Bangkok Airways adds its network to oneworld's Global Explorer

Bangkok Airways is the latest airline to start participating in Global Explorer, the round-the-world fare offered by oneworld® member airlines and selected partners outside the global alliance, with effect from tomorrow (Friday 1 May 2015).

It is the first time that Bangkok Airways’ flights have been made available through a round-the-world fare.

Global Explorer, one of the most popular round-the-world fares available globally, offers simple, flexible, and great value travel around-the-world.  Prices are based on the cabin class chosen and the total distance travelled.  Travellers have up to one year to complete their journey.

Bangkok Airways serves 11 destinations throughout its Thailand home plus a further 13 destinations in neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar and Singapore.

Besides its attractive network, Bangkok Airways adds to the network covered by Global Explorer one additional country – Laos – and nine new airports: Thailand’s Chiang Rai (CEI), Lampang (LPT), Trat (TDX), Sukhothai (THS), Koh Samui (USM), Udon Thani (UTH) and Utapao (UTP), along with Laos’ Luang Prabang (LPQ) and Vientiane-Watay (VTE).

This means Global Explorer now features some 215 destinations across Asia – and almost 1,150 worldwide. 

Global Explorer already covers all routes offered by oneworld’s member airlines – airberlin, American Airlines along with its merger partner US Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, TAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, Russia’s S7 and SriLankan Airlines,  plus some 30 affiliated carriers, including Austria’s Niki, OpenSkies, South Africa’s Comair, Denmark’s SUN-AIR, Iberia Express, Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, LAN Argentina, LAN Colombia, LAN Ecuador, LAN Peru and QantasLink. 

Besides all these oneworld member airlines, Global Explorer also covers a number of airlines that are not part of the global alliance - Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines and its Horizon Airlines sister, Fiji Airways, Meridiana fly, WestJet and now also Bangkok Airways.  Flights carrying the Qantas code but operated by Air Tahiti Nui and Jetstar are also included, further expanding the reach covered by  this fare. 

oneworld Vice-President Commercial Stephen Usery said: “We are delighted to extend the reach offered by Global Explorer still further with the addition of Bangkok Airways.  Asia’s Boutique Airline matches well the quality of oneworld’s member airlines and it adds an attractive network in one of the regions most popular with round-the-world travelers.”

Global Explorer is one of two round-the-world fares offered by oneworld.  The alliance’s other round-the-world fare is oneworld Explorer.  This includes travel on the alliance’s existing member airlines and affiliates only.  Uniquely, prices are based on the number of continents visited, rather than on the distance flown. 

oneworld offers one of the most extensive ranges of alliance fares.   For those who don’t want to fly all around the world, these include Circle fares for traveling through several continents without actually circumnavigating the globe and Visit passes for each continent and various specific regions.  

For full details of Global Explorer and sample itineraries, see oneworld.com or contact any participating airline or your local travel agent.

About Bangkok Airways

Thailand’s first privately-owned airline and a frequent winner of industry awards, Bangkok Airways describes itself as “Asia’s Boutique Airline”.  It is rated four-stars by Skytrax, the independent industry quality rankings agency.  Its modern fleet of 29 aircraft comprises Airbus A319s and A320s and ATR 72s.  It boarded nearly 5 million passengers in 2014.  Of its 18 code-sharing agreements, eight are with oneworld member airlines.  It provides full-course meals on board, and lounges for every passengers on the ground, offering snacks and drinks.  For more details, see bangkokair.com

About oneworld

oneworld is an alliance of some of the world’s leading airlines, committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience to frequent international travellers.  Current member airlines include airberlin, American Airlines (including US Airways), British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, TAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines, and around 30 affiliates.  As part of oneworld, these airlines:

• Serve almost a thousand airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
• Carry some 520 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of 3,400 aircraft.
• Generate US$ 145 billion annual revenues.

oneworld member airlines work together to deliver consistently a superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network.  Top tier cardholders (Emerald and Sapphire) enjoy access to more than 600 airport lounges and are offered extra baggage allowances. The most regular travellers (Emerald) can also use fast track security lanes at select airports.

oneworld is the current holder of an unprecedented six of the nine leading “best airline alliance” titles available in the various industry award schemes. 

• FlightStats’ On-Time Performance Award 2014, for the second time running.
• Skytrax’s World’s Best Airline Alliance 2014 for the second year running.
• Business Traveller’s 2014 Best Airline Alliance, for the second year running.
• Global Traveler magazine’s Best Airline Alliance in its GT Tested Reader Survey 2014 Awards for the fifth year running.
• World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Airline Alliance 2014, for the 12th year running.
• Premier Traveler’s Best of 2014 Readers Survey Best Airline Alliance.

About oneworld’s other alliance fares

oneworld is the market leader for alliance fares and sales products, offering a wider range than any other global alliance.  It has pioneered some of the most innovative, flexible and attractively priced alliance fares available – and was the first to sell any of them on-line.  With something for anyone interested in making an extensive journey - from top executives on a trip right around the world to a backpacker exploring one continent or more – they include:

• oneworld Explorer:  One of the most popular, simple, flexible and attractively priced round-the-world fares available in the market. Prices are based on class of travel (Economy, Premium Economy where available, Business or First) and, uniquely, the number of continents visited - rather than mileage of the overall trip.  This keeps journey planning as simple and flexible as possible, providing excellent value.  Flights can be on any of the oneworld carriers.  oneworld Explorer is the obvious choice for anyone planning a global journey including sectors “Downunder” with oneworld’s Qantas the only member of a global alliance operating a full domestic network within Australia.  oneworld Explorer was the first multi-airline round-the-world fare bookable on-line. 
• Circle Explorer:  Similar to oneworld Explorer, but does not require travel to North or South America, so you can fly halfway around the globe and then back again, without actually circumnavigating the planet (for example London-Hong Kong-Sydney-Johannesburg-London).
• Circle Pacific:  Another Explorer variant, this time for trips around the Pacific Ocean, covering Australia/NZ, Asia and North and South America (for example, Los Angeles-Tokyo-Sydney-Los Angeles).
• Circle Asia and South West Pacific:  Covering North East and South East Asia and the South West Pacific.
• Circle Atlantic:  Covering Europe and the Middle East, North and South America.
• Visit Passes:  Offering multi-sector flights on any oneworld carrier in a specific continent (Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, North America, South America, Europe, and also within Japan, Malaysia and the South Asian Sub-Continent).  They offer a great value way to travel around a region.   oneworld is the only alliance to offer this sort of pass covering all six continents, excluding Antarctica.  Prices are based on the number of sectors selected and their length.

oneworld also offers travel solutions for big corporate customers and for organisers of large conferences, conventions and other events.

For more details, see http://www.oneworld.com/flights/round-the-world-fares