owns a fleet size of 142 aircraft that comprises mainly Airbus and Boeing. The airline plans to continue adding world-class aircraft to its fleet and reach the top position as the best airline in the Middle East. They have constantly been rooting to enhance and modernize their fleet. Thorough studies and comprehensive deductions are made before the airline invests in acquiring new aircraft. Not to mention how an outline of their requirements from the aircraft is also charted out to get a better understanding of which aircraft will do justice to Saudia's brand name. This is in accordance with the airline's operations for domestic routes, regional routes and international routes.
Currently, the airline has 46 Airbus A320-214s, 15 Airbus A321s, 32 Airbus A330-343s, 33 Boeing B777-368ERs and 16 Boeing B787s as part of its fleet. Out of these aircraft, the Boeing B777-368ER is their largest aircraft which accommodates about 413 seats, 383 catering to the economy class cabin while 30 for business class. Meanwhile, the Airbus A330-343 and Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner are the second largest with a seating capacity of 298 that are segregated strategically. 274 seats have been reserved for economy class cabin while 24 have been placed in the business class cabin.
Baggage allowance
Baggage allowance, as stated by Saudia, vary from the journey type and the cabin class. They mostly follow the standard protocols set by the global aviation industry, which requires passengers in the first and business class cabin to have baggage weighing not more than 32 kg. As for passengers travelling from economy and guest class, the weight of the baggage cannot exceed 23 kg. In case the passengers do end up breaking the rules of baggage allowance and carry the weight that exceeds the said numbers, the airline will levy tariffs in SAR, per kg. Saudia also expects the passengers to follow the baggage dimension rules. Each piece of baggage needs to be within the dimensions of a total of 158 cm. In case the dimension does exceed, it cannot go beyond 205 cm.
Failing to meet the criteria would result in the airline requesting the passenger to ship the baggage by cargo. The same rules apply for domestic route flights and international route flights of Saudia. Depending on the cabin class that the passengers travel by, the airline would accordingly allow pieces of baggage. Flights to Asia from Saudia have two pieces of baggage allowed for economy class with one hand baggage that cannot weigh more than 7 kg. Business and first class passengers are allowed to car two pieces of checked baggage and one hand baggage that cannot exceed the weight of 12 kg.
In-flight
Saudia's in-flight services are exceptional as they offer a slew of luxurious amenities and hospitality. The airline boasts pristine seating which comes with comfortable leather. The seats are equipped with personal entertainment systems, spacious legroom and other such facilities. There is a special Saudi magazine that passengers can find as part of the entertainment package. These are mostly available on medium and long-haul flights. Part of Saudia's in-flight services also includes seat upgrades that can be requested at the check-in or even onboard. The airline also offers in-flight meals and beverages. However, it is one of the few airlines in the world, not to serve alcohol and pork. As per the Islamic dietary laws and restrictions, alcohol and pork are considered to be omitted from the diet.
Hence, the airline adheres to the same beliefs and does not serve the two items on the flight. It does offer a menu that has a rich list of dishes from global cuisine. One can immerse themselves in the delicious food while enjoying some good entertainment content. Some of the select few aircraft in Saudia's fleet also offer WiFi and mobile network portability. Interestingly, the airline's fleet also has prayer areas along with a recorded prayer that is played before the flight's take-off.
Popular routes and top cities for Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudia has enabled a successful domestic route and international route of flight connectivity. They have an extensive range of destinations to cater to that include about 80 cities spread across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Some of the international destinations include Vienna, Brussels, Hong Kong, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jakarta, Baghdad, Milan, Rome, Amman, Nairobi, Kuwait City, Kuala Lumpur, Rabat, Amsterdam, Lagos, Muscat, Lahore, Karachi, Doha, Singapore, Khartoum, Johannesburg, Madrid, Colombo, Geneva, Bangkok, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, London, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington DC. With hubs in Riyadh, Medina, Jeddah, Abha and Dammam, Saudia's domestic route connectivity is also quite strong as it connects to a vast number of cities within Saudi Arabia. These include cities such as Abha, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Tabuk, Najran, Neom, Yanbu, Rafha, Najran, Turaif, Wedhj and more. Further, the airline wishes to expand more of its destinations and add more cities to its list of connectivity.
Why travel from Saudi Arabian Airlines?
Saudia or Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the best airlines as voted in the Middle East. It falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways to be the third-best in the aviation space of the Middle East. Much like the luxury standards set by the other two airlines, Saudia also meets with the same as it facilitates a slew of luxe in-flight services and convenience to the passengers. The airline is well-equipped with the best aircraft that have business class as well as economy class cabins. They recently introduced a mobile app to make travel procedures easier. Passengers can do their web check-ins from the app and also know more about the flight status. Further, there are provisions to book a Saudia flight on their app and other travel portals too, thanks to its popularity. Saudia's flight schedules have been mentioned on their website to help passengers pick the right option.
About Bangkok Airport
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is often referred to as Bangkok Airport. It is one of the two major international airports that serve Thailand. Although Don Mueang International Airport was also recognized for its international flight services. However, the same was halted in 2007. Now the airport serves as a hub to low-cost airlines that connect in Bangkok. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is sprawled across 8,000 acres of land and is one of the biggest international airports in the Southeast Asian region. It is also a hub for aviation in Bangkok.
