Vientiane To Bangkok
We ended the previous story with "boarding", so let's go fly!
Pushback!
Only 1425H and we already felt that jerk, as the plane started to push away. Yey!
I marked my photo for easy identification since my phone was facing the sun. This:
Blue arrrow is the international terminal's name; red arrow is where this plane came from (where we boarded); and, yellow arrow is the domestic terminal. Not really big.
It's maybe as big (or as small) as Davao airport - sama na domestic at international, since as you can see halos magka-dugtong sila. Total building length, ~200 meters.
But in terms of passenger traffic (2017), konti lang, about 1.3 million, comparable to BCD or CGY (TAC had 1.7M; ILO had 1.9M; DVO had 4+M), yet Vientiane is a capital.
BTW, that recent airport upgrade was with 'hefty help' from Japan. Even its operator today is L-JATS (Lao-Japan Airport Terminal Services), a public-private partnership.
Yes PPP (a familiar abbreviation, right?). Not really entirely "privatization". Sosyo lang si gobyerno ke private company kumbaga sa atin pa. Usually hati yan sa ownership.
Is that a good way to manage airports? Tingin ko, yes. Parehong makikinabang ang publiko at ang namumuhunan. Less pa ang pangungulimbat ng mga... alams na that!
In VTE, "public" is Lao government, and "private" is Toyota. They jointly own L-JATS (est. 1999), as operator of the International Terminal and Ground Handling Services.
O di ba? Akala mo Fortuner, Innova, Vios, Land Cruiser, etc. lang 'no?!
Okay okay.., one last glance at Wattay International Airport of Vientiane, Laos!
Hey how lucky of me! I saw two of Lao Airlines' only three Airbuses - all in one click!
That one far to the left (RDPL-34223) is the youngest of the 3 (in service since 2012). The one at right (RDPL-34199) is the 2nd of the two Gaddafi Planes. Yep, that's their "special plane", and as said above, the plane that flew me here yesterday from Hanoi.
At 1433H, we were already at the end of Runway 31, just about ready to fly fly fly!
And in the next minute, off this plane was to the air. So, goodbye Vientiane for now!
This Runway 31 takeoff goes in the northwestward direction of Vientiane, so I didn't expect to see much, other than farms & fields in various stages of 'being urbanized'!
Oh yes, it's very interesting to see so many new houses & buildings rising from what may have been ricefields or vegetable farms. Yet the VOR/DME must remain visible!
But what do you know.., I accidentally caught their North Bus Terminal in my last pic!
Look at where the plane's engine attaches to the wing. The cluster of buildings down there is: the north bus station for long distance, domestic or international land trips.
International? Yes, buses/vans don't only go to VangVieng or Luang Prabang. Some can take you to Thailand, Vietnam, and even China; (no direct ride to Myanmar yet).
No, I am NOT (yet) inerested in that kind of "adventure"! Am just saying, there is that travel option in/from Vientiane. Oks na ako sa Cubao~Bangued or Manila~Laoag oy!
Anyway..,
Aboard Thai Air Asia
Nothing much to talk about AirAsia that we haven't done so yet, right? Oh really?!
But, and oh well.., o sige, 'wag kalimutan.., magaganda ang stewardess nila ngayon!
Yet that is expected. Thai girls look really neat and presentable, therefore beautiful - at least to us Filipinos! Kaya lagi magkaribal sa beauty pageant ang PH at TH haha!
On that 'scene', they were distributing the pre-ordered meals. Syempre meron ako!
That's my 'default' when an AirAsia has no 'tapsilog', kaya abangan sa next flight ko!
Come to think of it, I didn't expect UncleChin's to be available on this flight segment. This is Thai Air Asia and on a flight to/from Laos. That chicken-rice is of CM/Sinkie origin/popularity! Well I guess that taste-popularity has caught on all AirAsia routes.
Air Asia is originally Malay, in the first place!
*Update 2023 Someone asked what is CM/Sinkie. Ahw okay, CM is Chinese Malaysian, Sinkie is Chinese Singaporean. Parang ChiNoy, FilChi, Intsek, Insik, kung sa atin pa!
