Mumbai15 Feb 21 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Bangkok
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About SilkAir
SilkAir (Singapore) Private Limited, traded as SilkAir, is a regional airline which has its headquarters in the Airline House in Singapore. The airline previously had its headquarters in the fifth story of the SIA Superhub in Singapore. SilkAir is a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines which is wholly owned and operated by its parent company. It has scheduled passenger services scheduled from the hub in Singapore to about 38 cities across 14 countries in the Southeast Asian, East Asian, the Indian Subcontinent and Australia. It portrays the role of the regional wing to Singapore Airlines and mainly serves short-haul and medium-haul destinations that fall under the Singapore Airlines Group network. In the year 2015, the airline carried about 3.5 million passengers and recorded a whopping operating profit of USD 40.8 million. As of 2016, the airline's operations were handed over to Mr Leslie Thng, who was appointed as the new Chief Executive after Mr Foo Chai Woo. In 2017, the airline once again registered a profit as it raked in revenue of USD 990.3 million, which was an increase of 2.5 per cent in comparison to the previous year.
The profit earned in the said year reached an all-time high for the regional carrier as it recorded USD 100.8 million, a staggering spike of 11.3 percent against the previous year. In 2018, Singapore Airlines stated that its subsidiary SilkAir's fleet would be undergoing a massive cabin product upgrade, starting 2020, before being completely merged with the parent company. As a move to move ahead with the merger, SilkAir's official website was discontinued while a dedicated section of SilkAir was integrated into Singapore Airlines' website the following year. SilkAir was founded in 1989 under the name Tradewinds Charter. It's then-parent company, a regional air-charter Tradewinds Charters, was formed in 1975 which leased planes from the parent company Singapore Airlines to serve leisure destinations. By 1989, the airline changed to Tradewinds Airlines and incorporated scheduled flight services. It leased a McDonnell Douglas MD-87 aircraft to serve five of its destinations such as Phuket, Kuantan, Pattaya and Hat Yai from Singapore's Changi International Airport. In contrast, its fifth destination Tioman had services from the city's Seletar Airport.
Over the years, Singapore Airlines' regional carrier expanded tremendously with various regional destinations such as Yangon, Jakarta and Phnom Penh being added to its international route. This enabled the expansion and broadening of the airline's presence from a leisure carrier to an airline perfect for a business traveller as well. A marketing overhaul was conducted in 1991, which was followed by some rebranding in 1992. SilkAir received its present name along with a new company logo and a corporate identity. The brand-new SilkAir also utilised about six new Boeing 737-300s which were introduced in the previous year. By the mid-1990s, the airline accommodated two Airbus A310-200s in its fleet as a means to expand its services to India and parts of Mainland China. It became the first-ever Asian carrier to provide handheld portable video-on-demand entertainment system in-flight. It was provided in the form of a DigEplayer 5500 which was available on flights of certain select countries and destinations.
In 2017, SilkAir also took over services of Scoot to Yangon. The transfer of destination helped SilkAir greatly as it boosted operations with 15 non-stop flight services accommodated in a week. In 2017, the airline further launched its flight to Hiroshima, becoming its first Japanese destination to join the SilkAir network. Further, the airline announced in 2018 that it would be transferring about 17 routes to its sister concern, Scoot, which included cities such as Wuhan, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Yogyakarta and Kota Kinabalu.
Fleet size of SilkAir
SilkAir's current fleet size stands at 33 with eight Airbus A320-200s, two Airbus A319-100s, 17 Boeing 787-800s and six Boeing 737 MAX 8. They are yet to receive orders of 31 Boeing 737 MAX 8s. SilkAir's operations commenced with two McDonnell Douglas MD-87s that was leased from the airline's parent company, in 1989. Eventually, in the 1990s, the airline started investing in its fleet and started the same by ordering six Boeing 737-300s. The airline operated two Airbus A310-200s that was used in service between 1993 and 1995. The Boeing aircraft was eventually transferred to Singapore Airlines. Similarly, the airline also operated two Fokker 70s between 1995 and 2000. Gradually, the airline started replacing its fleet comprising of Boeing with Airbus aircraft. They brought in their first Airbus A320-200 in 1998.