Suvarnabhumi Airport was originally chartered with limited domestic flight services. However, it soon started expanding to add more domestic and international flights. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is currently the important hub for Thai Smile Airways, Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways. The airport basically serves as a regional gateway to several foreign carriers too. It has been recorded to be the 17th busiest airport in the world and 11 busiest in Asia. The airport has the capacity to accommodate about 60 million passengers in a year. There are over 95 airlines that operate from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
About Airport Terminals
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport has three terminals in total. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are responsible for operations of international flights. Meanwhile, Terminal 3 is focussed on domestic flights to cater to connectivity in Thailand. The two terminals are located right next to each other while the domestic terminal or Terminal3 is 500 meters away from Terminal 2. The distance between the terminals is not massive. The proximity often makes it confusing. The departure and arrival zones in the international terminals have dedicated immigration counters as well as check-in and baggage to make it easy for the travellers. The terminal's roof has been designed aesthetically with the use of structural elements and bays that have been placed in cantilevered wavelike forms. The airport is capable of accommodating an Airbus A380. There are two parallel runways at the airport with a total of about 120 parking bays for flights. The passenger terminal is recorded to capacitate about 76 flight operations every hour. An underground rail link station has also been constructed to connect the terminal with the city centre. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport's terminal passenger terminal is famed for being the fourth-biggest building in the world, following Hong Kong International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport and Dubai International Airport.
About Airport Authority
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is funded and operated by the Airports of Thailand Public Company Ltd. (AOT). The airport's body is responsible for six international airport ventures in Thailand. Four more airports have been added recently under its wing. The statutory body received recognition as one of the most valuable airport operators across the globe. The organization was established in 2002 after a consortium between private firms and the state-owned Airports Authority of Thailand. The Thailand government holds a higher share in the consortium with about 70 per cent stock. The Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is the most profitable venture for the airport's authority with passenger statistics of about 63,379,077, as recorded in the year 2018. Over the years, the airport management has done a phenomenal job of efficient connection of the international airport with the city centre. They have also worked towards fixing some of the pressing matters to bolster the functions and efficiency of the airport in terms of safety and connectivity.
Top airlines flying from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
The demand for Bangkok in India as a tourist destination is quite high. Hence, there are several Indian airlines that operate from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport as well. In fact, the first flight to fly to the Bangkok Airport was a Lufthansa Cargo which took off from Mumbai. Some of the Indian airlines that operate from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport include Air India, GoAir, IndiGo and Vistara. They have direct connectivity and fly on a regular basis. Airlines such as Thai Airways and Thai Smile, which predominantly operate from Suvarnabhumi Airport also have direct services to Indian cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi Ahmedabad, Chennai, to name a few.
As an international tourist destination, the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport also sees much air traffic from international flights. Some of the prominent airlines that operate from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport include Air Astana, Air China, Air France, Air Macau, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Bangkok Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Cambodia Airways, China Airlines, Druk Air, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, Jetstar Asia Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Nepal Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Swiss, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Ural Airlines. These airlines cater to various parts of the world and have impeccable connectivity. There are reservations for cargo flights to function from the Suvarnabhumi Airport. They are Lufthansa Cargo, Cathay Pacific Cargo, DHL Aviation and Singapore Airlines Cargo.
Facilities at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
ATMs and currency exchange - There are foreign exchange booths and ATM kiosks available at the airport. You can withdraw money or exchange to local currency to make your trip convenient.
Baggage - Baggage services are available with plastic wrapping and porter services. You can also find trolleys at regular intervals.
Internet and communication kiosks - There are internet kiosks that have established at the airport. You can get your work done while you wait for boarding. There are telecom desks where you can purchase local mobile SIM numbers to avail WiFi. Postal services are also available.
Restaurants and cafes - There are many food establishments and restaurants at the airport's terminals. The departure zone has a slew of joints, including ones with liquor and coffee.
Medical care - Medical rooms and pharmacies have been installed at regular intervals. You can make last-minute purchases of prescribed medicine, or you can get necessary tablets or toiletries.
Prayer rooms - Devoted prayer rooms and multi-faith corners have been established at all terminals. There are monks' reception rooms also available at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Transit hotels - To make the passenger's experience at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport good, they have also installed an in-transit hotel. You can check-in for the few hours you need to wait and even rest as much as you can.
Spa and massage - The airport is blessed with good serviced spas and massage parlours. For in-transit passengers who need to take a second flight or who need to wait due to layovers, can avail this service.
Smoking zones - There are dedicated smoking lounges in the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. These are available at all the terminals' departures and arrivals. You can even purchase boxes in case you need it for the time being.
Special assistance – The airport also has professionals who cater to the special needs of passengers who fall under the category of senior citizens, expecting mothers and physically disabled. The professionals have been trained to help out the individuals by enabling a smooth transition of their check-in and boarding processes.
How to reach Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
By Bus and car rentals
The Airport Shuttle bus operating from the city is another efficient way to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. These buses have a direct connection to the airport from within the city, making travel cheaper and easier. Along with the buses, you can always book a ride to the airport too. There are five routes from the airport that have a direct connection with the Bangkok Airport. These routes connect from Bangkok's downtown as well as Chonburi Province, connections from North Bangkok and Bang Na Bang Pakong which stands at the South. The main entrance to the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport though is at the Samut Prakan Province. There are elevated highways and flyovers which need to be used to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. You can find a car and rental booking booths at the airport's arrival segment. Even the entrance to the airport has a dedicated taxi counter where you can book your ride to the city.
By Airport Rail Link
One of the best ways to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport opened in 2010 after much delay but has since managed to receive good passenger traffic. Called the Airport Rail Link (ARL), the rail is operated by SRTET which is a subsidiary of the State Railway of Thailand. The long 28.6 km gauge line runs at an elevation for most of its length. The link directly connects to the passenger terminal building off the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. The rail services start at 6:00 in the morning till 24:00. There are two interchange stations called Phaya Thai and Makkasan which run on different lines, also available. The future plans to expand the airport is also in talks where the Airport Rail Link plans to merge and complement the SRT Red Line commuter service. This way, you wouldn't need to change the metro links to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