By the way, in case you noticed, this was Air Asia, but my flight number started with an FD, not AK, Z2 or QZ. Yet you already know that, like I explained in the past, right?
Ah, for everyone's additional knowledge, as of now, their name codes are like this:
AK — AirAsia (the original; Malaysia)
DJ — AirAsia Japan
D7 — AirAsia X (long-haul from Malaysia)
FD — Thai AirAsia
KT — AirAsia Cambodia (planned)
QZ — Indonesia AirAsia
XJ — Thai AirAsia X
XT — Indonesia AirAsia X
Z2 — Philippines AirAsia
That is just 'as of now', since I/we do not know what other such affiliate names may come in the future. Malay natin, baka lahat ng bansa sa earth eh magka-AirAsia din!
There are others like them with 'multiple names and IATA Codes' such as Lufthansa Group (LH, LX, OS, SN, EW); Jetstar Group (JQ, GK, 3K); plus too 'many others' more.
In general, the joining and/or disappearing from such groups have something to do with the individual airlines' profitability status! Remember Z2 was Zest Air? Ganoon!
I said "in general" since it's not always as if "a losing or fledgling airline was bought or taken by Air Asia into the group". An example is this very flight. Thai Air Asia (FD) was conceived as a new low-cost airline by AirAsia and their Thai partners back in 2003.
Hindi ito parang Zest Air, na nag-hihingalo na nang ni-rescue ni AirAsia!
So, is/was FD (Thai Air Asia) as a business or investment doing well? Look...
Hahaha! Joke lang, let's not be alarmist for the wrong reasons hehehe. Those seats were in and around me during this fight, but we know, exit rows are usually like that.
On budget airlines, that is! Last to be taken, because they are more expensive.
Ang marites: in 2017, FD was flying high in market share and profitability. But in 2018 (that ends today oy!), they are still operationally strong, but profit margins can shrink.
Anyway again.., namigay ng Thailand Imigration Arrival Cards, so I filled out mine!
Oh yes, the Thailand "arrival card" will always and forever be in my memory [drama]!
Nostalgia every time I see and fill that card. Why? Ah decades ago when I was young (and had no sense), that was the first immigration arrival card that I filled out - alone!
Yes alone.., with no friends nor family.., as a solo traveler.., and I think I enjoyed it!
Ayiyiii tama na yan at baka masimulan ang kwento ng buhay ko. Mahaba yan!
Landing at DMK
I knew we were descending, but at 3:16PM I looked out the window, aba malapit na!
That is Pathum Thani, the province next to (north of) Bangkok. How did I know? You guessed it, the large square, a central part of Wat Phra Dhammakaya was my basis!
It is not even 20kms to Rangsit (near Don Mueang) where I lived in my past life*wink*! Meaning landing at DMK (Don Mueang International Airport) was a few breaths away.
O eto, in 3 mins, my Thai AirAsia Flight FD1041 was bulusoking na to Runway 21R!
Does it look familiar? I assure you though, 'di yan yung PAL Hangars sa Balagbag, at the northern end of Runway 06/24 hehehe! Magkamukhang-magkamukha lang sila!
Touchdown na iyang picture sa taas, kaya preno na mamang driver, brake, brake na!
That is why we see those 'spoilers' on the wing are all raised. You also already know that, right? Yes, yun parang maliliit na flaps, they help in braking the aircraft to stop.
Aw the blue arrow? It points to the airport name, Don Mueang International Airport.
Here's an interesting pic I took while the plane was still decelerating on the runway.
Look at the "middle-to-left-side" of the picture. The tallest structures you see (plural) aren't part of the airport. Those are the Skyway, and the elevated SRT Dark Red Line.
What is SRT, at merong pang "dark red" na nalalaman? Aheheh, SRT is still the same old State Railway of Thailand, like what is still operating at ground level since 1896.
An elevated version na mas mataas pa sa airport ang railway is what you see. That is the "red line" project, composed of 2 separate contracts - north and south segment.
They call the northern-part project as "dark red" and the southern-part as "light red".
Yun lang yan. Pero grabe ang taas 'no?!
