Background
I needed a flight from Bangkok (BKK) to Koh Samui (USM). Bangkok Airways holds a monopoly on the route, and they actually built and own the Samui Airport. They have a flight every hour or so, utilizing ATR 72 and Airbus A319 aircraft. I specifically chose this flight to be on an Airbus A319, as I prefer this aircraft as it is a jet without propellers and provides a more comfortable ride.
The ticket cost about $180 per passenger, which included a checked bag. I was excited to try out Bangkok Airways, dubbed Asia’s Boutique Airline, which is known for providing a more premium experience.
How premium was it? Read below to find out!
Flight Details
Bangkok Airways Flight 151
Bangkok (BKK) to Koh Samui (USM)
Scheduled Duration: 1 hour and 5 minutes (On Time)
Seat/Cabin: 5F (Economy)
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Date of Flight: May 2025
Check-In
When I booked, I was automatically assigned seats in row 12, which was fine with me as I was sitting with my party. At online check-in, I could move to any seat for free, including the extra legroom bulkhead in row 4, as well as the exit row seats. I don’t really like the exit row, so I just moved up to row 5 to be closer to the front of the plane.
At Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK), all the airline check-in counters are in the same area, and then you go through immigration at your respective sections.
Once we passed immigration, we scanned our boarding pass at the automated gates and were off into the terminal area. The Domestic Concourse A had only 1 Priority Pass Lounge available. We visited the Coral Lounge, which was very close to our gate, and it was a solid lounge for being Priority Pass. It was still pre-security, as you clear security right before heading to the small gate area, so make sure to leave some time to clear security, though there was no line for us.
Boarding & Aircraft
Boarding was scheduled 40 minutes before our departure time. The process commenced 5 minutes after with Business Class passengers and then elite members. Our flight seemed pretty empty at the gate area, and there were a good number of seats available during online check-in. I would say our plane was a bit less than half full.
We had to take a bus to a remote gate, and were waiting for a few late stragglers on the bus for about 10 minutes. Once the final two parties boarded, we were off to our remote gate. You could board from either the front or the back of the aircraft.
The captain let us know that the flight would be 45 minutes in the air.
The Bangkok Airways Airbus A319 I was on had 120 seats. The business class cabin has 3 rows, in a 2-2 configuration, and the economy class cabin is in a standard 3-3 configuration. Some other configurations are economy only. The seat pitch in economy is a decent 31″ inches, and the cabin looked a bit dated, but was totally fine.
Flight Experience & Meal Service
We left our remote gate 10 minutes before our scheduled departure time, and took off 10 minutes after our scheduled departure.
To my surprise and delight, they even offered a complimentary meal service for economy class passengers on a 1-hour and 5-minute scheduled flight. Take notes, U.S. carriers- as I feel they will make excuses for flights of even 2 hours that it’s “too short” for a full beverage service.
The meal came out in a tray, along with your choice of tea, coffee, or orange juice. The only option was a fish for the main, which also came with potatoes and broccoli. Not too bad! A water bottle and real silverware were provided, along with a refreshing towel. And to round out the meal, a Thai Tea cake for dessert.
It was cute; they had an in-flight magazine and some plushies and gifts with their logo and characters for sale. I was almost tempted to buy a plushie or magnet, but realized I probably shouldn’t, as my luggage space was running out.
We landed 10 minutes before our scheduled arrival and pulled up to a remote gate. Then, you hop on an open-air trolley to take you to the airport and baggage claim.
The Verdict
Overall, I had a solid experience on the Bangkok Airways A319 in Economy Class, and really appreciated the meal service that was provided on this super short flight.
Have you flown on Bangkok Airways before? How was your experience? Comment below!
Happy travels,
Ty
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In 2018 I took Bangkok Airways from Phuket to Bangkok. As we descended into BKK, we experienced extreme turbulence in a storm with thunder and lightning, with passengers in instructed to use the brace position and a fair amount of praying and screaming by the passengers. We ended up being diverted to Pattaya and waited on the tarmac there for about 90 minutes. I can tell you, those flight attendants were professionalism personified. Calm and reassuring under pressure, ensuring that every passenger was seatbelted and safe. After we landed safely in Pattaya, then you could see that the flight attendants were a bit shook up by the experience, but continued their job, with announcements and reassurance. This is why we have flight attendants, and I can tell you, they were amazing. We ended up flying to BKK and landed without incident.