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Man’s Recommended Travel Itinerary Includes 47-Year Layover in Bangkok, Hilarity Ensues

Sept. 02, 2016
3 min read
BKK airport in Thailand
Man’s Recommended Travel Itinerary Includes 47-Year Layover in Bangkok, Hilarity Ensues
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When it comes to air travel, not all passengers have the same mettle. While some people are perfectly content finding ways to entertain themselves during a five-hour layover, other travelers start to get antsy around the 60-minute mark. But even the most patient travelers would agree that there's a certain point where a layover becomes a nuisance — and that spending more than 47 years (yes years) at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to get from New Zealand to London would not be the most efficient use of one’s time. Yet that’s exactly what travel search engine Skyscanner recommended to Lincolnshire, England-based customer James Lloyd when he searched for the best possible itinerary to plan a trip to New Zealand.

After being presented with a return flight that included a 413,786-hour layover in Bangkok, Lloyd — who clearly had a sense of humor about the glitch — took to Facebook to see if Skyscanner had any suggestions as to how he might pass the near-half-century wait.

Good thing Skyscanner noted that the Bangkok layover would be a "long wait." Image courtesy of James Lloyd via Facebook.

Fortunately, Skyscanner did not disappoint in its response. The company’s social media manager, Jen (who, given her epic reply, only needs one name), offered this:

When someone chastised Lloyd for not responding immediately to the clever reply, Jen proved her one-upmanship once again by stating, “I reckon he's too busy planning the next 47 years, Adam. It's a lot to get sorted! – Jen”

Lloyd then jumped back into the fray to explain his delayed response: “Sorry, I've been busy filling out my application forms for Thai citizenship!”

When one of the more than 1,000 people who replied to the original post pushed Jen to reveal her last name, she paraphrased Game of Thrones, noting that “A girl has no (last) name – Jen” – which only set the internet into more of a frenzy.

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As a thank you for all the fun, Skyscanner — via Queen Jen — sent Lloyd a little something for his upcoming airport residency:

He kindly thanked them “for being wonderful sports” and invited Jen and the Skyscanner team to come and visit him in Bangkok “any time in the next half century!”

H/T: The Telegraph

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
  • Annual Fee

    $325
  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.