Well, ang highlight dapat.., "kelan nga ba matatapos yan"? Parang mga construction projects sa atin - usog ng usog ang 'end date'! Oist, baka Pinoy ang contractor hehe!
Okay, my plane got off the runway, approaching DMK T1 for arrival. But I made sure to take a photo of this pink plane (too bad I was on the right side and we turned right)!
So that is my best pic. Yes it is pink - Siam Air. Many even call it the "Barbie Airline"!
Awh, I guess it's now proper to refer to it as a "was" or a "has been". Wala na sanang ma-offend, for that plane we are seeing, I want to call as 'the ghost of Siam Air'. Da!
Not so sure, but I heard on the news last year pa, that it was not operating anymore.
It started in 2014 with two B737-300s, that became four, then back to two - because the newer-two were confiscated by lessors. That one in picture, no creditor wants it.
Why? Because it is already very old - born 1993 to Air China, tas binili nila in 2014!
If (like me) you haven't flown a Siam Air flight before, chances are you will never ever be able to. That plane has been there for more than a year now, they need to answer lawsuits left-and-right, aviation authorities hounding them to pay unpaid dues, etc.!
Oist, iyan lang yata ang airline na ang logo eh drawing ng babae hehehe. Aliw sana! Well, at least, you and I have seen a snippet of that Pink Plane, before it disappears!
Arrivals at DMK
Alright, here we were, my Thai Air Asia flight about to dock at Don Mueang Airport.
Ay, if you're not yet aware, this airport/terminal is both historic and historical. It was and therefore "still is" the oldest operating airport in Asia, now the biggest LCC Hub!
I'll tell you more of that, when I do my departure story.
Meanwhile, here were me and fellow passengers piling out of the arrival gate:
The advantage of being ASEAN citizen in ASEAN countries - no visa - derecho lang!
After immigration, down to baggage claim.., lucky again! To the right konti tao:
To the left meron konting "crowding" after Carousel 5. Probably a tour group.
I said 'lucky again' since in my experience, this place had never looked so 'empty'! As in, this was always like a pandemonium to me! Maybe because this was end of year?
Maybe. Even those money-changers and ATMs, kadalasan me pila din ang mga yan!
I walked leisurely around, to savor the "emptiness". I even almost went to Amari!
That's the walkway-bridge crossing the highway, skyway and railway to Amari Hotel. Memorable place! For in my past life I lived there months on end, a number of years.
Hwag kang umangal: past life = buhay noong nakaraan. O ha?!
Anyway..,
I went out to the arrival curbside, turning left towards T2 (domestic terminal).
A brief pause yes, to glance at that overpass (right edge of photo) walkway to Amari.
You see that long red roof? That is the Old SRT Don Muang Railway Station. Notice the spelling "Muang". That was the original English translation spelling of เมืà¸à¸‡, that the government changed to Mueang with an "e" in 2007 kasi yun daw ang tama. Da!
Hay naging usapin yan sa buong bansa (dahil lang dyan), but syempre, government ang nasunod. Many places in the area are still trying to rename old street signs etc.
And so I reached the end of T1 (left of Door 8) and start of T2 for some bisyo!
Note: only when I am already at this place, smoking, do I open my Grab App to hail a ride. Why? Ah, if I do it earlier, the car arrives with my cigarette stick not yet finished!
Ganun!
Pushback!
Only 1425H and we already felt that jerk, as the plane started to push away. Yey!
I marked my photo for easy identification since my phone was facing the sun. This:
It's maybe as big (or as small) as Davao airport - sama na domestic at international, since as you can see halos magka-dugtong sila. Total building length, ~200 meters.
But in terms of passenger traffic (2017), konti lang, about 1.3 million, comparable to BCD or CGY (TAC had 1.7M; ILO had 1.9M; DVO had 4+M), yet Vientiane is a capital.
BTW, that recent airport upgrade was with 'hefty help' from Japan. Even its operator today is L-JATS (Lao-Japan Airport Terminal Services), a public-private partnership.