By 1999, the airline replaced its Boeing fleet completely and received much of its Airbus fleet. Its A319 is currently being used for services on specific routes in the Southeast Asian space along with some Indian cities. The larger A320 aircraft is predominantly utilised for major routes of the airlines. After a decade long of Airbus fleet, the airline signed a letter of intent in 2012 with Boeing to purchase 68 aircraft. The agreement comprised of a firm order of 23 Boeing 737-800s and 31 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft while they acquired purchase rights for 14 other aircraft. The airline's 737 aircraft is being used to replace the older A320 models. In 2014, SilkAir received its first Boeing 737-800 from the deal, and in 2017, it received delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
Baggage Allowance
SilkAir Airlines' free checked baggage allowance depending on the type of ticket as well as the cabin class. The airline doesn't have a country-specific rule for baggage allowance but instead holds a universal rule in terms of the weight and dimensions of the baggage. The first-class travellers are allowed to carry baggage that should weigh no more than 50 kg. Business-class and premium economy class passengers are allowed to carry about 40 kg, and 35 kg checked baggage, respectively. Passengers travelling via SilkAir in the economy Flexi, standard and lite travellers can carry 35 kg, 30 kg and 30 kg, respectively. The passenger must keep a check on their baggage weight or purchase extra baggage if needed. Prior purchases are essential as it would smoothen the process of check-in baggage. Pre-purchasing of extra baggage will get passengers some additional discounts. The baggage allowance policy does change depending on the airline's frequent flyer programmes and the passengers who are members of a specific package.
In-flight services
As a regional carrier, SilkAir's in-flight services are quite decent as they provide the necessary facilities for passengers. These include help with baggage to be placed in the overhead bins, comfortable seats with recline, available legroom, in-flight meal services and in-flight entertainment systems. These might vary depending on the route and duration of the journey that the passenger has opted for.
Popular routes and top cities for SilkAir
SilkAir was predominantly acquired to cater to regional domestic route and international route networks. Over the years, the airline has managed to acquire quite a good name in the sector, especially in the Southeast Asian region as well as the Indian subcontinent for providing ideal destinations. The airline has quite a presence in India as it connects to some of the South Indian cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi. The airline witnesses regular passenger traffic from these cities in India. While it did connect to Coimbatore, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and Visakhapatnam in the past, they have terminated these domestic routes, as of 2020. Meanwhile, in terms of its other international route connectivity, SilkAir has a presence in a handful of cities present in China, Indonesia and Australia. Some of the top cities for SilkAir include Broome, Darwin, Phnom Penh, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Bandung, Denpasar, Surabaya, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Yangon, Kathmandu, Davao, Cebu, Singapore, Colombo, Koh Samui, Phuket, Da Nang and Hanoi. The airline currently has codeshare agreements with Air China, Air New Zealand, Bangkok Airways, Fiji Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Lao Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Virgin Australia and Vistara. Additionally, SilkAir also has codeshare agreements with Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary Scoot.
Why travel by SilkAir?
SilkAir is practically perfect for budget travellers who want to get around the Southeast Asian countries without having to shell out a fortune. The kind of tourists who usually travel through the tropical beaches of Southeast Asian tourist destinations have just one thing in mind, to take a dip in the ocean—much of the budget centres around partying and participating in water sports activities. For them, splurging on airfare is the last thing to do. Hence, SilkAir works out tremendously well. Passengers can book a SilkAir flight on the airline's official website. They can also be found on other travel flight ticket selling portals as the brand has become quite famous, thanks to its affordable prices.
The airline has also upgraded its website by adding necessary drop-down menus and connecting pages. These include a dedicated tab for web check-ins and managing of the ticket booking. Passengers can also find details such as flight status and SilkAir's flight schedules on the website. Further, it is easier to find all the information regarding the baggage allowance and in-flight services in one place.
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.