Yes PPP (a familiar abbreviation, right?). Not really entirely "privatization". Sosyo lang si gobyerno ke private company kumbaga sa atin pa. Usually hati yan sa ownership.
Is that a good way to manage airports? Tingin ko, yes. Parehong makikinabang ang publiko at ang namumuhunan. Less pa ang pangungulimbat ng mga... alams na that!
In VTE, "public" is Lao government, and "private" is Toyota. They jointly own L-JATS (est. 1999), as operator of the International Terminal and Ground Handling Services.
O di ba? Akala mo Fortuner, Innova, Vios, Land Cruiser, etc. lang 'no?!
Okay okay.., one last glance at Wattay International Airport of Vientiane, Laos!
That one far to the left (RDPL-34223) is the youngest of the 3 (in service since 2012). The one at right (RDPL-34199) is the 2nd of the two Gaddafi Planes. Yep, that's their "special plane", and as said above, the plane that flew me here yesterday from Hanoi.
At 1433H, we were already at the end of Runway 31, just about ready to fly fly fly!
This Runway 31 takeoff goes in the northwestward direction of Vientiane, so I didn't expect to see much, other than farms & fields in various stages of 'being urbanized'!
But what do you know.., I accidentally caught their North Bus Terminal in my last pic!
International? Yes, buses/vans don't only go to VangVieng or Luang Prabang. Some can take you to Thailand, Vietnam, and even China; (no direct ride to Myanmar yet).
No, I am NOT (yet) inerested in that kind of "adventure"! Am just saying, there is that travel option in/from Vientiane. Oks na ako sa Cubao~Bangued or Manila~Laoag oy!
Anyway..,
Aboard Thai Air Asia
Nothing much to talk about AirAsia that we haven't done so yet, right? Oh really?!
Yet that is expected. Thai girls look really neat and presentable, therefore beautiful - at least to us Filipinos! Kaya lagi magkaribal sa beauty pageant ang PH at TH haha!
On that 'scene', they were distributing the pre-ordered meals. Syempre meron ako!
Come to think of it, I didn't expect UncleChin's to be available on this flight segment. This is Thai Air Asia and on a flight to/from Laos. That chicken-rice is of CM/Sinkie origin/popularity! Well I guess that taste-popularity has caught on all AirAsia routes.
Air Asia is originally Malay, in the first place!
*Update 2023 Someone asked what is CM/Sinkie. Ahw okay, CM is Chinese Malaysian, Sinkie is Chinese Singaporean. Parang ChiNoy, FilChi, Intsek, Insik, kung sa atin pa!
By the way, in case you noticed, this was Air Asia, but my flight number started with an FD, not AK, Z2 or QZ. Yet you already know that, like I explained in the past, right?
Ah, for everyone's additional knowledge, as of now, their name codes are like this:
AK — AirAsia (the original; Malaysia)
DJ — AirAsia Japan
D7 — AirAsia X (long-haul from Malaysia)
FD — Thai AirAsia
KT — AirAsia Cambodia (planned)
QZ — Indonesia AirAsia
XJ — Thai AirAsia X
XT — Indonesia AirAsia X
Z2 — Philippines AirAsia
That is just 'as of now', since I/we do not know what other such affiliate names may come in the future. Malay natin, baka lahat ng bansa sa earth eh magka-AirAsia din!
There are others like them with 'multiple names and IATA Codes' such as Lufthansa Group (LH, LX, OS, SN, EW); Jetstar Group (JQ, GK, 3K); plus too 'many others' more.
In general, the joining and/or disappearing from such groups have something to do with the individual airlines' profitability status! Remember Z2 was Zest Air? Ganoon!
I said "in general" since it's not always as if "a losing or fledgling airline was bought or taken by Air Asia into the group". An example is this very flight. Thai Air Asia (FD) was conceived as a new low-cost airline by AirAsia and their Thai partners back in 2003.
Hindi ito parang Zest Air, na nag-hihingalo na nang ni-rescue ni AirAsia!
So, is/was FD (Thai Air Asia) as a business or investment doing well? Look...
On budget airlines, that is! Last to be taken, because they are more expensive.
Ang marites: in 2017, FD was flying high in market share and profitability. But in 2018 (that ends today oy!), they are still operationally strong, but profit margins can shrink.
Anyway again.., namigay ng Thailand Imigration Arrival Cards, so I filled out mine!
Yes alone.., with no friends nor family.., as a solo traveler.., and I think I enjoyed it!
Ayiyiii tama na yan at baka masimulan ang kwento ng buhay ko. Mahaba yan!
Landing at DMK
I knew we were descending, but at 3:16PM I looked out the window, aba malapit na!
It is not even 20kms to Rangsit (near Don Mueang) where I lived in my past life*wink*! Meaning landing at DMK (Don Mueang International Airport) was a few breaths away.
O eto, in 3 mins, my Thai AirAsia Flight FD1041 was bulusoking na to Runway 21R!
Touchdown na iyang picture sa taas, kaya preno na mamang driver, brake, brake na!
Aw the blue arrow? It points to the airport name, Don Mueang International Airport.
Here's an interesting pic I took while the plane was still decelerating on the runway.
What is SRT, at merong pang "dark red" na nalalaman? Aheheh, SRT is still the same old State Railway of Thailand, like what is still operating at ground level since 1896.
An elevated version na mas mataas pa sa airport ang railway is what you see. That is the "red line" project, composed of 2 separate contracts - north and south segment.
They call the northern-part project as "dark red" and the southern-part as "light red".
Yun lang yan. Pero grabe ang taas 'no?!
Well, ang highlight dapat.., "kelan nga ba matatapos yan"? Parang mga construction projects sa atin - usog ng usog ang 'end date'! Oist, baka Pinoy ang contractor hehe!
Okay, my plane got off the runway, approaching DMK T1 for arrival. But I made sure to take a photo of this pink plane (too bad I was on the right side and we turned right)!
Awh, I guess it's now proper to refer to it as a "was" or a "has been". Wala na sanang ma-offend, for that plane we are seeing, I want to call as 'the ghost of Siam Air'. Da!
Not so sure, but I heard on the news last year pa, that it was not operating anymore.
It started in 2014 with two B737-300s, that became four, then back to two - because the newer-two were confiscated by lessors. That one in picture, no creditor wants it.
Why? Because it is already very old - born 1993 to Air China, tas binili nila in 2014!
If (like me) you haven't flown a Siam Air flight before, chances are you will never ever be able to. That plane has been there for more than a year now, they need to answer lawsuits left-and-right, aviation authorities hounding them to pay unpaid dues, etc.!
Oist, iyan lang yata ang airline na ang logo eh drawing ng babae hehehe. Aliw sana! Well, at least, you and I have seen a snippet of that Pink Plane, before it disappears!
Arrivals at DMK
Alright, here we were, my Thai Air Asia flight about to dock at Don Mueang Airport.
I'll tell you more of that, when I do my departure story.
Meanwhile, here were me and fellow passengers piling out of the arrival gate:
The advantage of being ASEAN citizen in ASEAN countries - no visa - derecho lang!
After immigration, down to baggage claim.., lucky again! To the right konti tao:
To the left meron konting "crowding" after Carousel 5. Probably a tour group.
I said 'lucky again' since in my experience, this place had never looked so 'empty'! As in, this was always like a pandemonium to me! Maybe because this was end of year?
Maybe. Even those money-changers and ATMs, kadalasan me pila din ang mga yan!
I walked leisurely around, to savor the "emptiness". I even almost went to Amari!
Hwag kang umangal: past life = buhay noong nakaraan. O ha?!
Anyway..,
I went out to the arrival curbside, turning left towards T2 (domestic terminal).
You see that long red roof? That is the Old SRT Don Muang Railway Station. Notice the spelling "Muang". That was the original English translation spelling of เมืà¸à¸‡, that the government changed to Mueang with an "e" in 2007 kasi yun daw ang tama. Da!
Hay naging usapin yan sa buong bansa (dahil lang dyan), but syempre, government ang nasunod. Many places in the area are still trying to rename old street signs etc.
And so I reached the end of T1 (left of Door 8) and start of T2 for some bisyo!
Ganun!
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